transcript/TED_79HMPQj55yc.txt

[0.000 --> 8.000]  I have autism spectrum disorder.
[8.000 --> 13.000]  No, I have not washed rain man or the big bang theory.
[13.000 --> 22.000]  Unfortunately, I cannot calculate 11,275 minus 3333 in my head.
[22.000 --> 29.000]  But I can name all the world's capitals, and also at 7,942.
[30.000 --> 39.000]  Autism is typically characterized by restrictive and repetitive behaviors, sensory difficulties, and a perceived lack of social skills.
[39.000 --> 45.000]  People with autism can struggle, but we can also contribute positively to the world.
[45.000 --> 53.000]  Every person on the spectrum is different, and our experiences cannot and should not be summed into a single narrative.
[54.000 --> 64.000]  However, my experience as an autistic person has led me to believe that we have the potential to teach the valuable lessons on a cornerstone of modern society.
[64.000 --> 66.000]  Communication.
[66.000 --> 71.000]  Imagine for a moment the typical autistic caricature we often see portrayed in media.
[71.000 --> 74.000]  Sheldon Cooper, for example.
[74.000 --> 87.000]  You might dismiss Sheldon as a smart but awkward side character, but Sheldon and the rest of us with ASD actually have a lot to issue about becoming a better communicator.
[87.000 --> 102.000]  A commonly recognized trait among individuals on the spectrum is our ability to see things as they are, but one of the most significant misconceptions about individuals on the spectrum is that we are often deficient in our ability to communicate.
[102.000 --> 110.000]  We are often seen as poor communicators, either lacking social graces or completely incapable of expressing ourselves.
[110.000 --> 123.000]  But while social reciprocity may look different in individuals on the spectrum, it is also true that our communication style is direct and coherent, to an extent that is often unheard of in neurotypical society.
[123.000 --> 131.000]  A commonly recognized trait among individuals on the spectrum is our ability to see the world as it is, rather than as we want it to be.
[131.000 --> 138.000]  An example of this unique perspective came when I was four years old and my family took a trip to an amusement park.
[138.000 --> 151.000]  Walking past the loud and colorful rides, a neurotypical child might have heard screaming from the roller coaster and thought, wow, this ride is going to be so fun. That was not my thought.
[152.000 --> 160.000]  Instead, I asked my parents, why are all those kids screaming on the roller coaster? Shouldn't they be enjoying it?
[160.000 --> 171.000]  Interestingly, individuals on the spectrum are also less likely to communicate or act based on gut feelings, which reduces bias and improves efficiency when problem solving.
[172.000 --> 179.000]  In fact, research has shown that individuals on the spectrum are less susceptible to reasoning biases such as the framing effect.
[179.000 --> 187.000]  We are less impacted by the way information is presented, so we are quick to understand the underlying meaning being conveyed.
[187.000 --> 199.000]  Thus, we are often, but not always, able to remain logical even during emotional situations, which is a valuable skill when navigating complex communication.
[200.000 --> 208.000]  Just not when the lights are too bright or the TV is too loud or a socks are too itchy or there are crumbs on the table or the inside of the car smells just a little bit weird.
[210.000 --> 219.000]  So let's take a look at some communication styles in action. Imagine this scenario. A parent asked their child to wash the dirty dishes.
[219.000 --> 223.000]  The child, as children often do, asks why.
[223.000 --> 230.000]  The parent responds with the classic 1950s parenting response, because I told you so.
[230.000 --> 238.000]  Now, we have a confused child, a frustrated parent, and a pile of dirty dishes.
[238.000 --> 244.000]  What if the parent did instead use a more autistic approach to communication?
[244.000 --> 250.000]  Each change might play out differently. This time, when the child asks why, the parent might respond with,
[250.000 --> 260.000]  well, we all have to contribute to keeping the kitchen clean. If dishes don't get done, they might smell bad, and we might not have dishes to use for dinner tomorrow.
[260.000 --> 266.000]  The parent clearly expresses the reasons the task needs to be done, and generates a common goal.
[266.000 --> 277.000]  The child leaves the exchange understanding expectations, and the parent leaves the exchange having communicated effectively, and with freshly cleaned dishes.
[278.000 --> 294.000]  Autistic people show us that there is a better way to communicate, and a way to avoid communication failures that are all too common, from disagreements over the dishes to a piece seismic miscommunications and hostilities that exist in our political world.
[294.000 --> 305.000]  Imagine a world in which politicians establish common goals, communicate directly, and operate from a place of logic and understanding, rather than evotion.
[305.000 --> 314.000]  But before we get too serious about politics in our country, there is one final lesson in communication that we can learn from the autistic brain.
[314.000 --> 317.000]  We are hilarious.
[319.000 --> 324.000]  Be impeccable, autistic sense of humor likely comes from our unique worldview.
[324.000 --> 333.000]  What sub-may view as innocence or naivety is actually just our ability to see the world as it is, rather than as we want it to be.
[333.000 --> 339.000]  We don't take ourselves or anything else too seriously because we view things literally.
[339.000 --> 348.000]  This gives us a sense of awe and humor that is often lost in neurotypical adulthood, and is rarely present in adult interactions.
[348.000 --> 354.000]  I myself happen to live with one men apostle and two pubertal females.
[355.000 --> 367.000]  When conversations revolve around undesirable waistlines, I frequently interject to remind everyone that at a post-issue protects our internal organs and keeps us warm.
[367.000 --> 370.000]  That is dear to hell.
[372.000 --> 379.000]  And Harry Styles probably prefers his girlfriends alive rather than hypothermic.
[379.000 --> 385.000]  However, it is essential that society learns to laugh with autistic people rather than at us.
[385.000 --> 390.000]  We are frequently infantilized as a result of our unique approach to communication.
[390.000 --> 400.000]  Individuals on the spectrum tend to be life-long learners who retain a strong sense of wonder into adulthood, in part due to our can see to form intense special interests.
[401.000 --> 410.000]  But what relegates awe and wonder to being exclusively childlike traits? And why do I still get offered kids menus at restaurants?
[411.000 --> 418.000]  Our approach to communication is invaluable in times that are often a little too serious for our own good.
[419.000 --> 429.000]  Autistic people show the world that we can retain levity and passion into our adult lives, and that these traits are not childlike and do not need to be stamped out.
[429.000 --> 433.000]  Rather, they are care of d'Ristics to foster.
[433.000 --> 442.000]  Sheldon and the rest of us with ASD can benefit our communities by modeling direct, logic-driven communication and humor.
[443.000 --> 454.000]  We are not emotionless or robotic. We are your funny aunt, your picky uncle, and your quirky kid. And we have a lot to contribute.
[454.000 --> 463.000]  So next time your child asks why they have to do the dishes, or your co-workers, then they simultaneously vague yet extremely detailed email.
[464.000 --> 476.000]  Chamble your inner autistic and add clarity to the situation. At the very least you will have facilitated a more honest, direct and logical connection.
[476.000 --> 482.000]  And maybe, just maybe, the dishes will get done.