Re: Why does it seem there are more autistics?

[Guest guest]

>

> " Let's not forget changing social values. While Aspies may have had a

place

> in traditional earth based cultures, in the artificial urban setting

with

> massive over stimulation the norm, they may have more difficulty

fitting in,

> so are easier to spot. "

This thought really stands out to me. Before I knew I was Aspergers I

always felt a sense of being displaced and not having a complete

understanding of who I was or where my home was and felt an unhappiness

with my world. Then I read a book about a Native American and felt a

deep connection and a feeling that I was really a Native American and

finally for the first time the bad feeling I was carrying around was

gone, and I felt like I knew who I was. I only have a little Native

American in me so it doesn't seem that it is enough for there be a

connection unless the 'blood' is strong. I know there is a strong

thought among some Native Americans that they can't be adopted as

children--they will wither away, they need to be with their own people.

But I wonder now, if I feel that way because the Native American

culture is an earth-based one and that's why I connect with it?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/2/2006 10:46:05 AM Eastern Standard Time, gourdmad@... writes:

Let's not forget changing social values. While Aspies may have had a placein traditional earth based cultures, in the artificial urban setting withmassive over stimulation the norm, they may have more difficulty fitting in,so are easier to spot.

Autistic probably also ended up in places like monasteries where life was more orderly and they were generally away from those things that might bother them. They could probably also carry out some of their obsessions as well, particularly copying books, developing inks, developing plants and animals and so on. Most monasteries in Europe became very wealthy because they applied something of a business model to their operations, which is something few other people did.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/2/2006 5:11:51 PM Eastern Standard Time, julie.stevenson16@... writes:

I used to want to be a nun when I was younger, because the idea of solitude appealed to me, then I found out there was more to it than that :-) I really just wanted somewhere to hide away from the world and be left alone.

A lot of monks are like that. I considering that route when I was younger, but the vows were for life and that seemed rather final to me. The nuns take vows for four or five years and may step down when the term expires. If that had been the case for monks, I might have tried it for a term or two. Still, that vow of poverty never sat well with me, no big surprise I guess given my family history of merchants and military men.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/2/2006 6:16:15 PM Eastern Standard Time, crna_kuna@... writes:

but also a politician and an artist or combi, stuff like that.. I wanted to make the world a better place, I was idealist, I feel responsible for others suffering, so didn't like retreating for that reason, as well as just not having a clue how to get the above options working for me.

Some people have suggested that I go into politics because I have good ideas on how to solve many of the problems out there, mostly by reforming the political system itself. I've never seriously considered it though since I couldn't stand most other politicians, the constant media scrutiny and the political game itself. I'm not shy to say that I would be dictator for 8 or 10 years to ram through my reforms on the politicians and legal system. That should be long enough for the people to see that it would work and keep the politicians under control and make them less likely to permit the pols to tamper with it later.

These would be things like term limits, no campaign earlier than 4 months before the elections, manditory attendance in chambers (many politicians don't even bother to show up for debates, presentations and votes [they even have a system where other people are allowed to vote for them]), banning of riders (spending or other bits written into other bills more likely to pass), and a lot of the other "parliamentary" nonsense.

I'd also reform the budget and taxation system. The system now is backwards with political pet projects and vote buying schemes getting priority while real essentials are left to lag. I would fix this by having a set in stone spending schedule, something like: Defense 5%, education (including non-military research and development) 10%, infrastructure (primarily maintenance) 5%, various law-enforcement and intelligence agencies 5%. These are ballpark figures of course, except for the military. 5% would be a little higher than the historic average, but that would allow for increased training, slightly increased numbers and the stockpiling of more spare parts and other gear so rapidly used up in war.

The next spending item would be for the deficit. Spending on that would be 3 times the interest payment plus and equal amount toward the principle. Aside from that there would be no debt limit. However, because this comes before their pork projects and other things, it will be in their best interest to keep the debt down lest the payment bring their games more to the forefront as they bicker over funding them.

This system would prevent politicians from poormouthing. Currently, particularly state level governments, will say they don't have enough money and need to raise taxes, while threatening to cut not pork, but education, police, etc. The new system would fully fund police, education, etc. first so that game would end as it would show where the real state budget problems lie: too much pork.

One major reform would be to enforce a policy of plain English and laconic writing in the bills. No more rambling bills full of gobbeldy-gook, but short, concise bills written such that most citizens could understand them. Certain bills would require more technical language of course, but in the main politicianese would be forbiden. Likewise, politicians would have to prove that they have read each bill and understand it before being permitted to vote on it. It was very amusing that Congress had to have seminars to explain the effects of McCaine-Finegold Campaign Finance Reform Law AFTER it was passed, and most of them were shocked at what they had passed.

Federal taxes would be a flat 15% with a deduction exempting some taxpayers. An expemption of say $15,000 for singles and $25,000 for couples would exempt a large number of people from paying taxes, this even though the bottom 50% only pay about 3% of the income tax now. Corporate taxes would also be set at 15%. The flat tax is the way of the future. Several formerly communist countries are using them and their economies are responding very well. With a simplified form, billions of hours now spent fooling with the current forms could be spent doing more productive things.

That last financial reform would be to force all branches of government to use business standard accounting. This would particularly prevent the politicians from deffering spending into the future off the books and so on. Everything would be right there in the open. Also, all programs would be subject to regular cost-benefit analysis. If they are not up to par, then they are reformed and if they can't be, they are eliminated. There would probably be a few exemptions, such as certain health care programs and infrastructure plans.

I would also see more funding go to public transportation and promotion of it. I would have more and faster trains running, trains that would have priority over freight. This would be so because logically if the roads, interstates and airlines can be given billions with no expectation of return other than the facilitation of commerce, then public transportation should be subject to that same interpretation and not face tougher scrutiny like it does today.

The legal system would also be reformed. First would be how white collar crime is punished. I would not have put in place a gimmick like the post-Enron thing of forcing business leaders to sign forms about their companies. Rather, I would simply conduct investigations into their practices and punish those found guilty. Currently the business is fined for malfesance on the part of its leaders, which only punishes the stock holders because it is they who take the hit. Instead, the fines and levees would some out of the assets of those responsible. So, the Enron people would have been targeted just like the IRS goes after people. Their assets would be hunted down and seized and sold as punishment. If they played funny accounting gimmicks to hide assets, then they would get longer prison terms in regular prisons, not the country clubs they have been sent to. If they end up with nothing but the shirt on their backs, that's too bad. Those assets would go back to the stockholders who lost money if the stocks tanked, starting with the smallest investors first and working up. This would force the institutional investors, the ones with the real money and power in the market, to watch their investments much more closely.

The second reform would be tort reform. Jury awards would be limited to the estimated income the person might have earned in their lifetime, in the case of death or permanant disability, plus medical expenses. In cases of injury, it would be set at medical costs plus lost income, probably with a sliding multiple scale based on length of time out of work and severity of injury. Pain and suffering awards could not exceed that amount. Punitive factors would be decided by the judge, not the jury. Also, all cases would have to be filed in the jurisdiction where the incident happened, thus eliminating the "jury shopping" that goes on today. Lastly, I would close about half of the law schools out there. There is already of glut of lawyers which is only spurring the litigiousness of our society as the lawyers stir up trouble to make money.

Well, I could go on, but this gives you an idea of the changes I would make. The Constitution would not need to be changed, other than putting the budget, tax and parliamentary reforms in as Amendments. The average person woudln't be affected at all, except maybe lower taxes. Most of the reforms would be aimed squarely at those who would hold power.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/2/2006 6:31:34 PM Eastern Standard Time, crna_kuna@... writes:

I do think I'm probably not the only one having been demotivated in such ways?

You're not. Some people would tell me I have a talent for writing, then in the next breath tell me that it was too hard to make a living as a writer and to do something else. My mother said I had talent too, but that I would never make it as a writer without at least a Master's Degree in English. All of that and other things has left me with the desire to write (AS aside, I do like telling stories) but almost none of the drive to set to it.

[Guest guest]

I used to want to be a nun when I was younger, because the idea of

solitude appealed to me, then I found out there was more to it than

that :-) I really just wanted somewhere to hide away from the world

and be left alone.

>

>

> In a message dated 5/2/2006 10:46:05 AM Eastern Standard Time,

> gourdmad@... writes:

>

> Let's not forget changing social values. While Aspies may have had

a place

> in traditional earth based cultures, in the artificial urban

setting with

> massive over stimulation the norm, they may have more difficulty

fitting in,

> so are easier to spot.

>

>

>

> Autistic probably also ended up in places like monasteries where

life was

> more orderly and they were generally away from those things that

might bother

> them. They could probably also carry out some of their obsessions

as well,

> particularly copying books, developing inks, developing plants and

animals and

> so on. Most monasteries in Europe became very wealthy because they

applied

> something of a business model to their operations, which is

something few other

> people did.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I considered becoming a hermit, a shepherdess, or anything religious

monklike, buddhistlike IF I could have found something I could agree

with sufficiently (haven't yet, too much of a free thinker me)

but also a politician and an artist or combi, stuff like that.. I

wanted to make the world a better place, I was idealist, I feel

responsible for others suffering, so didn't like retreating for that

reason, as well as just not having a clue how to get the above

options working for me.

So, the below options also didn't work. Especially not so far and

since I'm so bloody impatient and perfectionistic with myself

I 'crashed' and I still pretty much feel my life is pointless...

But I'm planning on slowly entering the idealism stuff again after I

finish university. I noticed by trial and error that when I'm busy

with idealist stuff (even small stuff) I feel better. If I don't do

anything at all I start feeling more and more helpless and

misantropic and weak (as in not having any power to change anything

at all, which is again also exagerated, one can always do something,

any small choice can have a big effect)...

There's also a hermitwannabes group I was a member of (or still

am)

hermitwannabes/

::light::

~Y~

>

>

> In a message dated 5/2/2006 5:11:51 PM Eastern Standard Time,

> julie.stevenson16@... writes:

>

> I used to want to be a nun when I was younger, because the idea of

> solitude appealed to me, then I found out there was more to it

than

> that :-) I really just wanted somewhere to hide away from the

world

> and be left alone.

>

>

>

>

>

> A lot of monks are like that. I considering that route when I was

younger,

> but the vows were for life and that seemed rather final to me. The

nuns take

> vows for four or five years and may step down when the term

expires. If that

> had been the case for monks, I might have tried it for a term or

two. Still,

> that vow of poverty never sat well with me, no big surprise I guess

given my

> family history of merchants and military men.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

They could probably also carry out some of their obsessions

> as well,

> > particularly copying books,

I copied texts as an artistic practice for the schoolpaper I was

running together with a good friend. Which came out twice, then they

banned my ideas and said 'nobody's interested in stuff like that' and

being unflexible and idealistic I then quit. After that it was

I 'crashed' so it was probably one of the co-reasons that somehow

nothing I did or could was appreciated or needed and somehow nothing

they expected me to do and want from me was interesting to me :\ how

motivating.. (not!)

I do think I'm probably not the only one having been demotivated in

such ways?

[Guest guest]

I always wanted to become a monk...but then I found out that the food

was bad.

For several yefars now I have been tossing back and forth about the

idea of going into the clergy, but I have too little compassion for

people, so I do not think that will work either.

Tom

Administrator

" I considered becoming a hermit, a shepherdess, or anything religious

monklike, buddhistlike IF I could have found something I could agree

with sufficiently (haven't yet, too much of a free thinker me). "

[Guest guest]

I always wanted to become a monk...but then I found out that the food

was bad.

For several yefars now I have been tossing back and forth about the

idea of going into the clergy, but I have too little compassion for

people, so I do not think that will work either.

Tom

Administrator

" I considered becoming a hermit, a shepherdess, or anything religious

monklike, buddhistlike IF I could have found something I could agree

with sufficiently (haven't yet, too much of a free thinker me). "

[Guest guest]

>But I wonder now, if I feel that way because the Native American

culture is an earth-based one and that's why I connect with it?

<

Feelings may have many sources, I think. So one reason may act in concert

with many others. Traditional Native American culture and spirituality is a

very attractive earth based culture.

I have no Native blood, but the first time I attended a powwow I was

attracted. It was held at the fieldhouse of the University of North Dakota

in Grand Forks. I had been invited to come by one of the dancers, whom I had

met in a social setting. He was a Crow, Viet Nam vet, Airborne. He was

making a living competitively dancing for prize money at powwows and also by

being a rider on the rodeo circuit.

As soon as the drum started I was almost stunned. It was a big traditional

drum, sort of like a bass drum suspended on its side, with multiple drummers

beating simultaneously. The singers with their high pitched songs pierced

through my physical body directly into my soul. I have known singers since

then and they say that to get that sound they have to strain their vocal

cords until they break. Then they can sing that way. It was unbelievable.

Of course, this was just before the second battle of Wounded Knee, and the

social climate and my personal situation was such that I couldn't get

involved. However, I have had some significant association over the decades,

and still feel very much a part of that energy.

The appeal of a culture based on the earth has also had a strong pull for

me, and I have formed many decisions based on living that way as much as

possible.

And we do walk on the soil of the Native cultures, so some connection has to

be there.

[Guest guest]

> " As soon as the drum started I was almost stunned. It was a big

traditional

> drum, sort of like a bass drum suspended on its side, with multiple

drummers

> beating simultaneously. The singers with their high pitched songs

pierced

> through my physical body directly into my soul. I have known

singers since

> then and they say that to get that sound they have to strain their

vocal

> cords until they break. Then they can sing that way. It was

unbelievable. "

Interesting.

" The appeal of a culture based on the earth has also had a strong

pull for

> me, and I have formed many decisions based on living that way as

much as

> possible. "

Yes, it seems so wonderful to be close to the earth. I see people as

having a lot of problems due to cutting themselves off from the

earth, though the don't know it.

[Guest guest]

" I do think I'm probably not the only one having been demotivated in

> such ways? "

Demotivated? OH YES, in many such and other ways.

>

[Guest guest]

>

> >I always wanted to become a monk...but then I found out that the food

> was bad.

>

> Tom<

>

> " I doubt that given as many different religions that support monastic

> traditions and as many monastic orders as there are even in the

Catholic

> church, the food is bad at every one:-) "

I think Tom was joking but aren't there monks who make really good

food? I think there's a soup cookbook put out by monks?

[Guest guest]

For me, celibacy is easy.

The difficult part is eating. I am a super-taster, and so almost all

foods taste bad to me. Slight errors in preparation of some types of

food will spoil everything.

Tom

Administrator

But trust me -- from experience, the celibacy part of monastic life is

way harder to adapt to than the food. :-) Been there, done that.

[Guest guest]

I hate soup.

I like meat and potatoes and that is about it. If my local monastery

could promise me hamburgers and fries for the rest of my life, I would

join.

Tom

Administrator

I think Tom was joking but aren't there monks who make really good

food? I think there's a soup cookbook put out by monks?

[Guest guest]

>I always wanted to become a monk...but then I found out that the food

was bad.

Tom<

I doubt that given as many different religions that support monastic

traditions and as many monastic orders as there are even in the Catholic

church, the food is bad at every one:-)

Plus " bad food " is relative. Your taste can adjust to certain foods and even

become purified enough to enjoy foods you once would have thought of as bad.

I have ascites, and if I eat salty foods I bloat up with even more fluid and

the pressure on my stomach makes eating anything uncomfortable. So I am on a

low salt diet. It was harder at first, but as I got used to using less salt,

subtler flavors became noticeable. Plus, we buy better quality of foods that

have some natural flavor. And we have learned to use a lot of other spices,

like turmeric, ginger, cayenne and cumin that are also very flavorable and

and enhance natural flavors.

But trust me -- from experience, the celibacy part of monastic life is way

harder to adapt to than the food. :-) Been there, done that.

Compassion can be learned.

[Guest guest]

Okay, sorry, you weren't joking! Potatoes, okay, but stay away from

fries like the plague!

>

> I think Tom was joking but aren't there monks who make really

good

> food? I think there's a soup cookbook put out by monks?

>

[Guest guest]

>

" Doh. Good one, Tom. And I thought I had a dry sense of humor. :-) "

Now I'm not sure it Tom was joking or not. I have a dry sense of humor,

too, and I can see where you can be serious about something yet be

joking about it at the same time. (Or maybe I just see jokes and humor

everywhere!)

>

[Guest guest]

>> >I always wanted to become a monk...but then I found out that the food

>>> was bad.

>>>

>>> Tom<

>

>> " I doubt that given as many different religions that support monastic

>> traditions and as many monastic orders as there are even in the

Catholic

>> church, the food is bad at every one:-) "

>I think Tom was joking but aren't there monks who make really good

>food? I think there's a soup cookbook put out by monks?

Doh. Good one, Tom. And I thought I had a dry sense of humor. :-)