Acting (was: Getting organized)

[Guest guest]

Colin wrote:

>My AS son is the best damn actor I know (personally). He *becomes* the

>part.

The only acting I've done was during " role-playing " exercises

as part of trainng for nonviolent action. I don't like to do

it precisely because the only way I can do it is to " become "

the role. When I do that and I'm playing the role of, for

example, a harrasser, I scare people. My hatried (which is

part of the role I am playing) looks/sounds/feels real to

the people against whom it is directed (as part of the role-

playing), presumably because the only way I can do it is to

stop being me and become the role instead. " Me " is squished

down somewhere inside, turned off, no longer in charge, not

affected by what the role is doing or saying. It's possible

that playing a meanie is easier for me (in a way) than for

many NTs because I don't operate primarily on the basis of

emotions, the way some NTs do. So I don't have the problem

of emotional inhibitions rising up to interfere with my

decision to undertake a role that requires me to act

like a mean person. It takes a lot of energy, though.

Perhaps my frightening (to other people) success in role-

playing means I would be a good actor. But I certainly do

not intend to find out, because I don't enjoy the experience.

I can imagine that some auties might enjoy the experience,

however, especially if they 1) enjoy having a chance to act

out roles their autism would prevent them from living in

real life; and/or 2) enjoy being able to relate to others

as actors in ways they can't in real life; and/or 3) enjoy

the praise they receive for being able to do it well.

Jane