[HPforGrownups] Re: Dumbledore's family/Aberforth.

[Shaun Hately]

No: HPFGUIDX 166513

On 27 Mar 2007 at 10:49, Ceridwen wrote:

> Ceridwen:
> I would disagree with this.  Even a high-functioning Autistic 
> like "Rainman", or like Christopher Boone of "The Curious Incident
> of 
> the Dog in the Nighttime" by Mark Haddon, would not be able to be in
> full charge of a business.  An emergency (reference Raymond Babbit
> burning the toast) would render them useless.

Ceridwen, speaking as an identified Aspie, I have to say you are seriously underestimating 
what some of us can and cannot do. There is a wide range of function, and while many 
cannot deal with emergencies, many of us can. It makes me *very* uncomfortable when 
things go wrong - very uncomfortable. But I learned to deal with that.

> Nor would either be able to be a spy.  One characteristic of Autism,
> even of Asperger's Syndrom, the name for the high end of the Autism
> spectrum, is an inability to read facial expressions and vocal 
> inflection (various incidents in Curious Incident).  This would be
> detremental to the role of spy, spy-master, or any other job
> involving 
> intrigue.

Again, some of us can learn to do this - but some of us do have to learn because it isn't 
instinctive, by any means. But because we have to learn this, some of us actually wind up 
very good at it - not me. I'm adequate. But some really do master it, by treating it as an 
intellectual exercise for want of a better term.

> This reminds me of a long-ago discussion about whether or not Snape
> could be Autistic.  To be honest, I do wonder, and now that you've
> raised the question about Aberforth, I wonder about him, too. 
> However, 
> if either of them are, they would have to be higher-functioning than
> Asperger's Syndrome, in my opinion.  Since Autism is a spectrum 
> disorder, it might be possible for someone to have some Autistic 
> tendencies without actually being classified as Autistic.  Too
> little 
> is known about the disorder.

I'm very high functioning, but I am an Aspie. I'm not higher-functioning than Asperger's, I 
have Aspergers.

I have to say that Snape certainly doesn't strike me as being on the spectrum, and as for 
Aberforth, I don't have enough information to judge. The only characters who seem to me to 
demonstrate any spectrum characteristics at all are Luna, Hermione, and Percy, and Percy is 
the only one who would seem to me to at all close - he could be. I'd say Luna and Hermione 
definitely aren't, but they are closer than most.

Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia