Power from Autism

[kk]

My mom worked with autistic and deaf children for years at the Michigan School for the Deaf, and she says that it just depends on the degree of autism that the child has, that shows how observant of the world around them they are. She said that she worked with children who always seemed to just be in their own worlds, and not paying attention to anything at all, but reacting as if sometimes enjoying the 'worlds' that they were in. I think that's interesting...

Also, my friend's brother is autistic. It's not severe, he can do a lot of things, but you always know that he's just not entirely there. But he seems really alert, really intelligent. He's amazingly quiet, he'll hardly speak to anyone (and it's shaky when he does). But it's just the way he looks at people, it's amazing. He just has this powerfully innocent look on his face (even though he's in his twenties), and it feels as if he's looking straight into you and examining every part of you. He just stares at you intently for a few minutes, and it almost makes you feel self-conscious about what you're thinking; like he could read your thoughts. I don't know... but he reminds me of what Darryl might be, if he was younger.

[SaxySullivan]

I have worked with autisic children and their power is observation nearly in all the cases. They observe everything in such detail! And as spells are there most powerful when they are described in full maybe this is why he was picked to be the conduit of power to the one?
Fox

I don't think autistic wizards would be more powerful because they're younger in mind. The more power comes from youth and being young. Though I agree that a spell cast by someone with autism would probably be a more powerful spell because of the detail, not necessarily the power of the wizard him/herself.

[Lazy Leopard]

A while back I read "Speed of Dark" by Elizabeth Moon, which also takes a fictional look at autism and the dilemma presented by the possibility of a "cure". I found it a rather harder read than AWA, and there's a lot more ambiguity in the costs and benefits. An interesting story, though.

[Nightwingrox]

I've got a mild form of Autism called 'Asperger's Syndrome' and I personally can't imagine living without it. It's part of who I am. If I didn't have it, I wouldn't be me.

While I can see why Darryl may have considered his more severe case fairly crippling, a part of me still can't comprehend his giving up a part of himself. I suppose he had little choice...

And I guess the autism is still a part of him, it's just sort of...in another place.

I guess him 'getting rid' of his autism was supposed to be a way of leaving a part of him behind without really losing anything, but to me, Darryl's losing an important part of himself, even if it was a hassle at times...

[Fox]

I have worked with autisic children and their power is observation nearly in all the cases. They observe everything in such detail! And as spells are there most powerful when they are described in full maybe this is why he was picked to be the conduit of power to the one?
Fox

[Myownmind]

First of all, who says autistics don't see boundries? Limits and boundries are placed on htem every day! we can verry rearly be ourselves.

seccond of all, Yes Autistics have more power than NT's. Why? Because they are better than you. {smirk} they have power because they are constantly being forced in to poinfull situations and they must learn to bear them at an early age.

[the dark lady MEGAN *evil cackle* mmuaha]

Maybe when Darryl accepted the Oath when he was (im just guessing i lost my book somwhere and im looking for it so bear with me) maybe when he was 8 he used to much power somehow and as the result he Autism. but studying all his worlds. he is very bright and clever nd such. it bothers me that most ppl ( some i have the misforitant of knowing would think that ppl with Autism or other mental disorders are...just... wats the nicest way put this... candies? *shrugs* i guess they think that ppl like Darryl are candies... *shrugs* Earth is one of thw many planets i frequently venture in.. so i pick up a few knowledge.

but yeah Darryl Rocks the huose, Man!

Well... I would consider that to be highly unlikely.

Darryl's Ordeal was saying the Oath, accepting the /concept/ of "otherness".

They don't know boundaries exist, granted. But they wouldn't care about getting to whatever's past the boundaries...they would have to "come out" of themselves to even try to get past the boundaries.

And if they did come out, they'd probably see the boundaries, and they'd be right there with the "normal" (hah!) wizards/people. See, it all goes in circles...

Of course, there's the idea that SomeOne could use their [an autistic person's] power/innocence to do things, but that would be belying wizardry:

"Wizardry is choice--all else is mere mechanics."

I can't remember which book, and I probably misquoted horribly, but that was the gist of it.

I'm getting the awful sinking feeling that what I just wrote was a load of nonsense...you decide.

"...Not old enough to love as yet
But old enough to die, indeed
The death-fear bites my throat and heart
Fanged cousin to the Pale One's breed
But past the fear lies life for them
Perhaps for me; and past my dread
Past loss of Mastery and life
The Sea shall yet give up Her dead..." /Song of the Twelve, Deep Wizardry./ (c) Diane Duane

[TheClone]

Exactly!

[FireWitch]

Anyone else think that if someone doesn't know that boundaries exist, that they don't have such power, that nearly anything would be possible in this series? I seem to get that from the fact that younger wizards have more power. would that also mean that those people who live more in there own worlds would have more power? ( people with mental disorders and such). I know people like this are often the greatest of artists, writers, etc.

--Rhiow-chan

I read this in the A Wizard's Dillema section and it got me thinking. Maybe some of Darryl's power comes from his Autism, but just his abdals powers....

Thoughts? Comments?

Hillary Wan Kenobi
The first-ever Jedi Ewok
And proud of it...