As A Parent I'm Concerned About Autistic Flourishing
I've read your essays but this is getting ridiculous
Lately, I’ve been immersing myself in some fascinating concepts—Autistic Flourishing and Autistic Futurism. At first glance, this essay from
might sound like the stuff of science fiction, but there’s something deeply real and urgent about them. These ideas aren’t just about carving out space for autistic individuals within the existing framework. They’re about reimagining the entire structure of our world so that the unique strengths and perspectives of autistic people are not just accepted, but celebrated and considered essential to our collective progress.Autistic Futurism—now, that’s an idea that really shakes things up. It envisions a future where society doesn’t just accommodate neurodiversity as an afterthought, but actually builds itself around it. Imagine a world designed not to squeeze autistic people into a mold created by and for neurotypicals, but a world where everyone—neurodiverse and neurotypical alike—finds a place that feels natural, supportive, and empowering. No more forcing square pegs into round holes. Instead, we’d be crafting a world with enough different shapes to fit all of us.
And then there’s the idea of reparations for autistic individuals. I hadn’t considered this before, but it really hits home. It’s about more than just acknowledging the systemic barriers and discrimination that autistic people have faced and continue to face. It’s about making amends—through financial compensation, reforms in education and healthcare, and rethinking therapies that focus on making autistic people conform to neurotypical standards. It’s a bold idea, and one that pushes us to think deeply about justice and equity in ways we might not be used to.
There’s also a thought-provoking essay that imagines a world where autism is the norm, and neurotypicals are the ones considered “different.” This flips the script in a way that makes you question everything you thought you knew about normalcy. Suddenly, what we take for granted as “normal” starts to seem arbitrary and exclusionary. It’s a real eye-opener.
One of the most intriguing ideas I’ve come across is the notion of leveraging the unique strengths of neurodivergent individuals—like their keen attention to detail and exceptional pattern recognition—in areas we might not typically consider, such as labor organizing. Imagine labor actions that are so precise and strategic that they strike at the heart of corporate power. This is the kind of innovative thinking that could redefine activism and resistance in the modern world.
And then there’s the concept of unmasking—of autistic people shedding the layers they’ve built up to fit into a world that wasn’t designed for them. The blog talks about how unmasking isn’t just an act of self-discovery but a radical act of defiance and self-acceptance. It’s about embracing who you truly are, in a society that often pressures you to be someone else. That’s a powerful, transformative idea.
All of this got me thinking: have we been approaching this all wrong? Maybe it’s not enough to just make room at the table. Maybe we need to rebuild the table itself. Should we be questioning whether our society, as it’s currently structured, is truly working for everyone? Or are we just keeping things comfortable for the majority at the expense of those who don’t fit the mold?
It’s a compelling argument—this vision of a world where everyone, regardless of how their brain works, is valued and supported. A society that’s truly inclusive, not just in word but in action. It’s a vision of the future that’s hard to dismiss.
But then again, maybe we’re doing okay as it is. We’ve made strides—awareness is up, support programs are more widespread, and neurodiversity is a conversation that more people are engaging in than ever before. Perhaps we don’t need to overhaul the whole system. Maybe what we need is to keep refining what we’ve got, making progress one step at a time. After all, isn’t that how real, lasting change happens?
So while I’m all for inclusion and making sure everyone’s voice is heard, I can’t help but wonder: do we really need to flip the system on its head? Or can we achieve the same goals by tweaking and improving what we already have? Maybe, in time, the system will naturally evolve to be more inclusive. Perhaps it’s just a matter of patience, adaptation, and a little give-and-take from everyone involved. After all, isn’t it just about finding ways to fit in better? Maybe we all just need to try a bit harder to adjust and meet each other halfway. Progress is progress, right?
Besides, isn’t the goal to help autistic people learn to thrive in the world as it is? Maybe all this talk of rebuilding the world is a bit too idealistic. There’s so much content out there—so many TikToks explaining neurodiversity. Perhaps what we really need is to focus on helping autistic individuals learn to navigate the world we already have.
Because in the end, the world isn’t going to change for any one group, is it? We all have to learn to fit in somehow, don’t we? It’s just the way life is.
Grow up!