Comments on: Let’s play Assumption Ping-Pong!

By: Alyson W.

Alyson W. — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 00:00:32 +0000

I enjoyed this, immensely. You opened my eyes to the possibilies of the folks I worked with at an institution. I loved every one of those guys.
It also got me to thinking about how everyone makes assumptions about other people, until they are told otherwise. So, it would seem that this whole blog was a waste of time, since, as you pointed out, your experiences are relatively normal. And, also incredibly annoying, like it is for just about everyone.
But, you helped me to figure out that it’s about the limitations people assume we have. And at what level. People assume since I can make eye contact, am not overly sensitive to touch, and speak in whole sentences, that there is nothing wrong with me and I should be able to do it all the time. What they don’t see is my husband laying on me, because I’m having a meltdown from 5 minutes of making small talk with someone who I know I should remember, but dont.
Sadly, I even put limitations on my lil aspie angel. I am always surprised by how her brain works and what she remembers and her ability to grasp concepts that full grown adults can’t seem to understand. And yet, I want her to go play with the kids across the street and clean her room.
Maybe, if I could figure out how to quit expectations, I can quit expecting more from myself and my angel. I just wish I known how to encourage her to be everything she can be, without her growing up thinking she should always be better.

By: Silver Arrows

Silver Arrows — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 14:51:06 +0000

Hi! Just stumbled on your blog now. Fascinating reading.

“My suspicion is that speech has always been something that takes a lot of brainpower, is unnatural to me, and is one of the first things to go to conserve energy for more important things…”

I completely understand what you mean. For me, translating my Aspie way of thinking into a more NT-friendly format takes a lot of energy. If I don’t take the time to rehearse what I want to say in my head first, it comes out as stutters, unfinished sentences, crazy word order. And then people think that because I have difficulty speaking, I must be stupid. The information is all there in my head, it’s not my fault there’s no easy way for me to hand it people in a way they understand. It’s depressing. And then when I run out of energy to make that translation from my way of thinking to theirs, and become mute, it becomes “you’re sulking”.

By: terry holden

terry holden — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:23:09 +0000

I just read this again after first seeing it several years back. Listening to you is important for me. Your abilities to ‘work around’ the brick walls in autism keep me focused on the potential for my son. Write on, write often and write your way past our closed minds.
be well ~ terry holden

By: Disclaimer on Assumptions « Ballastexistenz

Disclaimer on Assumptions « Ballastexistenz — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 22:14:34 +0000

[…] Let’s Play Assumption Ping-Pong is a good place to start. It deals with assumptions about my communication abilities over the years, and a little bit of assumptions about institutionalization and functioning level labels. I’m going to include more information on those and some other things on this page just in case your brain wants to stereotype me in some other area. […]

By: Assorted Thingies › Speaking of speech

Assorted Thingies › Speaking of speech — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:00:54 +0000

[…] While I was finishing this, Ballastexistenz put out a very good entry on poor assumptions, partly related to […]

By: Savannah "Nico" Logsdon

Savannah "Nico" Logsdon — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:45:50 +0000

Meow.

(Okay, not very reflective. But it does get the point across, methinks. Yay for alternative methods of communication, and also yay for cats.)

It’s so fascinating when folks (eh, pardon my colloquialisms) Confuse perceptual reality with empirical reality, and then act as though false empirical data was supplied. It’s also frustrating- No one should have to explain their entire life story *just* to provide context.

(If this makes no sense, let me know. I haven’t slept in 24 hours, and while it typically takes longer than that for Sleep Deprivation to hit I never know.)

By: Marti

Marti — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 15:17:30 +0000

I love it! Cats as communications specialists! This makes perfect sense!
I’m not being a jerk…my son was born on the same day as his cat, and when we brought him home from the hospital, the Momma Cat promptly put one of her kittens in the crib with him. They’ve been glued at the hip ever since, and I swear Bubbles understands him more than any human being ever will.
Then again, I was raised by a cat, too….

By: Post in anticipation of tonight's potential deluge. - Ballastexistenz

Post in anticipation of tonight's potential deluge. - Ballastexistenz — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 00:23:40 +0000

[…] anyone gets here through the Channel 4 segment… is a response to a different media portrayal. Let’s play assumption ping-pong is […]

By: blacknight

blacknight — Sat, 03 Feb 2007 00:59:04 +0000

Since I saw your video I wondered about the way you communicate in your native language and I finally gathered courage to ask about it. I wouldn’t feel offended if you don’t want to deal with me.

How is your experience with standard language? Was learning it hard/easy/pleasurable?

You know, I was taught that ‘language’ has to have a symbolic meaning, a message. What do you think about this?

When you feel your environment, are you communicating with it? How does that communication occur?

I know I’m ignorant but I can help but ask to know more. Sorry if I offend you in some way. Your video really made me see that I live in darkness in a lot of aspects, it was a real challenge to my view of language and communication.

Sorry for my bad english, it’s not my native language either.

By: Fascinating Video by An Autistic « RAD Thoughts

Fascinating Video by An Autistic « RAD Thoughts — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 09:42:23 +0000

[…] Fascinating Video by An Autistic The video “In My Language” is a fascinating window into the world of a woman with autism. The first three minutes show her interacting with her environment, humming, tapping, touching, in what she later describes as her language. In the final five minutes she appeals to us “typicals” to ummmmmmm….. smarten up I guess. […]