Curing Autism Potentially Means No More Greta Thunbergs

I really hope scientists don't discover a 'cure' for autism. I feel like many of the guys I support enable me to reconnect to precisely how one goes about obtaining meaning from life. From their total lack of concern at having their actions judged by onlookers, to expressing their joys and sorrows in their fullest, without anything held back - this neurodevelopmental condition I'm continuing to learn is helping me keep in sights what it is that connects all humans on the most fundamental level. How we must all find or nurture a meaning for our lives which feels like it fits perfectly. One that we wear permanently like clothing. A second skin.

I love Greta's direct and sobering prose. She has found her meaning, and swathes of the world's populace is resonating in agreement with what she has found. Her autism has afforded her the everlasting ability to never become dissuaded from needing to reach her goal. The daily streams of social debris, the small-talk, the gossip, the rumours and malicious speculations, the personal attacks and outright garbage the majority of us are forced to wade through each day, trying our hardest to not become emotionally deflated by - these trivialities are like water that thankfully mostly run off Greta's back. Power's oppressive will is unable to steer her life course. The futile efforts by the patriarchy to smother her have only caused the world to learn of its enfeebled impotence. Her 'disability' has found itself appearing more and more like a super ability at this moment of time in our technologically developed civilization.

Her haters are right to fear her, as she poses an existential threat to the system itself. A system whose powers to persuade and convince people to accept problems intentionally and cynically created for them, so that they may buy its impoverished solutions - a system whose ability to steer her wants and needs has been in vain. A person like that is indeed dangerous to the system. They feel like a calling.

Greta Thunberg - Perhaps it will befall the person with autism to do what is necessary to save us all

It strikes me as significant the fact that today's youth climate change strike taking place in over 100 countries was conceived and driven forward to this point by a person with autism. It's significant that it took a person with a so-called disability to display the necessary level of single-mindedness to act for the benefit of all, which I'm hoping serves to empower others to have the courage to act upon their own deep convictions despite perhaps feeling they are the only ones willing to do so.

Over the past 15 months that I've been working with adults with severe autism, many of their traits I've come to see as evolutionary strengths I've wanted to instill in myself - one of which being the importance of always remaining faithful to what really matters most - ignoring the distraction of the chitter-chatter and inconsequential small talk of others and pursuing that which leads to a feeling of true contentedness.

Every single person with autism has been uniquely configured, and so it's almost impossible to make any generalisations about what makes them tick, but from the 8 residents I've been fortunate to work with, every single one simply has no interest in comparing themselves to others. Every single one of them has no issue expressing how they feel at any moment in time regardless of how it may appear to onlookers. And in the increasingly ambiguous and confusing reality we inexorably create for ourselves, it's been massively stabilising to find myself each day in an environment surrounded by people whose actions and intentions I can believe 100% - because when you live in a sea of uncertainties that tosses you around mercilessly, you need an anchor to help keep you steadfast throughout it all.