The expression you quoted is completely agreeing with you! It’s a play on the expected idiomatic ending “then you have met everyone with autism”, pointing out that the diagnosis is broad and everyone is different
A characteristic autistic trait is having a narrow and deep tunnel of attention.
Perhaps so narrow and deep that you're unable to learn language, because it requires a more holistic processing, and less focus on individual components.
Perhaps so narrow and deep that you're overwhelmed by sensation, processing every touch, sound, sight stimulus individually, leaving little energy to put everything together.
Or perhaps only so narrow and deep that you are extremely focused on math. Or collecting insects. Or memorizing train routes.
I don't know if this is an explanation. But it is extremely plausible for a wide variety of outcomes to be usefully categorized by a singular trait.
The symptoms cluster together and are related. Someone with sensory issues is also likely to have food aversions, for example.
It's also useful for diagnostics and treatment. It means you don't have to fight insurance as much or need rediagnostics to get needed therapies. I don't need to get my child with food aversions, speech delay, and sensory issues a new diagnosis for each just because some people with autism don't have those issues.
You may be interested in reading Wittgenstein on trying to define what a "game" is. In short he found that there are no conditions necessary or sufficient to make something a game. Nevertheless, games exist.
"hot" is still a meaningful word even though 100 F°, 1000 F°, and 1,000,000 F° aren't comparable at all. They're nonetheless still all experiencing heat.
greesil|1 year ago
furyofantares|1 year ago
Perhaps so narrow and deep that you're unable to learn language, because it requires a more holistic processing, and less focus on individual components.
Perhaps so narrow and deep that you're overwhelmed by sensation, processing every touch, sound, sight stimulus individually, leaving little energy to put everything together.
Or perhaps only so narrow and deep that you are extremely focused on math. Or collecting insects. Or memorizing train routes.
I don't know if this is an explanation. But it is extremely plausible for a wide variety of outcomes to be usefully categorized by a singular trait.
cogman10|1 year ago
It's also useful for diagnostics and treatment. It means you don't have to fight insurance as much or need rediagnostics to get needed therapies. I don't need to get my child with food aversions, speech delay, and sensory issues a new diagnosis for each just because some people with autism don't have those issues.
_moof|1 year ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_resemblance
Frummy|1 year ago
Spivak|1 year ago
throwawaymaths|1 year ago
Muromec|1 year ago