Insight into Autism

On page 155 of “the curious incident” Christopher lists out a timetable of his daily routine.  He is incredibly specific, citing things such as “8:43 AM: Go past tropical fish shop”.  One of my really good friends, Ethan, is autistic and this concise schedule reminds me a lot of him.  It provides great insight into how many individuals who are autistic like to schedule their day.  This idea of a “routine” fits in well with the idea of humans operating systematically that I discussed in my first blog post.  This is also a perfect example of the type of clinical education this novel can provide that is discussed here: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2929.2005.02126.x/full

That is one thing that I find particularly appealing about the novel—it is an enjoyable fictional read, providing valid entertainment.  However, at the same time it can teach the reader a lot about the day-to-day lifestyles of many individuals around the globe.  It provides a deeper understanding of the thought process of someone who has autism, thus making their lives less mysterious to me. 

Directly after typing what I just said I chuckled out loud.  Why do I find it so amazing that this novel gives the perspective of someone who has autism?  Shouldn’t any perspective other than my own have the result of making that individual’s brain less mysterious?  In reality, none of us think in exactly the same way.  How strange humanity is that we like to focus in on the radical differences when very interesting subtle differences exist between us all.  We are so psychologically convinced that the majority of us would have the same general reactions that novels popularizing extreme reactions, such as those from individuals with autism, are seen as revolutionary.