I've had a random idea/thought/question that I've been kicking around in the back if my head: How has the decline in the structure of our society affected the rise in the quantity of Autism diagnoses?
It was a stray thought that crossed my mind while reading the news a while back. I think it was a story about how we are loosing many of the skills that are associated with trade jobs, such as welding, furniture making, electrical, plumbing, etc. Granted, you can go to college and gain many of the skills associated with these fields, but why do that when you can achieve much of the same in an apprenticeship situation?
Once upon a time, not so very long ago, children grew up to do the same job or have the same occupation as their parents. If you father was a farmer, tailor, or blacksmith, odds were pretty high that you would be one too. The same goes for many of the industries and trades that are rapidly becoming obsolete in today's society. That assumption of role is no longer there. Now, there are many opportunities and most are encouraged to go out and make something of themselves without a knowledge of how or, the child is so insistent on being as different as the parent as possible that a different job is chosen. It's kind of like standing in the soap aisle at the grocery store . . . . how many kinds of soap do you see? Which would you rather do: buy a different soap every time or stick with the one you know? Most of us buy the same brand every time, its not only the familiar but also the one you know the most about. Our places in society are similar.
If you were born into a family of miners, where the father was a miner, the grandfather was a miner, the uncles were miners, even 50 years ago, there was an assumption that you would probably grow up to be a miner too. So that is what you have planned for your life, that is your comfort area. Well, then you grow up and suddenly you are told you can't be a miner, you have to be something else - anything else. What do you do? Do you try everything, some research and pick something else, or do nothing because there are just too many choices?
Let's switch directions a minute:
I grew up around animals: cats, dogs, pigs, horses, cows, goats, etc. I planned on continuing in that direction and being a vet or a vet assistant. It was logical, it just made sense. Then things changed and we didn't have any pets, and I was introduced into different opportunities and suddenly maybe I wanted to do something else . . . but what? Well, even now I don't know. I've tried a lot of things and I've done ok at most of them, but never excelled. Generally, I don't have a high opinion of my accomplishments because I look back and there aren't many of them. And I don't know how to fix that. I'm in the soap aisle and I don't know what to buy. Often I've wondered how my life would have been different if I had been born in a different age, one where there wasn't as many choices. Would I have been more successful, or would I have been more content with my life? I'm not certain and its a moot point, I must live this life.
Back on track:
So I wonder, is there an increase in Autism because there is more of it? Or, is it because as society is undergoing a period of destructuring and its more obvious? Do people with Autism stand out in society more because they are no longer expected to follow the footsteps of their forefathers and the struggle to finding their own path is more obvious?
If you've got an idea or theory, let me know!
It was a stray thought that crossed my mind while reading the news a while back. I think it was a story about how we are loosing many of the skills that are associated with trade jobs, such as welding, furniture making, electrical, plumbing, etc. Granted, you can go to college and gain many of the skills associated with these fields, but why do that when you can achieve much of the same in an apprenticeship situation?
Once upon a time, not so very long ago, children grew up to do the same job or have the same occupation as their parents. If you father was a farmer, tailor, or blacksmith, odds were pretty high that you would be one too. The same goes for many of the industries and trades that are rapidly becoming obsolete in today's society. That assumption of role is no longer there. Now, there are many opportunities and most are encouraged to go out and make something of themselves without a knowledge of how or, the child is so insistent on being as different as the parent as possible that a different job is chosen. It's kind of like standing in the soap aisle at the grocery store . . . . how many kinds of soap do you see? Which would you rather do: buy a different soap every time or stick with the one you know? Most of us buy the same brand every time, its not only the familiar but also the one you know the most about. Our places in society are similar.
If you were born into a family of miners, where the father was a miner, the grandfather was a miner, the uncles were miners, even 50 years ago, there was an assumption that you would probably grow up to be a miner too. So that is what you have planned for your life, that is your comfort area. Well, then you grow up and suddenly you are told you can't be a miner, you have to be something else - anything else. What do you do? Do you try everything, some research and pick something else, or do nothing because there are just too many choices?
Let's switch directions a minute:
I grew up around animals: cats, dogs, pigs, horses, cows, goats, etc. I planned on continuing in that direction and being a vet or a vet assistant. It was logical, it just made sense. Then things changed and we didn't have any pets, and I was introduced into different opportunities and suddenly maybe I wanted to do something else . . . but what? Well, even now I don't know. I've tried a lot of things and I've done ok at most of them, but never excelled. Generally, I don't have a high opinion of my accomplishments because I look back and there aren't many of them. And I don't know how to fix that. I'm in the soap aisle and I don't know what to buy. Often I've wondered how my life would have been different if I had been born in a different age, one where there wasn't as many choices. Would I have been more successful, or would I have been more content with my life? I'm not certain and its a moot point, I must live this life.
Back on track:
So I wonder, is there an increase in Autism because there is more of it? Or, is it because as society is undergoing a period of destructuring and its more obvious? Do people with Autism stand out in society more because they are no longer expected to follow the footsteps of their forefathers and the struggle to finding their own path is more obvious?
If you've got an idea or theory, let me know!
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