The importance of one single group as the group for Singaporean Aspies

The importance of one single group as the group for Singaporean Aspies

Singaporean Aspies are at crossroads.

Given the current economic and political turmoil around the world, inevitably, the chaos may stand to disrupt Singapore society. As we are a resource-poor country, we do not have the resources to have either the farm (and hence, food), or minerals/industrial goods, to give us the money to feed our stomachs. We have nothing. This means, unlike other autism support groups working in other countries, we deal with survival issues in our country.

Aspies, with social skill deficits as defined by psychiatric and medical texts, are less able than other people (Neurotypicals/NTs) to clear a way out, as many of us may not feel comfortable receiving the support of the people in the wider NT society. Aspies have the common issues of adapting to society’s norms, due to them ‘living in their own world’. This will lower our chances of survival in this volatile world.

There should be only one support group that can support Singaporean Aspies, in their bid to survive.

That group can claim this, because there are two components of survival of Aspies in our society: ability and acceptance.

Ability is the capability of an Aspie to fulfill a societal role. An Aspie can be talented. S/he can draw, sing, model art pieces, write or solve mathematical and philosophical issues. It is assumed that for any support group catering for Aspies, there are places where Aspies can act and think critically.

Acceptance, on the other hand, is society’s wider feeling to give access to opportunities for Aspies, to fulfill their societal tasks well. It is also assumed that Aspie support groups try to reach this acceptance state. This is achieved through giving a social resource for Aspies and attempt to give a sense of fulfillment in the Aspies’ life, through mutual support.

It is also implied that with ability, there comes a higher probability of acceptance. However, there is a small chance that autism may lower the probability of acceptance, because of current ignorance, increasing competitiveness amongst people, or a stronger need to be with people due to increasing interactivity between people, in our inter-connected world. Aspies may not be able to take advantage of opportunities from increasing interactivity, due to their limited social capacity as compared to other NTs. Aspies may also stand to be threatened by their inability to handle intensive and frequent social interactions, in that their functioning and ability could stand to be limited, as they try to socialize like a near-natural NT.

Due to this disconnect between acceptance and ability, there is a great need to have a strong focus of Aspies. A strong action plan has to be taken, to better enable us to survive.

So far, in Singapore, there is only critical mass for just one group, that can bridge acceptance to all able Aspies here. Given Singapore’s limited population base and our group’s openness to constructive suggestions, in our opinion, we see no other way, given current conditions, to promote ability, and in turn, acceptance, other than first acceptance for what we Aspies are, than to work together in our group to promote acceptance within our group. It aims to be the social resource for all Aspies who come in, building our Aspie and special needs community, provide valuable resources for our group.

Eventually, change society with the legitimacy and credibility, earned by our ability to overcome our Asperger’s conditions together.

11 May 2012

Orange