The Social Dilemma
Review of Netflix documentary - "The Social Dilemma"
“There are only two industries that call their customers users: illegal drugs and software.”
"...an important message in the documentary is that the increasing polarization and acrimony of today is in part due to technology. Because everyone sees a different news feed that is reinforcing and cementing their beliefs, it can confuse them into thinking “fake news” is real.
At the same time, the documentary appears
to claim that it’s not the fault of the AI, as AI does not make value
judgments; rather, the system itself is biased toward false information
as it inherently makes more money, meaning that such technology could
well be exploited for the wrong purposes. "
Flat Effect in Autism - What it Means
Flat affect refers to a reduced emotional expressiveness, often seen in autism, which is linked to atypical neural processing and connectivity in brain regions responsible for emotion processing and expression. [read in more detail]
PlainSpeak: Flat affect means showing little to no emotion on the face or in speech, often seen in autism, due to differences in how the brain processes and shows emotions. [ Read in more detail in plain language]
Other articles in #PlainSpeak
Stanford Neurodiversity Design Thinking Workshop
I was part of a 7 week Stanford Neurodiversity Design Workshop led by Dr Lawrence Fung. An effort at at multi stakeholder design thinking towards solutions for neurodiverse individuals. Today was the final presentation by each group on their ideas.
Leo Kanner and Autism
Leo Kanner was an Austrian-American psychiatrist and one of the pioneers in the study of child psychiatry. He is most famous for his work on autism, having first described the condition in 1943 in a paper titled Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact, which laid the foundation for how autism was understood for decades. Kanner is considered the first to systematically identify autism as a distinct syndrome, setting it apart from other mental health conditions.
How Did Kanner Stumble Across Autism?
Kanner's interest in autism began during his work as the first director of the children's psychiatric clinic at Johns Hopkins University. In the late 1930s, a series of parents brought their children to him, describing behaviors that didn't fit into existing psychiatric categories of the time. These children displayed profound difficulties in social interaction, communication, and exhibited repetitive, rigid behaviors. Kanner noticed that these characteristics were markedly different from those seen in other developmental disorders.
In 1943, after studying 11 children who shared similar traits, Kanner published his landmark paper, where he described autism as a unique condition of "innate inability to form the usual, biologically provided affective contact with people." He coined the term "early infantile autism" and laid out the core features, including a preference for aloneness, an "obsessive insistence on sameness," and difficulty in communication.
Kanner’s View of Autism: Lifelong but With Potential for Improvement
Kanner viewed autism as a rare and distinct developmental disorder, and he initially believed it was a lifelong condition. In his early work, he described autism as appearing in infancy and persisting into adulthood, characterized by difficulties in social interaction, communication, and rigid, repetitive behaviors. He did, however, leave some room for optimism, believing that with the right interventions, some children could make significant improvements in certain areas, especially in social skills and communication.
While Kanner saw autism as enduring throughout life, he thought that early and intensive interventions could lead to varying degrees of progress. His belief that autism was a lifelong condition has been supported by modern research, though today we recognize a broader spectrum of experiences in autistic individuals, with some needing more support than others over their lifespan.
Patient Number 1: Donald Triplett
The first child Kanner ever diagnosed with autism was Donald Triplett, referred to as "Case 1" in Kanner’s 1943 paper. Donald, born in 1933 in Mississippi, exhibited behaviors that puzzled his parents. From an early age, he showed an unusual ability to memorize facts and numbers, yet he was emotionally detached, didn’t play with other children, and had trouble communicating in socially conventional ways. His parents described him as being “self-sufficient” and “aloof.” He had an extraordinary memory, could recite the 25th chapter of the Book of Matthew, and was fascinated with numbers, especially multiplication.
Donald’s behaviors intrigued Kanner, and he became the first documented case of what Kanner described as "early infantile autism." Kanner noted Donald’s repetitive behaviors, his insistence on sameness, and his remarkable memory, features that became part of the diagnostic criteria for autism.
Donald Triplett’s Life After Diagnosis
Donald Triplett went on to live a relatively independent and fulfilling life in his hometown of Forest, Mississippi. Unlike many children diagnosed with autism in the early days, who were often institutionalized, Donald returned to his community after spending time in an institution and successfully integrated into everyday life. He was supported by his family and community, and he developed passions for golf, travel, and automobiles. He worked lifelong at the Forest Bank, owned by his family. His remarkable story was chronicled in The Atlantic article “Autism’s First Child,” which brought public attention to his life and his role in the history of autism. Donald Passed away in 2023 at the age of 83
Kanner's Legacy
Leo Kanner’s work was revolutionary in identifying autism as a distinct clinical diagnosis. His early descriptions laid the groundwork for the field of autism research, even though his initial views, particularly those about the role of parenting, were later discredited. Kanner’s belief that autism was a lifelong condition but with the possibility for improvement has been validated by modern research. Today, the understanding of autism is much broader, recognizing a spectrum of abilities and challenges that persist across an individual’s life.
Student Feedback on Autism Decal.
What interests you about this class
- A friend of mine works with kids with autism and I would like to educate myself more on this topic so that I can be more well versed in this subject area when i talk to them. I would like to learn about pretty much anything yall find most important, im just a dude ryba learn as much as possible.
- It is interesting to learn about the spectrum of autism and how individuals cope with certain levels of the spectrum.
- I am interested in learning more about adults with autism and the kind of support needed and barriers experienced later on in life. I also know a little about who women and girls are less likely to be diagnosed with autism until later on in life due to the way ASD is gendered, but I am curious to learn more about that.
- I hope to build my awareness and knowledge of autism so that I can better understand and be an ally to those around me. I feel that autism is often stigmatized as a disability, and I want to learn more about how we can combat this thinking. I want to learn what symptoms and behaviors are associated with autism.
- - I am interested on how I can be more cognizant of those on the spectrum. Additionally, as an intended disability studies minor, I want to learn more about personal stories by listening to guest speakers etc.
- I am very interested in taking this course because of my interest in better understanding disabilities on many levels. I am aiming to pursue a career in disability research but believe heavily in the importance of understanding disabilities on a personal / social level before having the right to study them on a molecular / neurological level.
- As being on the spectrum, I want to learn more about the condition and maybe provide some insight into the daily life of an autistic person.
- I want to learn more about the autism spectrum, and what it looks like to proactively involved.
- more information about life with autism and advantages or disadvantages
- As a Psychology major, I find that I haven't actually learned much about autism in my classes, although I've learned about mood disorders, intellectual disabilities, and learning disorders. So, I'd like to learn more about the realities of autism and treatment options available.
- I would like to get a more holistic view about autism from different disciplines as well as hear from the guest speakers!
- why they have tendency too hyperfixate. how to navigate social situations with them.
- I've seen autism depicted in media, and am curious to see if their depictions are accurate, and i just want to understand and be able to empathize more with people who do have autism.
- I've always wanted to take a class focused on Autism, and I came to know of this class through Obama's Instagram ;) I would like to learn more about Autism through the perspective of someone with Autism. I also would like to learn more about the biological basis behind autism. Overall, I am most excited to meet more people and hear everyone's various experiences.
- Just want to gain some general understanding about Autism to be able to broaden my sensitivity to and understanding of the needs of neurodiverse people :)
- I'd like to hear about what it's like to be autistic from someone who has autism and how to be a helpful ally.
- I am pursuing the disability studies minor and would like to educate myself more around the topic of disability. I think this will be a great way to know more about autism as we are taught very little about it in school.
- I would like to meet other people on the spectrum, hear there stories / experience and have a safe place to share my own.
- I'm interested in this course because I've learned a couple of things about the autism spectrum from my child development and psychology classes, but not a significant amount, and I guess I've just realized recently that I'm relatively ignorant on the subject. I'd like to change that. I don't have anything specific in mind to learn more about but I'm very excited to learn more!
- I would love to learn more about autism alongside disability justice. I took a city planning for disability course a while back and it was very valuable and I learned a lot!
- I would like to educate myself about people with autism. I took a course with professor Hinshaw and it was really interesting and I would like to learn more about Autism.
- I joined this class because I have a family member who was recently diagnosed and I wanted to learn as much as I could about Autism Spectrum Disorder so that I could support that family member. I'm interested in learning about family dynamics and learn more about the current research on ASD.
- I would like to better understand autism and learn how I can positively impact the community.
- I have a twin brother who was diagnosed with ASD in the 5th grade. From this course I want to learn more about ASD in hopes to better understand my brother. My brother is considered "high functioning", so I'm really curious how doctors diagnose someone with Autism and how they decide if they're low/high functioning. My brother has also struggled with IEP accommodations growing up, so I would like to know how disability programs work at public schools and how schools decide if a student qualifies for IEP/DSP accommodations.
- I study neurodevelopment with relevance to ASD. I would like to learn more about ASD from perspectives beyond my research area, particularly disability rights/advocacy and intersectionality. I am hoping to have a better understanding of how I as a researcher can interact with the autism community in a positive way that doesn’t cause harm. I’m hoping this class will give me the space to think about ways to center the interests and needs of folks with autism in my research and beyond.
- It’s felt like talking about autism was taboo, but I really want to understand what the experience is and how to support folks who may have autism.
Stanford Neurodiversity Summit
I'll be speaking on Oct 20 morning session.
Registration Link
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stanford-neurodiversity-summit-tickets-115366333810
Creative Workarounds and Silver Linings
https://www.neuronav.org/post/creative-workarounds-and-silver-linings
A reflection for the NeuroNav newsletter
Science Fiction or What
The smoky air from the Mendocino County wildfires 100 miles away, hovering above the bay area. CA
1pm
12p
11am - is it lightening up?
10:30am - Red mixed with gray clouds
10am: A distinct orange, tending to orange-red
9:30am: Yellow Orange Skies
7am - dark grey skies. light ash fall
An Explanation
— is caused by smoke from the over 300,000-acre August Complex fires burning in Mendocino and neighboring counties.
The Bay Area is directly downwind from the fires and strong winds are pushing smoke about 5,000 feet up in the air through a process called “turbulent mixing.” Or, as NWS meteorologist Drew Peterson put it: “It’s kind of like if there’s a pile of dust, and someone took a leaf blower to it and flung it all up into the air.”
The sky is orange because longer wavelength light (reds and oranges) are able to push through smoke particulates, whereas shorter wavelengths (blues and purples) are filtered out. And it has gotten progressively darker since (the largely invisible) sunrise. According to the National Weather Service, as the winds weaken, gravity takes over as the primary vertical transport of the smoke. “Suspended smoke will descend closer to the surface and could lead to darker skies and worsening air quality today,” the agency posted on Twitter, adding, “This is beyond the scope of our models so we rely on your reports!”
Berkeleyans have been sharing dramatic photo on social media since they woke up — describing the view as a “nuclear winter” or the “Twilight Zone.”
The good news — and boy do we need good news on an eerie day like today — is that the air quality is actually pretty good in Berkeley. According to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District monitor at the Aquatic Park, it was at the yellow, “moderate” level (79 MP2.5) by the 7 a.m. count.
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