“ The black crow was surprise to learn that even a bird as beautiful and as loved by everyone as the white dove nonetheless had deep problems to worry about”pg102-03. The author wants to tell the readers that every human being on this earth has some kind of stress to worry about. It is part of life and no one can escape from this stress. Some cope with the stress by doing certain things which help them, e.g. Like go on a walk or listen to music to forget about their stress. People with autism do certain movements which make them feel good and they repeated those movements, but for normal people it seems very uncomfortable. “It’s more like our brains keep sending out same order, time and time again. Then, while we’re repeating the action, we get to feel really good and incredibly comforted” pg 97. Some movements are repeated and they are not aware of it because the brain is forcing them to do. In my special education class I learn that even normal people do certain movements while they are stressed or under pressure. For example, they will play around with a pencil or pen in their hands, or tap the floor and most of the people around them do not notice these movements. I just want to show the similarities because in a way we all have some kind of similarly body functions some are noticeable and some are not. It’s just the matter of understanding each other and learns to accept others the way they are, the author himself ask for “patience, guidance and love” pg 99. As a normal person we don’t know what they are going through or how hard it gets for them to express themselves around others. Things happen in life and there are always some reasons or purpose behind which is very hard to understand.
While reading this many things come in my mind which is the fear and the anxiety that we go through every day of our lives. It is very important to understand our surrounding in which we can feel a sense of belonging in the society.
I had a similar reaction to the parts in the book where Higashida discussed repeated behaviors etc. There are a number of references to why he repeats movements or actions, and he explains that this repetition brings him some comfort and stress relief. Many people have behaviors, habits or ticks that we repeat consciously and unconsciously everyday, many times a day. Those who are neurodivergent that exhibit such behaviors usually have them labelled as a part of their disorder, whereas neurotypical people might be unaware of their habits entirely.
I am led to consider where the difference of these habits between neurotypical and neurodivergent people lie. Is it because neurotypical people either do not feel the same stress relief, or because they are more unaware of it perhaps because they are less emotional in-tuned than neurodivergent people like Higashida?
I guess that is true. Everyone has a way to cope with their stress, anxiety, anger, etc. Sometimes that coping method can turn into a habit, such as smoking or drinking. I personally like to do yoga or work out when I feel stressed, it offers me an outlet to the feelings I don’t want to be stuck on. It’s not fair to see a NT person cope with their stress and label it “normal” and when a neuro diverse person copes with their feelings it’s labelled as a symptom of their disorder. What we see as a disorder is their normal. If there is no such thing as perfect how can we determine what is normal?
I truly enjoyed the take you took on the subject of stress. It is true that stress is evident in all human beings and it’s a difference in the matter in which we express it and it varies because of the differences in us as people thought society may also have a small bit of control over how we deal with stress. For example, School is a form of stress for some and for others its an escape a way to pave a path that none the less would not accessible unless completed. I on the other hand took the comparison of the two birds as an interesting fact that the person who is on the outside viewed as beautiful, yet can harbor the same feelings and emotions while making it look effortless. If it were easier for the black bird then the difference would not matter as much as people make it. An Neurotypical might see repetition as annoying in the sense that it Autistic’s see repetition as a step in the right direction as a way to remember something that maybe important for a later date.
While reading I found myself thinking back to those I have encountered and realized how others treated them in comparison to how I treated them and thought that though they may not have been able to say thank you in that moment that later they were grateful for my kindness as I was for theirs. It is a matter of trying to get out of your own brain and instead take into consideration someone else’s thoughts and actions unlike your own.