Watch this movie.
I have a thing for Temple Grandin. Have you heard of her? She is autistic, brilliant, and has made arguably a bigger contribution to humane handling of livestock than anyone else in our lifetimes, not to mention poking a giant hole in theories of autistic functioning.
I’ve read two of her books. They were intriguing, because she was able to describe the way her mind works in a way the reader can understand, and because she relates to animals. Her mind probably does not work like yours. It works a little like mine; that’s what I find so fascinating. I’ve always known I thought differently. My family teases me about “speaking Cary”. I just don’t think like everyone else, and it is frustrating most of the time, because people tend to have no idea what the hell I am getting at, and I often misunderstand what others are saying.
I’m the queen of “What do you mean? I don’t understand.”
I watched the Temple Grandin movie yesterday. Holy cow, could I relate to about 90% of it. It really makes me wonder. There is so much we still don’t know about brain function, neurology, neurobiology, how things are stored and processed…we have a lot of diagnoses available, but a diagnosis is like a point on a number line. It isn’t a box that people fit in. People fit on various points on an infinite number line, a section of which is deemed “normal”.
These are a lot of words to say that if you are creative or interested in brains or biology or neurology or learning “disorders” or communication or tough women or moms or relatives who don’t give up ever or teachers who make the difference, WATCH THIS MOVIE.
I saw it OnDemand on cable. I never re-watch movies, but I’ll be doing that today with the Boy.
I actually just thought about this movie and her squeeze machine, just now when I saw this (great post). See the movie, get the book- this woman is an inspiration on many levels.
