Final Blog: Lit Circles

As Living in Pictures, My Life with Autism by Temple Grandin talks a great deal about her specific mind works, I noticed that some other people’s books focus on how the mind of a regular American works. This is brought up in terms of thinking in general, and thinking to create ideas about history and today’s media. 

One response that I really saw a connection is was Jennifer J’s response on the book, Where Good Ideas Come From by Johnson. In her response, Jennifer mentions how the author mainly talks about what types of environments effect the brain and creates more ideas. Ideas are key here and working with other people are how we work better together. However, I noticed the contrast with what Temple Grandin talks about in the book I read. She is speaking of people with autism, and there is a vast difference in the way in which their brains work. People with autism would not fit well in this working environment because of the lack of communication skills they have. It is more difficult to them to connect and make conversation with people. However, it is easy to connect with objects and places just like Temple connects with the cattle she works with and the plant she works on. 

Most humans work very well together to connect their ideas and make them better, but because of the concentration and devotion people with autism have, they are able to come up with ideas and make discoveries or inventions that are just as insightful and creative without the help of other humans. I thought these two contrasting points were very interesting because of the way it displays Temple Grandin challenging the status quo, and for that matter, all autistic people, because of how they make use of their brains.

Lit Circle Post: Meeting 2

Meeting Number 2: Pages 43-115

Thinking in Pictures, My Life With Autism

Temple Grandin

Summary: 

Temple Grandin talks a lot about the effects of autism, programs for it, and ways to treat it, which in my opinion resembled a guide for parents with autistic children rather than a book appropriate for a high school student. Since Temple is extremely passionate about a few things, as an inventor, she talks about how she created the squeeze machine, a machine designed to put pressure on the body to give the illusion of hugging and holding which comforted Grandin in times when she could not feel that from another human. She mentions the problems autistic people have with their senses like smell, taste, hearing, and feel becuase of how sensitive some are to even the slightest touch or noise. Later, Grandin goes on to discuss how to deal with the emotions of an autistic person and how relatable people with autism are to animals.

Major Claim: 

“The irony is that if I had given up the machine, I would have been a cold, hard rock. Without the machine, I would have had no kind feelings towards [her mother]”.

Response: 

Grandin describes how her mother felt unappreciated because of the lack of emotions she was able to express towards her. Her mother was even offended because of how she created this machine to serve as a method of love and care rather than a family member. However, Grandin is extremely creative in how she deals with this; she knows it will be better off for her mother if she takes the time in her squeeze machine to feel love and closeness to another object and later be able to deal with her mother in a more humane way. By being creative, she is dealing with her autism, and making it easier for the loved ones surrounding her. 

Captured Thought: Music Theory

           One of these ideas of a "now I get it!" moment don't come by thinking about it, but come spontaneously. So asking to come up with a moment like that with a 3 day notice is a bit unrealistic. There have not been any recent thoughts I have had that included a moment of realization. Of course these moments are constantly happening, but they are difficult to recall unless you are looking out for them.

            I could lie to you to simply follow the prompt and say that just last week I had a great idea and a moment of complete realization, but that would do me no good to reflect upon it. Although this is not recent, I can still recall a specific time where I had an extreme realization. Of course just like half the things I write about this moment was in choir sophomore year when I had a moment where I understood music theory. It had always seemed to be a foreign language to me even though we had always been tested on it; but I just let the theory of music pass me by. These were simple ideas too, like rhythmic ideas and counting and identifying key signatures and what not. It didn't really apply to anything I did because I tended to follow along with what the rest of the choir sang and not really pay much attention to the notes on the page. 

           One day in choir we were given a work sheet and asked to write down the note's value and the beat it got. (1&2&3&4& in a 4/4 measure for example). I was completely confused and although I understood values of each note, the page looked foreign. I decided to seek help and sat down with Elyse to see if she could teach me. What a great decision. She explained in a way that was more clear than I had ever heard before. I finally understood the entirety of note values and key signatures. It was such a moment of realization and totally a "wow" moment. I was getting these on my own and understanding the music. This wasn't that spontaneous but after thinking about it for a while, without knowing it I would have never gotten by being in Solace and Chambers because of how much more independent I need to be. In smaller groups when I am singing a part on my own, I need to know the values of notes. Without an early understanding this would have been such a struggle for me.