Tag: poetry

The Paradox of Perception: Society’s Misguided Fascination with ASD

Society often mislabels struggle, turning it into a spectacle or a status. Autism isn’t a trendy quirk; it’s a complex reality of triumphs and challenges. From navigating sensory overload to decoding sarcasm, it’s both empowering and isolating. True understanding requires education—not romanticization or misguided envy. Let’s rethink perceptions of difference.

During my late-night rumination sessions, the one thing I frequently obsess over is when I was asked about things that have been normalized by society that I find strange. In that exact moment, I couldn’t think of anything, but the more I think about that question, the more I realise that people recognize struggle as an opportunity to be labelled different. To be labelled ‘different’ means that you’re demonized, or alienated from society but it could also mean that you’re seen as ‘superior’, or it could even garner sympathy from your peers who would consider themselves ‘normal’.

ASD would be a perfect example of this. As a teenage girl, I basically live on the internet, which means that I’ve seen how people have self-diagnosed themselves based on silly TikToks which falsely portray perfectly normal behaviour as neurodivergent traits. ASD has been portrayed on the media as some cutesy quirk when both children and adults struggle to co-exist with their neurotypical peers.

Personally, I have a love-hate relationship with my ASD. I love it, because I think that’s why I’m so analytical and I love how I’m never afraid to speak my mind. On the other hand, I can never understand why anyone would wish this on themselves. This isn’t just social anxiety. This is hours of preparing conversations beforehand and then overanalysing every word afterward. It’s the pain of not being able to understand the jokes or the sarcastic remarks. It’s being overwhelmed from even the smallest of noises, and then the shutdowns and meltdowns which follow. I wish more people were educated on ASD, because then less people would ‘wish’ they had it.

To conclude on my little tangent, I’d like to highlight that everybody’s different in their own way. Wishing an illness, or a disability on yourself isn’t going to make you any more important than you already are.

Signing off,

Anna.

Poem: Survival of the Fittest

The poem reflects on the harsh realities of existence, emphasizing the struggle for survival. It contrasts physical vulnerability with emotional detachment, highlighting the disconnect between individuals. The imagery of survival, adaptation, and a grim outlook suggests a bleak perspective on the future, rooted in the complexities of human relationships and resilience.

“Survival of the fittest”

Is what I like to call it—

Chopped liver,

Cannon fodder,

Another drop from the faucet.

Soft skin,

Hard hearts,

The thing that kept us apart.

Imagination to adaptation,

A hopeless future from the start.

Poem: Anaesthesia

The poem captures a fleeting moment of vulnerability as a mask is placed over the speaker’s face, leading to slowed breathing and a disorienting experience. The imagery conveys a profound sense of surrender, culminating in an abrupt end, highlighting the transient nature of the experience and a loss of control.

You lower the mask over my face—

“Inhale…Exhale…”

My breath begins to slow in pace

My words slur,

My vision blurs.

And in the blink of an eye,

It’s over.