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Wired on Autism in the Valley

digaman writes: "The December issue of Wired magazine contains an article of mine on what appears to be an upsurge in autism among the children of programmers and engineers in Silicon Valley: "The Geek Syndrome." A complicated issue, explored in depth. I hear the California Department of Developmental Services is launching a research project to investigate the questions raised in the article."

6 of 861 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Could Pollution in Silicon Valley Be The Cause? by HanzoSan · · Score: 1, Troll



    Haha I've heard some excuses but this one is funny, you actually think silicon valley is polluted? Try going to new york. The enviornment has nothing to do with it.

    --
    If you use Linux, please help development of Autopac
  2. Re:Real numbers by CommunistTroll · · Score: 0, Troll

    The problem with the article is that it doesn't consider the underlying economic pressures on labor movement.

    The rate of Ausbergers in the Silicon Valley tech industry is probably higher then the BBC figures because those people make ideal corporate slaves... just fill them up with Jolt and watch them code!

    Talk about pollution etc is just a red herring - look for the economic incentives.

  3. Doctor: by mirwor · · Score: 0, Troll

    'Mrs. Smith, here are the results of your amnio. There's a 1 in 10
    chance that you'll have an autistic child, or the next Bill Gates. Would you
    like to have an abortion?'


    Now, that's an easy one...

  4. Re:Every inteligent person is disabled in some way by ConsumedByTV · · Score: 1, Troll

    Well I have to say that its great to be schizophrenic to a point.

    I think of left field things as well, however I am parinoid. This is a great disservice to all my creative abilitys in some situations.

    I can never fully trust someone, and it doesn't help that many people that were supposed to be close to me (mom and dad or lovers etc...) have stabbed me in the back.

    It's interesting to think that perhaps my brain is working with some different side effects. I can use it to my advantage sometimes but othertimes I can do nothing. I get bouts of parinoia so badly that I have panic attacks. Because I can think of so many left field things it drives me insane. Talking to myself, hearing voices, etc.

    So yes it can be a help, but it could also just turn into an indestingushable mumur like the above things I wrote.

    --


    "Not my manner of thinking but the manner of thinking of others has been the source of my unhappiness." - M
  5. WHORES! by dankjones · · Score: 0, Troll

    Give em WHORES! and MALE WHORES!

  6. Re:read the article by sholden · · Score: 0, Troll
    Neither autism nor asperger's syndrome have been proven to be genetic disorders *at all*.

    If one identical twin has autism there is a 75% chance the other does too.

    If one fraternal twin has autism there is a 3% chance the other does too (which is still much higher than the rate of autism in the general community).

    A large number of people with chomosomal abnormalities are also diagnosed with autism.

    All of this is evidence for a genetic component. The fact that the identical twin rate isn't 100% means it is not entirely explained by genetics. But genetics almost certainly plays a large role.

    Claiming autism hasn't been 'proven' to be a genetic disorder '*at all*' is a bit far fetched. There is large amounts of evidence. It is not entirely genetic, but it almost certainly plays a part.