Sean Whalen 👨🏼‍🦼🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦🕊️

I am so sick of seeing people try to defend Elon Musk's toxic behavior by pointing to his autism.

Let me be clear as someone with cerebral palsy and ADHD: Autism/neurodivergence/disability is never an excuse for malicious actions. Plenty of people are autistic without being assholes.

#disability #disabled #neurodivergent #neurodiversity #autistic #autism #CerebralPalsy #SpinaBifida #TBI #dementia #SpinalCordInjury #ToxicMasculinity #ElonMusk #Elon #Twitter #BirdSite #SocialMedia

Dec 30, 2022 at 4:04pmWeb
Show threadNoah Carver Has MovedDec 30, 2022
@seanthegeek Amen. Thank you for pointing this out.
Show threadAmanda StarkDec 30, 2022
@noahcarver @seanthegeek as a woman with a TBI, I’ve thought of this often as well. Making that association not only seems disingenuous but can harm the public image of the larger collective. Reminds me of mental illness as well. There’s this condescension that happens automatically because of the social “image” constructed. It’s causes further marginalization to those of us on the neurodivergent spectrum - especially in professional and public spaces.
Show threadSean Whalen 👨🏼‍🦼🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦🕊️Dec 30, 2022
@amandastark @noahcarver It absolutely harms the image of disabled communities of all kinds. I've often wondered to myself if he's not actually autistic and just using that as a copout for being an asshole, but I don't want to be that person who questions the validity of invisible disabilities or encourage others to do so. If I'm thinking that, I'm sure others are as well.
Show threadNoah Carver Has MovedDec 30, 2022
@seanthegeek @amandastark I can neither confirm nor deny having the same exact thought and checking myself each time for the same reason. Yes, he's doing us all a disservice, and I hope more able-bodied/neurotypical people understand that and refuse to excuse his actions.
Show threadClaire Dec 30, 2022
@seanthegeek 📢📢📢
Show threadLiza BringsDec 30, 2022
@seanthegeek thank you for calling this out! I’ve had to block people on Twitter & 🐘 for using characteristics of my condition as excuses for bad behavior. It really pisses me off!
#Disabled #Parkinsons #Ageism
Show threadhappyaanhetwadDec 30, 2022
@seanthegeek Amen... 👌🤗🍀
Show threadDwinleDec 30, 2022
@seanthegeek Totally agree. 👏🏻
Show threadAdam CafollaDec 30, 2022

@seanthegeek
Absolutely.
I occasionally come across as rude because of my autism, but if this is pointed out to me then I will adjust my behaviour and change.

There's a difference between not always knowing what the right or acceptable thing to say is and being an asshole.

Show threadSean Whalen 👨🏼‍🦼🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦🕊️Dec 31, 2022
@adaliabooks Exactly!
Show threadSasyecat 😷Jan 8, 2023
@adaliabooks @seanthegeek 🎯
Show threadSue WilsonDec 31, 2022
@seanthegeek Can I add a plea on behalf of people who rely on screen-reading technology, to use 'camel case' so the message is more accessible?
#disability #disabled #neurodivergent #neurodiversity #autistic #autism #CerebralPalsy #SpinaBifida #SpinalCordInjury #ToxicMasculinity #ElonMusk #Elon #Twitter #BirdSite #SocialMedia
Show threadSomersetWhovian 🇺🇦💙Dec 31, 2022
@SueWilson @seanthegeek
I always try to use camel case myself, but it is annoying that the hashtags seem to default to lower case. Or is that just my instance?
Show threadSue WilsonDec 31, 2022
@ClaireCopperman @seanthegeek Camel case seems to be the default, but the algorithm seems to adapt quite nicely with frequent use of camel case. Compared to the default settings for screen-readers - which don't understand that multiple words are present, and will try to read the hashtag as one long word - eliminating the problem seems pretty easy.
Show threadSean Whalen 👨🏼‍🦼🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦🕊️Dec 31, 2022
@SueWilson
@ClaireCopperman Unfortunately on the web version all tag auto fill suggestions are lowercase, at least for the ones I used
Show threadSean Whalen 👨🏼‍🦼🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦🕊️Dec 31, 2022
@SueWilson
Fixed. Thanks for calling that out. I never thought about that. Sorry it took me so long to respond, I had to figure out how to prevent my notifications from being flooded with all of the boosting and favoriting on my post.
Show threadSue WilsonJan 1, 2023
@seanthegeek I'm not perfect either ... and I must admit to being reluctant to capitalise the Elon Musk hashtags as it gives him a status he doesn't deserve 🙂
Show threadBakersRelayDec 31, 2022
@seanthegeek Indeed.
Show threadAntonio Páez 🇲🇽🇨🇦Dec 31, 2022

@seanthegeek @Npars01

Musk was originally afflicted by lots of unearned wealth that he came to conflate with innate talents

Show threadCompuguy 🐱Dec 31, 2022
@seanthegeek Agreed as someone who's on the spectrum it doesn't matter if he's Autistic, *he's still* *an arsehole*.....
Show threadTinaDec 31, 2022
@seanthegeek exactly. TY
Show threadPeterSoukupDec 31, 2022
@seanthegeek He might not even be autistic ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCS0SuPsDH4
Elon Musk Claims of Asperger's

YouTube
Show threadMattJohnsDec 31, 2022
@seanthegeek In my (obviously anecdotal) experience, those on the spectrum are really good at calling out bad people. It's definitely not an excuse to be one.
Show threadPeteDec 31, 2022
@seanthegeek The ‘spectrum’ has enabled people to use the term autism as a generic term imo. I’ve had words with people who use the autism label to describe quirky, obsessive or out there behaviour, especially when they apply the term to themselves. This seriously belittles the struggles of autistic people and their families. I really don’t know about Musk but I’ve never met or worked with a disingenuous autistic person.
Show threadStacey J. MillerJan 1, 2023
@seanthegeek Interesting. I hadn't heard that he was autistic. I hate that for the neurodivergent community. But I'm glad it flew under my radar.
Show threadnadin brzezinskiJan 6, 2023
@seanthegeek @thepoliticalcat bravo!
Show threadML2Jan 6, 2023
@seanthegeek
Very true.
I'm also very much of the suspicion that Musk is lying about having autism in the first place. This video is a long discussion very much in line with my own thoughts
https://youtu.be/UCS0SuPsDH4
Elon Musk Claims of Asperger's

YouTube
Show threadScenarioJan 8, 2023
@seanthegeek Actually most autistics come off that way, however unintentionally.
Show threadkelleynnnJan 8, 2023
@scenario @seanthegeek Narcissists and sociopaths are good at using autism as a scapegoat.
Show threadSean Whalen 👨🏼‍🦼🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦🕊️Jan 8, 2023

@scenario Some autistics some of the time come off as offensive. The key distinction with Musk is he is trolling far too consistently for it to be unintentional. Autistic people learn and adapt — trolls like him keep pushing with the intent harm while yelling autism when people push back, as if just claiming it should make them immune from criticism, when it never should. That pushes false stereotypes about autism, and causes severe harm to the #autistic, #neurodivergent, #disability, and #MentalHealth communities, as you can see In other replies to this post.

#ElonMusk #autism #neurodiversity #trolls #trolling #GOP #Republicans #Conservatives #Twitter #SocialMedia #Misinforomation #Disinformation #USPolitics #Politics #FarRight #fascit #fascism #ableism

Show threadvolkrisJan 8, 2023

@seanthegeek @scenario

Oh I definitely know some self-described autistic people who have had no sign of adapting over the course of years!

Show threadSean Whalen 👨🏼‍🦼🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦🕊️Jan 8, 2023
@volkris @scenario As I'm sure you know, there's a huge difference between can't and won't.
Show threadvolkrisJan 8, 2023

@seanthegeek @scenario

I suppose it’s hard to tell the difference from the outside, not being able to read somebody’s mind.

A person who says they are trying but doesn’t seem to be making any progress, well I guess there’s really no way to tell the difference without being able to be a mind reader.

But if you have any input on that I am all ears because a whole lot of us are a bit frustrated with certain people and not sure what to do about it.

Show threadOregon Animal LoverJan 8, 2023
@seanthegeek @scenario
That's so interesting. I have felt all along that #elmo has used his autism as an excuse to do whatever the hell he wants. Doing this makes him doubly vile, a user.
Show threadVivian O’MalleyJan 8, 2023
@seanthegeek @scenario is he saying he has autism? Well, there’s a big difference between being autistic and being a jerk.
Show threadSean Whalen 👨🏼‍🦼🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦🕊️Jan 8, 2023
@viviano @scenario yep
Show threadScenarioJan 8, 2023
@viviano @seanthegeek He, who? Musk?
Show threadSean Whalen 👨🏼‍🦼🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦🕊️Jan 8, 2023
@scenario @viviano ,Yes. #Musk keeps using his massive following to #troll #LGBT people and push #COVID19 #disinformation over and over again. His fans keep defending this toxic by pointing to him having #autism, which is not an excuse for w he's not accidentally breaking a social norm or overstepping — he's just being an asshole while putting on this rapidly evaporating persona of being a misunderstood genius. Like #Trump, he's a malicious narcissist whose ego thrives on attention — good or bad — consequences for everyone else be same.
Show threadNancyAnnJan 8, 2023
@seanthegeek @scenario
He’s also extraordinarily immature. I think he’s in his fifties. He behaves like he’s in his teens.
Show threadbrandonJan 9, 2023
@seanthegeek @scenario I don’t know if he’s autistic or not, but no one with that amount of wealth has any external incentive to learn and adapt. Especially when half of the US equates wealth to merit.
Show threadNafnlaus 🇮🇸 🇺🇦Jan 8, 2023

@seanthegeek Elon has always clearly had difficulty understanding what sort of behavior (esp. speech) is problematic. And - as someone with an autistic nephew - that's pretty common.

But the difference recently is that he's combined this with being radicalized by the far right, who's been love-bombing him and encouraging his misbehavior.

Show threadMidoriJan 8, 2023

@seanthegeek

indeed! it's also a cheap trick to make people relate to him like "oh look, he has autism, he's basically like me!"
same thing when people celebrate a homosexual millionare in a high position ...
as a rich person their interests lie in direct contradiction to nearly everyone elses and their homosexuality doesnt change that ...

its like that study where they presented customers with 2 different brands of cotton: one was "organic" the other wasnt, but both were utilizing sweatshops and child labour ...
people were much more likely to think the "organic" cotton was produces ethically.
so in other words; people, including me, are more likely to spontaneously accept a person to be moral if they belong to a marginalized people, even if they are super privileged otherwise.

Show threadmaddie (MOVED!)   Jan 8, 2023
@seanthegeek one of my close friends was nearly raped by someone with ADHD, that doesn't mean it's okay at all
Show threadWe Can Be GyrosJan 8, 2023
@seanthegeek every autistic person I have known is very kind. Their honesty may offend thr weak of heart. That is it. They were raised by their families and therefore kind, intelligent.
Show threadNancyAnnJan 8, 2023
@seanthegeek
It’s not his autism, it’s having been born into apartheid with a pocket full of emeralds. It’s also his affliction with the Dunning-Kruger Effect.
Show threadClaire JamesonJan 8, 2023
@seanthegeek Intentional ignorance is a thing. The practitioners have no motivation to be different. In fact, it has become more prevalent on the political stage.
Show threadSasyecat 😷Jan 8, 2023
@seanthegeek 🎯
Show threadJaime RobertsonJan 8, 2023
@seanthegeek Pasting a comment I made elsewhere:
I think there is a tendency among a certain personality type to use a claim of self-diagnosis* as a cover for their own a—hole-ish behavior. Often it seems they claim Asperger’s rather than autism, because they perceive it having less stigma, EM being the prime example.1/2
Show threadJaime RobertsonJan 8, 2023
@JamesPadraicR *I have nothing against self-diagnosing, but I do sometimes question it depending on the person.
I also stay away from using the Asperger’s label since learning that Dr. Asperger was an actual nazi. 2/2