Spectrummy Mummy

Asperger's, Allergies, and Adventures Abroad

Social Networking

with 12 comments

I am yet to see The Social Network movie (babysit, anyone?)  but I’m dying to.  From the time I discovered Facebook, I adored it.  It was almost like it was made for someone like me, who is emotionally close, but geographically distant most of the time.  I’ve always been much more of a computer geek than a telephone drone, so I’d found the perfect vehicle to keep in touch with everyone in one place.  Don’t get me wrong, I loathe all those farm/garden/zombie/vampire apps my contacts often play on, but I can hide those from my feeds, and whatever floats your boat anyway, some people don’t like spilling their lives into a blog (imagine!) so I get it.  I like updating my status, and I like “liking” and I can even like my own status.  Who are you calling a narcissist?

Then there is Twitter.  I didn’t start on that until just after starting this blog a couple of months ago.  It made me confused and crotchety, though my close family and friends would tell you that is just the way I am all the time.  Twitter just seemed to be a bunch of people in a room shouting at one another, and I didn’t see the point.  Slowly though, new connections were forged, and I started to figure it out.

The beauty of Twitter is that you can shout at anyone in the room.  If you want a particular person to be in that room, you simply follow them.  I was dissatisfied with Pudding’s experience at the Halloween Dress Rehearsal at The Disney Store, but instead of taking that message to a nonchalant call centre operator, I could shout it publicly at the president of  The Disney Store.  The message that you take to the top?  That is the message that gets listened to.

“@DisneyStorePrez Jim Fielding
@spectrummymummy our events can accommodate many kids, but I am happy to hear more ideas”
Excellent.  Not only is that what you want to say publicly, Mr. President, but it also happens to be what I want to hear.  So I gave him some suggestions, but look at that, he wants to hear some more.  I know we have more, so go and tell him!  Disney theme parks do a great job of taking care of our kids, there is no reason why that can’t trickle down throughout the entire Disney empire.
I think I’m starting to find my voice here.  My voice is part of a collective of voices getting louder every time we deliver our message.
Awareness is already here.  A number of my Facebook friends have taken the Autism Spectrum Quotient test recently.  There are movies, TV shows, articles, and books talking about autism.  These days it is a hot topic.  People are aware, but we need more, and we won’t be quiet until we get it.  We want understanding and acceptance for those living with autism, and that is a message that needs to be heard.  It is a message I’m willing to shout.
There is a campaign on November 1st asking people to avoid the social networks as an effort to raise Autism Awareness.  I will not be part of it.  While I appreciate the sentiment behind the idea, the concept just doesn’t work.  One day of avoiding Twitter and Facebook will in no way represent a lifetime of communication challenges.  Some people living with the challenges of autism are reliant on social networks to communicate with the rest of the world.  They can’t take a day off from those challenges.  For right now, I am speaking on behalf of my children.  I can’t take a day off from that.  We can’t be silent.  Let’s go beyond awareness and get some real understanding and acceptance.  Let’s do that by talking about autism to everyone who will listen.
It is my great honour to use an hour of my time on November 1st to be a guest moderator for The Coffee Klatch’s first ever 24 hour Autism Chat on Twitter.   Please join me there, help me shout a message of understanding and acceptance.  Because people are listening if you shout publicly, just ask The President (@DisneyStorePrez).

Written by Spectrummy Mummy

October 28, 2010 at 7:13 am

Posted in autism

Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

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12 Responses

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  1. You go girlfriend!
    (or am I too white to pull that off?) LOL

    fiona2107

    October 28, 2010 at 7:17 am

    Reply

  2. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by SocialNetBible, Elise and Spectrummy Mummy, Spectrummy Mummy. Spectrummy Mummy said: Social Networking: http://wp.me/pZNhv-dx […]

    Tweets that mention Social Networking « Spectrummy Mummy's Blog -- Topsy.com

    October 28, 2010 at 8:18 am

    Reply

  3. That is so cool! Good for you!!!

    Laura

    October 28, 2010 at 8:34 am

    Reply

  4. How do I “like” this? 🙂 Awesome post.

    Becky

    October 28, 2010 at 9:44 am

    Reply

  5. fantastic. I will not be quiet either on that day. looking forward to “seeing” you online on nov. 1st

    akbutler

    October 28, 2010 at 9:57 am

    Reply

  6. Ok, I want to know how you can hide the endless facebook apps!! 🙂

    Laurie

    October 30, 2010 at 12:46 am

    Reply

  7. […] to find time for me.  A year for discovering writing, forging new friendships, and discovering a community even at my most isolated.  Finding my voice, helping Pudding to use hers.  Sometimes pictures […]

    Out with the old, in with the new « Spectrummy Mummy's Blog

    December 31, 2010 at 7:10 am

    Reply

  8. […] >Here< is the post I wrote last year about the importance of social networking, speaking out and being heard. LD_AddCustomAttr("AdOpt", "1"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Origin", "other"); LD_AddCustomAttr("theme_bg", "ffffff"); LD_AddCustomAttr("theme_border", "f3f3f3"); LD_AddCustomAttr("theme_text", "1c1c1c"); LD_AddCustomAttr("theme_link", "004276"); LD_AddCustomAttr("theme_url", "cc0000"); LD_AddCustomAttr("LangId", "1"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Autotag", "food"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Autotag", "cooking"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "autism"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "asd"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "asperger-syndrome"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "aspergers"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "aspie"); LD_AddCustomAttr("Tag", "autistics-speaking-day"); LD_AddSlot("wpcom_below_post"); LD_GetBids(); Like this:FacebookTwitterEmailStumbleUponDiggRedditPrintLike this:LikeBe the first to like this post. […]

    Autistics Speaking Day « Spectrummy Mummy

    November 1, 2011 at 1:40 pm

    Reply

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