Jonathan Mitchell (writer): Difference between revisions
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| birth_place = Los Angeles, California |
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| nationality = American |
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| education = Bachelor's Degree in Psychology |
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| website = [http://autismgadfly.blogspot.com Autism's Gadfly] |
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'''Jonathan Mitchell''' is an [[Autism|autistic]] author and blogger who advocates for a cure for autism.<ref name=Hayasaki2015>{{cite web|last1=Hayasaki|first1=Erika|title=The Debate Over an Autism Cure Turns Hostile|url=http://www.newsweek.com/2015/02/27/one-activists-search-cure-his-autism-drawing-violent-backlash-306998.html|website=Newsweek|accessdate=10 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Robison|first1=John|title=I have decided to take a more active advocacy role . . .|url=http://jerobison.blogspot.com/2010/03/i-have-decided-to-take-more-active.html|website=Look me in the Eye|accessdate=10 May 2015}}</ref> He opposes the [[neurodiversity]] movement. He is one of the most controversial figures among autistic bloggers because of his hatred of autism, his view of autism as a disability, and his desire for a cure |
'''Jonathan Mitchell''' is an [[Autism|autistic]] author and blogger who advocates for a cure for autism.<ref name=Hayasaki2015>{{cite web|last1=Hayasaki|first1=Erika|title=The Debate Over an Autism Cure Turns Hostile|url=http://www.newsweek.com/2015/02/27/one-activists-search-cure-his-autism-drawing-violent-backlash-306998.html|website=Newsweek|accessdate=10 May 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Robison|first1=John|title=I have decided to take a more active advocacy role . . .|url=http://jerobison.blogspot.com/2010/03/i-have-decided-to-take-more-active.html|website=Look me in the Eye|accessdate=10 May 2015}}</ref> He opposes the [[neurodiversity]] movement. He is one of the most controversial figures among autistic bloggers because of his hatred of autism, his view of autism as a disability, and his desire for a cure.<ref name=Hayasaki2015/> |
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Mitchell has described autism as having "prevented me from making a living or ever having a girlfriend. It's given me bad fine motor coordination problems where I can hardly write. I have an impaired ability to relate to people. I can't concentrate or get things done." He resides in Los Angeles and has a degree in psychology. He has worked in the past, doing things like data entry.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hamilton|first1=Jon|title=Shortage of Brain Tissue Hinders Autism Research|url=http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/02/04/170835708/shortage-of-brain-tissue-sets-autism-research-back|website=NPR|accessdate=10 May 2015}}</ref> He describes neurodiversity as a "tempting escape valve".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Solomon|first1=Andrew|title=The Autism Rights Movement|url=http://nymag.com/news/features/47225/index4.html|website=New York Magazine|accessdate=10 May 2015}}</ref> |
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==Early life== |
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Jonathan Mitchell was born in the year 1955. As a toddler, he smeared feces and threw tantrums, in addition to having interests in watching his parents record player spin and lining blocks end to end. His parents took him to a psychoanalyst, who blamed his mother, Norma. Mitchell's parents then considered institutionalization, but eventually they decided against it. He was only diagnosed with autism at the age of 12 by a psychiatrist. He then attended mainstream and special education schools, where he faced expulsion for behavioral problems in certain instances, but was also bullied by other students.<ref name=Hayasaki2015/><ref name=lamag/> He has worked in the past doing jobs such as data entry, but was fired too many times for being too loud and making too many mistakes. Mitchell currently resides in Los Angeles and has a degree in psychology.<ref name=NPR/> He lives from his parents' money, being given $26,000 a year.<ref name=Hayasaki2015/> |
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==Views on autism and neurodiversity== |
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Mitchell has described autism as having "prevented me from making a living or ever having a girlfriend. It's given me bad fine motor coordination problems where I can hardly write. I have an impaired ability to relate to people. I can't concentrate or get things done."<ref name=NPR/> He has stated that compared to the experiences of other disadvantaged groups, his deficits are social in nature, and that he has attempted to join support groups but always ends up lonely.<ref name=Hayasaki2015/> |
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He describes neurodiversity as a "tempting escape valve", claiming that “most persons with an autism-spectrum disorder have never expressed their opinions on someone’s blog and never will"<ref>{{cite web|last1=Solomon|first1=Andrew|title=The Autism Rights Movement|url=http://nymag.com/news/features/47225/index4.html|website=New York Magazine|accessdate=10 May 2015}}</ref> and states that [[neurodiversity]] has no solution for low-functioning autistics.<ref name=lamag/> In one of his essays, “Undiagnosing Gates, Jefferson and Einstein,” Mitchell claims that it is unlikely that [[Bill Gates]] has [[Asperger syndrome]] because of his successful social relationships and success in business.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Natcharian|first1=Lisa|title=Bill Gates, Asperger's Syndrome, and your gifted child|url=http://blog.masslive.com/real_learning/2010/08/bill_gates_aspergers_syndrome_and_your_gifted_child.html|website=MassLive|accessdate=5 January 2016}}</ref> He also has stated in this essay that parents’ expectation of savant abilities for their autistic children “provides fodder for the special educators, special education attorneys, ABA therapists etc., to legitimize their profits and to encourage the false hope . . . that so many parents of these children have.”<ref>{{cite book|last1=Baker|first1=Anthony|title=Autism and representation|date=29 November 2007|publisher=Routledge|location=New York|isbn=978-0415806275|page=236|edition=Reprint|accessdate=5 January 2016}}</ref> |
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==Criticism and opposition== |
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When [[Newsweek]] announced that they would profile Jonathan Mitchell, critics of him emailed the article journalist urging her not to write about him, saying among other things “He is a hater. He hates himself.” and that "he blames being autistic rather than blaming a world that is not set up for autistic people." Another autism blogger also wrote that Mitchell is bitter because his mother tried to cure him instead of helping him to adjust. |
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Mitchell has also claimed to face outright hostility from other members of the [[neurodiversity]] movement, writing mean songs about him or comparing him to a "Jew that sympathized with Nazis" among other insults. His father, Jack, has described him as going overboard when he responds to hostility but says he can't blame him for wanting a cure.<ref name=Hayasaki2015/> |
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==Hobbies== |
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| ⚫ | He writes as a hobby, having written three novels, 25 short stories, and runs a blog called ''Autism's Gadfly'' |
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Jonathan Mitchell is also interested in the neuroscience of autism. He seeks to understand how his brain works, having taken neuroscience classes in the past and has also volunteered for MRI research studies. To help with future research for a treatment or a cure, he has volunteered to donate his brain to science.<ref name=NPR>{{cite web|last1=Hamilton|first1=Jon|title=Shortage of Brain Tissue Hinders Autism Research|url=http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/02/04/170835708/shortage-of-brain-tissue-sets-autism-research-back|website=NPR|accessdate=10 May 2015}}</ref> He has exchanged emails with neurologist Marco Iacoboni with questions about mirror neurons. Additionally, Mitchell is interested in the work of [[Manuel Casanova]], a University of Louisville neurobiology professor. Mitchell reads Casanova's research studies and Casanova has described Mitchell's critiques as more thorough compared to his own colleagues.<ref name=Hayasaki2015/> |
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| ⚫ | He writes as a hobby, having written three novels, 25 short stories, and runs a blog called ''Autism's Gadfly''.<ref name=Hayasaki2015/><ref>{{cite web|last1=Mitchell|first1=Jonathan|title=Autism: Still Waiting|url=http://www.lamag.com/longform/autism-still-waiting/|website=Los Angeles Magazine|accessdate=10 May 2015}}</ref> He was interviewed on Studio 360 on one of his novels, ''The School of Hard Knocks'', and another novel of his is ''The Mu Rhythm Bluff''.<ref name=Hayasaki2015/> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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Revision as of 21:29, 5 January 2016
Jonathan Mitchell | |
|---|---|
| Born | Los Angeles, California |
| Nationality | American |
| Citizenship | United States of America |
| Education | Bachelor's Degree in Psychology |
| Literary movement | Autism Activist |
| Notable works | The School of Hard Knocks, The Mu Rhythm Bluff |
| Website | |
| Autism's Gadfly | |
Jonathan Mitchell is an autistic author and blogger who advocates for a cure for autism.[1][2] He opposes the neurodiversity movement. He is one of the most controversial figures among autistic bloggers because of his hatred of autism, his view of autism as a disability, and his desire for a cure.[1]
Mitchell has described autism as having "prevented me from making a living or ever having a girlfriend. It's given me bad fine motor coordination problems where I can hardly write. I have an impaired ability to relate to people. I can't concentrate or get things done." He resides in Los Angeles and has a degree in psychology. He has worked in the past, doing things like data entry.[3] He describes neurodiversity as a "tempting escape valve".[4]
He writes as a hobby, having written three novels, 25 short stories, and runs a blog called Autism's Gadfly.[1][5] He was interviewed on Studio 360 on one of his novels, The School of Hard Knocks, and another novel of his is The Mu Rhythm Bluff.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d Hayasaki, Erika. "The Debate Over an Autism Cure Turns Hostile". Newsweek. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ Robison, John. "I have decided to take a more active advocacy role . . ". Look me in the Eye. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ Hamilton, Jon. "Shortage of Brain Tissue Hinders Autism Research". NPR. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ Solomon, Andrew. "The Autism Rights Movement". New York Magazine. Retrieved 10 May 2015.
- ^ Mitchell, Jonathan. "Autism: Still Waiting". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved 10 May 2015.