Joshua's Qustions: Number 14 will make you cry........

[Guest guest]

Morning Edition, March 17, 2006 · When he was 5 years old, Joshua

Littman was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism. But

the condition that has robbed him of many social skills has also

played a role in Joshua becoming an honor-roll student at 12.

 

Born in Dorset, England, Joshua and his family moved to the United

States soon after his diagnosis. When he was 9, Joshua became a

member of MENSA.

 

His mother, Sarah Littman, is a journalist and an author of

children's books. She describes children with Asperger's as " born

without social genes. "

 

They can come across as eccentric, and often develop obsessions -- in

Joshua's case, animals.

 

Confronted with the chance to interview his mother at a StoryCorps

booth, Joshua eschewed the prepared questions that many participants

rely on, and instead created his own. His questions touch on

everything from his mother's past to how she really feels about him.

 

 

Joshua's Questions

 

1) What do you think of today's young people? Have they deteriorated?

 

2) How does getting married feel?

 

3) Do you think the U.S. is becoming a mess of a country?

 

4) Do you have any mortal enemies?

 

5) Have you ever felt that life is hopeless?

 

6) Are you scared that terrorists might attack?

 

7) Have you ever lied to me?

 

8) Is there anyone you wish were dead?

 

9) What do you think is the greatest country in the world?

 

10) Have you ever thought you couldn't cope with a child?

 

11) Do you think your life would be different without animals? (on a

scale of 1-10)

 

12) Do you think a lot of people are sexist?

 

13) Why does it seem like everyone loves Amie [Joshua's sister, 9]

more?

 

* And one last question, asked when it came to mind:

 

14) Have I met the expectations you had for me when I was born?

 

StoryCorps is the oral history project collecting stories around the

nation, as friends and family members interview each other in a

mobile recording booth. Copies of the conversations go to the Library

of Congress -- and excerpts are played on Morning Edition each Friday.

 

 

Previously I have mentioned another autistic genius, Dr. Tempel

Grandin, following is just a short word on her new book and a link to

hear an interview with her. Her obsession with animals is also very

telling. All of this is in keeping with the War and Animals and Man

thread that was going on shortly ago.(bn)

 

Fresh Air from WHYY, January 11, 2005 · Temple Grandin is one of the

nation's top designers of livestock facilities. She is also autistic.

In her 1995 book Thinking in Pictures, she described how her inner-

autistic world led her to develop an empathy for how animals cope.

 

Temple Grandin is currently an assistant professor of animal sciences

at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Her new book is Animals

in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal

Behavior.

 

Interviews

Temple Grandin: A Key to Animal Behavior:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4278538

 

a posting.......bob