Rainman

[antelopevalley]

We watched this film tonight as it was on ordinary broadcast channel. It is a 1980's film about an autistic man and was the first time most people had heard about autism at the time. It was really interesting watching the portrayal of autism that was broadcast to the public.

The main autistic character was said by a Dr to be very high functioning as he could talk (I know a lot of people do not like this phrase, but that was the language used in the film). The Dr said most autistic people are non-verbal.

Autism was presented as an extremely disabling condition which meant that those with autism would never be able to live independently. But it also introduced the idea that many autistic people had special talents. I know this latter point annoyed many people at the time who understood autism.

I watched it tonight too, I have seen it before but many years ago. I now have an autistic son myself and it was interesting seeing it through a different lens.

I'm on the fence (as it sounds like you are too) in that I agree it was, at the time, quite a 'new' thing and the first time people had seen autism depicted on their screens. That raising of awareness probably opened a lot of eyes.

On the other hand, it created a lot of stereotypes which now annoy the shit out of me. Only a tiny percentage of people with autism are savants but if I had a pound for every time I've been asked what my son's 'special power' is over the last 20 years I'd be a very rich woman

As an aside, the character of Raymond is based on a man called Kim Peek. He died 10ish years ago but is now thought to have had FG syndrome rather than being an autistic savant.

I suppose what it does still represent is that people with certain disabilities were shut away and not part of society.

Seems shocking to think in reality that 50% of the population could be ND and somewhere along the line the NT had the greatest influence in society & education which suits them better.

I wonder if say Victorian Society with its rigid rules and pecking order in education and the workforce suited ND more than the current trends.

I find it amazing how many people still think ASD is much more prevalent in males.

@WitchSharkadder I did not realise Raymond was based on a real person. Interesting to know that he is now thought not to have had autism.

I am on the fence. The savant thing did create a lot of unhelpful perceptions amongst the public of what autism was. But the film was groundbreaking at the time.

It also helps explain why some older people who are uninformed and/or stuck in their ways might reject the idea that someone who can live independently and work might have autism. Or a child who can do well academically at school and have friends could also have autism.

It is amazing how much influence one film can have over public perceptions.

@RandomMess I too have wondered if rigid rules of the past made it easier for some neurodiverse people. I think school life probably was easier. When I went to primary school each child had their own desk, there was very little group work, and the rules and the timetable were quite strict. We very much did certain things at certain times. For example, Friday afternoon from 3-3.30 pm, the teacher read a story. Every morning, for the first half an hour, we did some arithmetic from the Take 10 textbook.

I get asked if my boy has special abilities due to his autism. For some reason this annoys me and makes me feel as if it is othering. So I aquifer enjoy smiling and saying he has, pausing for a moment then saying “Running and swimming and climbing trees, just like any young lad. “
For some reason folks seem to find my answer annoying

Trying to play devils advocate, I suppose we cannot place the blame for all of the harmful stereotypes around autism on one single film. The screenwriter simply met a man called Kim Peek and thought a film that depicted his challenges and abilities would make for an interesting story. And it did. Obviously there's moments in it that make us wince a bit 35 years later, but that is true of everything that's 'of its time'.

I suppose the real blame lies with decades upon decades of policy which has shut people with SEND away, lack of education and awareness, etc.

Sadly, lots of stereotypes continue to persist. You are absolutely right when you say that certain people can't seem to comprehend that a person can be happy, intelligent, independent, and autistic. At the same time, many people still seem to think they're doing me a favour when they tell me that my son should be sent to a home (for his own good, of course ) because he has severe global developmental delay as well as autism.

To be fair, DS is now 20 and I also have a disabled sister so I have watched attitudes the general public over quite a long period of time and things are getting better. We're not quite there yet but it's a far cry from the 80s.

I love this film!!! It's a great film and Tom Cruise is great in it as well as Hofmann

Didn't the Kennedy's also have a disabled child that was "sent away" and never talked about (one of JFK's and Bobby Kennedy's sisters)?

I'm sure the modern world is very hard on people with autism. There were ways of managing before that simply don't work now.

Last minute changes to arrangements couldn't happen before mobile phones.
Routines and restricted choices were the norm.

The chaos and sensory deluge of modern life is unhelpful.

There was also more face-to-face help. I remember going into a bank branch and seeing a cashier write out a cheque for a customer and ask them to sign it. I assume they knew the person and knew they needed that help. With everything going on line, a lot of that individual help for anyone with difficulties has just disappeared.

And a smaller social circle, so people were known in their communities.

There's a lady in our village who could fall out with her own shadow. Face to face it's not so bad, though she'll occasionally target a neighbour for 'incorrect parking' or 'owning a dog that barks' and make their life miserable for a while. Unfortunately social media gives her the opportunity to argue 2000 people at a time. Sigh.

Yes

I believe she was Rosemary Kennedy

Regards the Film

I was 15 in 1980 and remember this film released at the Time
We were not horrible awful people, even though some words that were used were awful, in hindsight . There was no Malice from Us.
I am glad though that certain words are erased from that era. Don't think I need to list them . One though was the old name for SCOPE .

I have a very verbal, highly articulate son who has autism. He’s clever in many ways yet, at 22 has only just “mastered” changing a duvet quilt (it’s taken three years plus tuition) and who still cannot tie his shoe laces. His verbal communication is excellent and his vocabulary often leaves me having to read up on words he uses!

I have a diagnosis of asd (not diagnosed until an adult) and I have a good education, held down a career in a front facing vocational role and very few people who supposedly “know” me could see I was different.

The ignorance which still surrounds people’s assumptions relating to asd is astonishing. I had a step daughter who is a teacher who has very set (and odd) views on what asd “looks like”. She has a view which she is entitled to but has no basis in reality. And she teaches children 🤦‍♀️

The film was, at the time, all we had to go on. I do have a two “talents” which my son also shares. I never thought of it as an asd thing; it’s just how I am. How I “see” stuff.

And, we’re both shit at maths!! 😂