Thank you very much for the Czech quote -- that's valuable and from everything I've heard so far, no one's questioning the solidity of his research.
You're welcome! I fell down a brief rabbit hole of academia since our last exchange. Czech's discoveries were actually public if not widespread knowledge as far back as 2010. (His own family connection to this material was his loving, supportive, one-time Nazi grandfather. It gives me another reason to trust that he understands that people, however difficult it may be to reckon with, are not all one thing.) Silberman in 2016 referred to them as "allegations" and cast doubt on Czech's veracity; he seemed extremely concerned that they were an attempt to discredit autism research in general. I hope he is reassured by the actual published article and I am now very curious to see his reactions to Sheffer.
I do have complicated and painful feelings (as is inevitable when one finds out someone had respect for was a fucking Nazi); I've read his original paper and it's really good, and Uta Frith's translation of it was in the book I picked up which led to my self-diagnosing and then going on to get a formal diagnosis, without which I might not be alive at this point.
That was the context in which I first saw the NYRB link: it was circulating among bits of my friendlist who were autistic and having complicated feelings.
I am glad you are alive. I am glad you took research born out of a killing time and used it to stay alive. I see people argue about whether it is possible to redeem knowledge acquired under circumstances of atrocity or whether even its beneficial uses are tainted intrinsically; some of it is obviously case by case, but in general I think it's like photographs of atrocity. Redemption is not the point. The point is, once the knowledge exists, what do you do with it? The question is less acute with Asperger because he did not actually describe autism as a means toward extermination, but it's still fucking Nazis. And you did the right thing.
(While we're on the subject of Nazi discoveries, however, please enjoy this beautiful takedown of the idea that we owe so many technological advances to the Nazis uniquely and especially the idea that they were a serious threat in an atomic arms race.)
because her contribution was monumental. And she has a particularly interesting role as a researcher who was also a parent, and who played a pivotal role in founding what became the National Autistic Society in the UK.
no subject
You're welcome! I fell down a brief rabbit hole of academia since our last exchange. Czech's discoveries were actually public if not widespread knowledge as far back as 2010. (His own family connection to this material was his loving, supportive, one-time Nazi grandfather. It gives me another reason to trust that he understands that people, however difficult it may be to reckon with, are not all one thing.) Silberman in 2016 referred to them as "allegations" and cast doubt on Czech's veracity; he seemed extremely concerned that they were an attempt to discredit autism research in general. I hope he is reassured by the actual published article and I am now very curious to see his reactions to Sheffer.
I do have complicated and painful feelings (as is inevitable when one finds out someone had respect for was a fucking Nazi); I've read his original paper and it's really good, and Uta Frith's translation of it was in the book I picked up which led to my self-diagnosing and then going on to get a formal diagnosis, without which I might not be alive at this point.
That was the context in which I first saw the NYRB link: it was circulating among bits of my friendlist who were autistic and having complicated feelings.
I am glad you are alive. I am glad you took research born out of a killing time and used it to stay alive. I see people argue about whether it is possible to redeem knowledge acquired under circumstances of atrocity or whether even its beneficial uses are tainted intrinsically; some of it is obviously case by case, but in general I think it's like photographs of atrocity. Redemption is not the point. The point is, once the knowledge exists, what do you do with it? The question is less acute with Asperger because he did not actually describe autism as a means toward extermination, but it's still fucking Nazis. And you did the right thing.
(While we're on the subject of Nazi discoveries, however, please enjoy this beautiful takedown of the idea that we owe so many technological advances to the Nazis uniquely and especially the idea that they were a serious threat in an atomic arms race.)
because her contribution was monumental. And she has a particularly interesting role as a researcher who was also a parent, and who played a pivotal role in founding what became the National Autistic Society in the UK.
A very different approach from Sheffer's, then.