I agree. Very enjoyable team to watch!Originally Posted by mesachick
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I expect this team to be loved and hated just as I expect with every team. There is just one thing that I do want to note. Autism, by definition, means some sort of delay in social interactions. When I think of a person with a hearing problem I do expect it to sometimes cause problems with social interactions, but not the same as autism would have.
Autism is defined by the Autism Society Of America (ASA) as: "Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults with autism typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions, and leisure or play activities.
While Zev is VERY high functioning, we really couldn't know how the social skills he's learned and practiced translate under stress. Quite often under extreme stress lots of what they have learned goes straight out of the window. I cut Luke a ton of slack knowing that being deaf is frustrating especially when needing to communicate during a race. On the opposite side of the issue is the sensory issues many autistic people deal with. For instance, some have a hard time filtering noise. I once remember someone with autism describing why busy places bother them. Say your average person is at a backyard picnic having a one on one conversation with someone. It can be loud, but we tune in to the words and can filter out a lot of what is around us. Our focus is the conversation and the residual noise means nothing to us. Now an autistic person in that same situation will try to focus on the conversation, but they hear the music playing, a horn honking on the street in the background, an airplane passing overhead, kids playing at the picnic, and three or four other very loud voices trying to have a conversation. It's hard for them to filter it out. It becomes NOISE-and frustrating, and can often send them into some of their autistic behaviors that they learn to control under better situations. They compared it to listening to a radio program with static played at the highest volume with a pair of headphones on. While doing that try and have a conversation with someone. You won't be able to, and it will frustrate you to even try to. After hearing that it gave me an insight that I never had before.
I have a friend with Asbergers. He is an accomplished eye surgeon. He is precious and brilliant. He just doesn't do social situations well and it can be hysterical. He knows this. Though he doesn't "get" the humor he knows that it is affection and rolls with it. His wife works in his office and is instrumental in assisting him in this aspect of his life. They have a special and darling relationship.
We are not seeing the entire picture on this show. Though I dont know him, I adore him. Most would too if the picture was more complete.
I think Zev is doing amazing on the show. I have known people with Asperger's and Zev is functioning at a much higher level. He is really doing well, socially, considering his disability. His problems with the noise and crowds could have really hurt him and lost the race for them ,but he found a way to overcome it. I applaud him! And, Justin for helping Zev find the coping skills he needs to get through!
Zev is so highly functioning that my husband didn't even realize that he had autism.
When has Zev ever behaved like a jerk? I'd love an example because I certainly don't recall him ever being rude to another racer.
Zev did fantastic dealing with all of that noise! I was proud of him too! Having an Aspie kid, I know first hand how easy it is to get over stimulated from noise/light/crowds. And I am not a big Mallory fan normally, but I love her for giving Zev her ear plugs. That was a really sweet thing for her to do.
It doesn't matter if they actually win the race or not, Zev and Justin are both winners in our house already.
To me the clearest example was not in regards to other racers, but to the locals. During the tea tasting roadblock, when he just smashed a teacup on the floor. I thought that was rude as hell.
I have a young cousin, urrently in his teens, who is autistic, and while he too certainly can get stressed in certain situations, he's never outright just smashed something out of frustration.
There are varying degress and a wide range of behaviors in both autism and Asbergers. Breaking the cup was not rude. He isn't able to connect with the emotion this act could create another; that can be part of the condition.
I agree. I don't see that as being rude at all. He wasn't throwing his tea cup at someone. He wasn't throwing it because he was mad at a local. The task wasn't even a "local tradition". He did it out of frustration. Heck, I wouldn't be surprised at all to learn that the locals who were watching the task felt that they would have smashed a tea cup a long time ago.I also never once have heard him say he did that due to his Aspbergers.
Every racer has gotten frustrated at some point, and they don't all have Autism.
You know who was rude? Kent! OMG! He pulled a local who was a passenger in a taxi, out of that taxi so he and Vyxen could use it. To me, that is an example of being rude, and then some. I am hoping they get sent home packing this coming week.
Rembrant - thanks for your thoughts on what you saw, and how you perceived it. Discussion is always a good thing.
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