What is this "mask", what do y'all mean by "masking"?
Like, what's the difference between a mask and a public persona?
Both my parents are pretty autistic and in total denial about it. Lacking siblings, cousins, a culture, or human contact, I really have no frame of reference for this stuff.
This book is my fiftieth-birthday present to myself. I feel as though I am crossing the spine of a roof-having ascended one slope.
I am programmed at fifty to perform childishly-to in- sult "The Star-Spangled Banner," to scrawl pictures of a Nazi flag and an asshole and a lot of other things with a felt-tipped pen. To give an idea of the maturity of my illustrations for this book, here is my picture of an asshole:
...
I think I am trying to clear my head of all the junk in there the assholes, the flags, the underpants. Yes-there is a picture in this book of underpants. I'm throwing out charac- ters from my other books, too. I'm not going to put on any more puppet shows.
I think I am trying to make my head as empty as it was when I was born onto this damaged planet fifty years ago.
I've been through something similar, so maybe sharing my story will help.
Oh man, now I have big feelings, too! I just feel this so much!
Ooh, I know how to fix that! Maybe helping them solve their problem will make them feel better.
My favorite thing always calms me down, so maybe it'll help them too. I'll ask them to do it with me.
[all of the above are] misinterpreted as "making it all about you"
I'm not sure how to help, so I'll leave it to that person who looks like they do.
If I get involved, I'm gonna become overwhelmed myself, and that will take attention away from them, so it's best just to stay out of it.
When I'm upset or overwhelmed, I prefer to be left alone, so I'll bet they would like the same.
I'm not sure how to help, and I usually make it worse when I try but get it wrong, so it'll be better for everyone if I just do nothing.
[all of the above in this second section are] misinterpreted as cold and uncaring
Just because we don't show it the same doesn't mean we don't feel it.
Here is a remembrance of Steve Jobs I posted 12 years ago upon his passing, commenting on the legacy that his style of portable, user-friendly electronics have left on indigenous peoples of the Amazon. Far from being overwhelmed by the digital world, they have found innovative ways to use these tools to defend and promote their own culture and political struggles.
@TootTropiques Image above: a photo of a group of people surrounded by darkness, all peering at the light emanating from the phone of one person's hands
Dogs are a long-term commitment and a huge responsibility. They depend on you for everything and can be expensive, high-maintenance, messy, and loud. They’re not toys you can put away when you’re done playing with them. They can also make you laugh, keep you company, brighten your day, and fill your heart with unconditional love. If you feel you are ready to make a dog your number one pal, then ADOPT—DON’T BUY
Really enjoying this. It's both an impressively erudite and remarkably accessible retelling of #USHistory that centers #Indigenous peoples and obliterates a number of national myths. Highly recommended and worth imitating for historians (like me!) working in other national contexts. #history#AmericanHistory#histodons@histodons
@brian_gettler@histodons Image: Photo of book. Text on book cover: "Ned Blackhawk
The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History"
@mk30@plants The @PleaseCaption would like me to inform you, dear reader, that this photo #Alt4You is like 90% leaves. As a non-tropical dweller, I'd say the leaves look like what would happen if a walnut and a fig got together and made a baby. Deep green multi-leaves with long pointy ends. Bits of sky and cloud make up the other 10%.
It’s said that dogs don’t care about how bad your day was or if you finished that project on time. They just love us unconditionally. Turns out they also don’t care if we have Covid and a 102F fever when it’s time for a walk