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May 27, 2005
Venn Diagram
This diagram isn't really very accurate, but after conversations with Chris and Heide (who's making a documentary about AS and things like that in her family) and my friend Donna (whose son has ADD and loves games) and now working on this latest book idea I've been thinking about the connections between computer nerds and gamers and those mental issues/differences that make them socially awkward. And I love Venn diagrams so here is one attempting to illustrate some of the overlap between savants, virtuosos, those with Aspergers and computer nerds. (After briefly noodling around I decided I'm not going to get into all the websites and debates over autism and stuff -- that's actually partly what Heide's film will be about and I'll leave it to her).
Anyway, I know this isn't very accurate -- for instance, shouldn't perfect pitch (I'm thinking of those people who can hear a song and sit down and play it right the first time -- I've seen them on 60 minutes more than once now) be where music and austism overlap? And band geek -- shouldn't that be where computer nerd and music overlap? And is that really where asshole belongs? How many circles can you have in a Venn diagram? Well, I encourage you all to make your own undoubtedly more accurate versions.
And now back to the book propsal.
**Update**
slashdot today had something to say about and linked to a couple articles on Asperger's/nerds - a little old, but still interesting. This one in Wired seemed to sum a lot up. I particularly like the theory that in olden days of yore, nerds wouldn't have been breeding but, "in the last 10 years, geekitude has become sexy and associated with financial success."
On a completely unrelated topic: Chris's Meta-Venn is brilliant!
Posted by mary at May 27, 2005 11:51 AM
Comments
I think you did a great job on this. I couldn't come up with enough categories on the fly to make one. But, looking at the really crappy ones others have put up I could have just pounded aimlessly on the keyboard and come up with one better than "daulphins/porpoises/similarities."
Posted by: Tony at May 27, 2005 6:43 PM
Posted by: Chris Higgins ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.marysgreatideas.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at May 28, 2005 6:44 AM
Oooh, Chris's is meta-Venn (doesn't that sound like a pharmaceutical?).
Posted by: melissa at May 29, 2005 1:23 PM
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