Oh, I love maths! And problem-solving. /srs [tone indicator for ‘serious’, in case anyone was wondering]
One of the things I love about the Autistic adult community is that they figured out how difficult, and unreasonable, it is to think of a spectrum as being linear. For the very reasons you describe. It’s more of a pie chart/wheel shape, with varying degrees of characteristics/traits. Some in the community refer to this as being NeuroSpiky because of how it looks if you remove the lines. It can also change based on the situation and the person’s age, experiences, and other divergences.
This, of course, still oversimplifies what the spectrum really is and still fails, in some ways. But it does try to explain that every human being is neuro-unique, or simply, unique. And, as I believe you’re trying to explain, any type of visual or other representation that attempts to compare and contrast one or more humans against another will always fail. It’s impossible, mathematically or otherwise, to compare and contrast any uniquely made being against another uniquely made being. We can only be compared against ourselves.
Ah, the man in the mirror… (sorry, just me thinking out loud and making connections, again!)
Now I am going to be thinking about which axes I immediately go to - I don’t think it is those 3. Very intetesting
Yeah, those axes are definitely for basic bitches
Oh, I love maths! And problem-solving. /srs [tone indicator for ‘serious’, in case anyone was wondering]
One of the things I love about the Autistic adult community is that they figured out how difficult, and unreasonable, it is to think of a spectrum as being linear. For the very reasons you describe. It’s more of a pie chart/wheel shape, with varying degrees of characteristics/traits. Some in the community refer to this as being NeuroSpiky because of how it looks if you remove the lines. It can also change based on the situation and the person’s age, experiences, and other divergences.
(You can see a version here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/women-autism-spectrum-disorder/202208/autistic-linear-spectrum-pie-chart-spectrum)
This, of course, still oversimplifies what the spectrum really is and still fails, in some ways. But it does try to explain that every human being is neuro-unique, or simply, unique. And, as I believe you’re trying to explain, any type of visual or other representation that attempts to compare and contrast one or more humans against another will always fail. It’s impossible, mathematically or otherwise, to compare and contrast any uniquely made being against another uniquely made being. We can only be compared against ourselves.
Ah, the man in the mirror… (sorry, just me thinking out loud and making connections, again!)
I forgot to choose… it’s meaningless AND impossible ;)