From Sam More
In his article on the advantages of autism, David Wolman stated that some people with autism “can’t see the wood for the trees” (1 May, p 32). Autistic people realise that a forest is made of many trees. However, the urge to present a complete and honest picture leads to a description that seeks to encompass all those trees.
A useful analogy is to imagine asking a person with autism the question: “What kind of people were at the wedding?” and receiving the reply: “About 150 humans, about 10 per cent children”. While technically correct, it neglects the important interpersonal relationships. For some people with autism, the relations between objects are as important as interpersonal information is to non-autistic people – and as fundamental to a meaningful overall picture.
Dresden, Germany
