Why language and perspective are so important
“If the primary language of the society in which you were born is well-suited to the purpose of describing your sensory experiences, your needs, and your thought processes, you may have neurotypical privilege.”
—Dr. Nick Walker
“Owning the words that describe my own experiences allowed a more complete and meaningful experience to emerge.”
(Jackson-Perry et al., 2020)
Having precise language to conceptualize and communicate our experiences helps us first to process them internally, and then describe them so others may better understand.
When you’re neurotypical, the dominant society and culture have developed around your experiences and your needs, so these words and ideas are much more readily available. The majority of others usually understand your experience because they have similar experiences.
“Neurotypicals live, act, and experience the world in a way that consistently falls within the boundaries of neuronormativity.”
—Dr. Nick Walker
Read my article in Neurodiversified.
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