I love “Fresh Air” with Terry Gross. I usually listen to it when I’m driving, and I look forward to hearing interviews with people I know nothing about. Not long ago, I heard an interview with author Temple Grandin who believes that being autistic is largely responsible for her success in revolutionizing the way livestock animals are handled. She thinks her different way of perceiving the world lets her see things more the way that animals do. Details that “normal” people overlook jump right out at her, such as reflections in puddles that frighten cows.

First of all, I find it fascinating to consider that some autistic people may have a perceptual framework that most of us can barely imagine – much less appreciate. Second, I think Grandin’s example is a wonderful metaphor. We never know what we’re missing, even when we think we’re seeing the big picture (visually or otherwise). It’s like the way different eye witnesses of the same event all come up with different accounts of what they saw. We can never be careful enough about recognizing that our own perspective is probably very limited. And we can constantly challenge ourselves to see things differently – to look again. And again. We might discover all kinds of things we’ve missed.

Filed under: This and That

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