Famous HISTORICAL people with asperger's
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Although Autism was not clinically recognized until 1944, experts now believe that many famous figures in history may have been on the autism spectrum. Many of these people made profound contributions to humanity. I find this very inspirational because it is proof that having Asperger’s is not a handicap. Our unique way of viewing the world, gives us the potential to follow in their footsteps.
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hANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
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Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author and poet. He is famous for his fairy tales, such as The Snow Queen, The Little Mermaid, The Emperor's New Clothes and The Ugly Duckling.
Many experts now believe that Andersen had Asperger’s. Although Andersen was a gifted storyteller, he actively avoided social interaction, preferring to be a loner. He also devoted all his time to writing, spoke with a high pitch tone of voice and was extremely obsessive and ritualistic in his behavior. This caused him to be bullied at school. Some people think that The Ugly Ducking is about his experience of being ostracized and mistreated for being different.
Although he died over 100 years ago, his fairy tales have been translated into well over a hundred languages and millions of copies continue to be published all over the world.
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Charles Darwin
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Charles Darwin’s autistic traits were instrumental both to his scientific discovery and his ability to ignore social pressure to conform. Darwin discovered the origin of mankind. Although his theory of evolution is now widely accepted, it was extremely controversial at the time (because it contradicted people’s belief that God created Adam and Eve).
Asperger's gave Darwin: the ability to hyper-focus, his extraordinary attention to detail and ability to observe things that others had missed, his boundless persistence, his endless energy for a lifetime of dedication to a narrow field and his independence of mind that allowed him to stand up to the scientific conventions of his time.
Darwin was a solitary child. As an adult, he continued to avoid social interactions, preferring to write letters that were devoid of social pleasantries. He was known for taking long solitary walks, walking the same route daily. He was also a great collector (as a child he hoarded shells and insects).
Yet, to this day, Darwin is still considered one of the greatest scientists that ever lived.
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Albert Einstein
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Einstein had many of the difficulties associated with Asperger’s. He was very sensitive to touch and was intensely focused on obscure scientific topics from a young age. He also had difficulty with social interactions and difficulty following social conventions, especially while at school.
Despite his intelligent, Einstein did not do well at school. The reason Einstein had such a hard time learning in school was because he did not have the accommodations and different teaching styles that many autistic children need in order to achieve their potential.
Yet, despite these setbacks, Einstein went on to receive the Nobel Prize for Physics for his ground-breaking work on the theory of relativity.
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MICHELANGELO
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Michelangelo was an Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet and engineer. His paintings and sculptures are so beautiful that he is still considered one of the greatest artists of all time.
Historians have found documents that have led them to conclude that Michelangelo may have had Autism. He had many Autistic traits, such as: a single-minded work routine, an unusual lifestyle, limited interests, poor social and communication skills and a need to control his environment. Michelangelo was obsessed with his work (in a short period of time he drew hundreds of sketches for the Sistine ceiling; no two of which were alike). His mentor described him as a loner and as someone that was unable to make any friends and maintain any relationships. For example, Michelangelo struggled to hold up his end of a conversation, often walking away in the middle of a discussion.
Michelangelo’s family described him as strange, without affect, and isolated, as well as being “preoccupied with his own private reality.” Yet, his paintings and sculptures are still admired today, more than 450 years after his death.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
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Mozart is one of the greatest composers the world has ever known. He was a child prodigy that became obsessed with playing and composing music from the age of five. Yet his hearing was so sensitive that loud noises made him feel sick.
Mozart was known to make unusual facial expressions, had erratic mood swings and struggled to follow social conventions. For example, on one occasion, he was so bored that he jumped and somersaulted over tables and chairs while meowing like a cat.
Despite having died over 200 years ago, his music is still appreciated and his legacy lives on. Einstein once said that "Mozart's music is so pure and beautiful that I see it as a reflection of the inner beauty of the universe."
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Sir isaac newton
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Newton was a physicist, mathematician, astronomer, theologian, natural philosopher, and alchemist. He is best known for explaining gravity and inventing calculus, building telescopes, as well as other great scientific achievements. Historians now believe he may have had Asperger’s.
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Newton had difficulty with social interaction. He did not participate in small talk and struggled to talk to individuals he considered friends. Newton had intense intellectual interests in very narrow areas. He was so focused on his work that he a hard time breaking away, so much so that he often forgot to eat. He relied on routines, which he strictly followed. For example, if Newton was scheduled to give a lecture, he would give the lecture even if there was no one in the audience. Yet, despite his Autistic traits, Newton is still one of the greatest scientists of all time.
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WE BUILD TOO MANY WALLS AND NOT ENOUGH BRIDGES ISAAC NEWTON
