The Rin arc is so frustrating

[axlryder]

So to sum up this thread:
The people autism somehow completely understood and related with Rin, and the normal people thought Rin was annoying.

No. Rin is not likely autistic, nor am I. For one, Rin displays empathy fairly well and has fairly decent emotional intelligence. She also isn't the least bit clumsy and has none of the marked verbosity typical of a person with Aspergers. She does display aspects of an individual who suffers from that condition, but her personality doesn't come together to fit that diagnosis. Nor do I. My own social impediment was mostly spurred by an extremely introspective nature, strong visual orientation, overactive imagination, differing perceptions of stimuli, and a general disinterest in normal things. I was still very empathetic (perhaps more so than a normal person) but I couldn't express that empathy very well. I'll admit to having simply not been very good at normal communication and my own diction was a bit odd and scatterbrained, but I could perceive the nuances of social and conversational norms just fine. I do, however, have a mild case of ADD (mild enough that I don't really consider it worth medicating), which I think contributes.

[Daitengu]

So to sum up this thread:
The people autism somehow completely understood and related with Rin, and the normal people thought Rin was annoying.

No. Rin is not likely autistic, nor am I. For one, Rin displays empathy fairly well and has fairly decent emotional intelligence. She also isn't the least bit clumsy and has none of the marked verbosity typical of a person with Aspergers.

Asperger's and Autism are both sliding scale in diagnosis. Asperger's itself isn't really considered a disease as much as the brain just being wired a bit different. A lot of 'quirky' artists, writers and inventors tend to be on the scale somewhere. So I could see Aura writing Rin as eccentric artist simply because alot of creative folk are in general. It just so happens that they tend to fit on the Asperger's scale.

Kinda like Shizune being written as domineering and 'just happens to have rich parents', but people can come to the conclusion that she's that way because she's rich. Which really misses the point.

[axlryder]

So to sum up this thread:
The people autism somehow completely understood and related with Rin, and the normal people thought Rin was annoying.

No. Rin is not likely autistic, nor am I. For one, Rin displays empathy fairly well and has fairly decent emotional intelligence. She also isn't the least bit clumsy and has none of the marked verbosity typical of a person with Aspergers.

Asperger's and Autism are both sliding scale in diagnosis. Asperger's itself isn't really considered a disease as much as the brain just being wired a bit different. A lot of 'quirky' artists, writers and inventors tend to be on the scale somewhere. So I could see Aura writing Rin as eccentric artist simply because alot of creative folk are in general. It just so happens that they tend to fit on the Asperger's scale.

Kinda like Shizune being written as domineering and 'just happens to have rich parents', but people can come to the conclusion that she's that way because she's rich. Which really misses the point.

It's true, there can be varying degrees of severity with Asperger's and autism, but it is still considered a congenital disorder, the possession of which carries many behavioral implications that don't match up with Rin. Of course one who is eccentric will likely fit some of the qualifiers for the condition, but that doesn't mean we're going to diagnose them every time someone displays some of these traits, especially when other aspects of their personality run directly counter to the norm for those with the condition.

More to the point, the comment I was responding to was insulting and based on a false presumption. Even if Rin does display some characteristic of an Asperger's sufferer, or even has a mild and unique case of it, it's certainly not her defining characteristic or one that would lead an individual to identify with her. In fact, possessing Asperger's would most likely make Rin appear as even more of an enigma.

Also, nice profile pic.

[Daitengu]

Also, nice profile pic.

It's a daitengu lol

[megiddo]

Even if Rin does display some characteristic of an Asperger's sufferer, or even has a mild and unique case of it, it's certainly not her defining characteristic or one that would lead an individual to identify with her.

Yes, her autism-like uniqueness was her defining characteristic. Being unarmed was just a small physical trait compared to her overwhelmingly life-altering "specialness."

I disagree. I think special people identify with Rin because she's special, just like them. I doubt those people identify with Rin because of her disarming nature.

[ShadeHaven]

Even if Rin does display some characteristic of an Asperger's sufferer, or even has a mild and unique case of it, it's certainly not her defining characteristic or one that would lead an individual to identify with her.

Yes, her autism-like uniqueness was her defining characteristic. Being unarmed was just a small physical trait compared to her overwhelmingly life-altering "specialness."

I disagree. I think special people identify with Rin because she's special, just like them. I doubt those people identify with Rin because of her disarming nature.

Coming from someone who has lived with an autistic brother 19 years of his life, I can tell you that she is most definitely not autistic. I realize that there are different levels of autism, but she does not have a speech impediment. I stand strong behind the idea that she simply doesn't know how to properly display her emotions and thoughts. She lacks the social knowledge and experience. Autism is very different from that.

[axlryder]

Even if Rin does display some characteristic of an Asperger's sufferer, or even has a mild and unique case of it, it's certainly not her defining characteristic or one that would lead an individual to identify with her.

Yes, her autism-like uniqueness was her defining characteristic. Being unarmed was just a small physical trait compared to her overwhelmingly life-altering "specialness."

I disagree. I think special people identify with Rin because she's special, just like them. I doubt those people identify with Rin because of her disarming nature.

You missed the point of the quote entirely. Individuals with Aspergers simply don't identify well with anyone due to their lack of empathy and relational capacity, least of all someone like Rin who is difficult to understand. Her personality is obviously what would lead people to identify with her, I indicated this very thing in the OP, it's simply not her perceived "autism" either. What's more, the aspects of her personality that might indicate mild Asperger's (largely her conversational patterns) are not the ones that I feel define her or lead me to identify with her. The actual meaning behind the things she said and did are what lead me to identify with her.

[megiddo]

but both of you must agree that her unique social disability and mental shortcomings are her defining characteristics, right?

[axlryder]

but both of you must agree that her unique social disability and mental shortcomings are her defining characteristics, right?

No. I've just told you that it was not her defining characteristic. If she was merely awkward with no substance, I wouldn't have found her character compelling. What's more, she clearly excelled mentally in certain aspects. Your biased phrasing really just makes it seem as though you don't understand the character very well. Understandable, as several other posters seem to have indicated that that was the point.

[Daitengu]

You missed the point of the quote entirely. Individuals with Aspergers simply don't identify well with anyone due to their lack of empathy and relational capacity, least of all someone like Rin who is difficult to understand. Her personality is obviously what would lead people to identify with her, I indicated this very thing in the OP, it's simply not her perceived "autism" either. What's more, the autistic aspects of her personality (largely her speech patterns) are not the ones that I feel define her or lead me to identify with her.

For me, I more identified with her inability to understand her own emotions, and her feelings of frustration when explaining something to the 'average' person. Plus I think different than most people, so I knew exactly what Rin was saying all the time, and Hisao's reactions frustrated me.

I think her speech was more of her only having one definition per word, and forgetting words, so she'd throw out a word that describes her thinking in an abstract way. Very much the Nature of being or spirit of the word/phrase instead of the dictionary definition.

[axlryder]

You missed the point of the quote entirely. Individuals with Aspergers simply don't identify well with anyone due to their lack of empathy and relational capacity, least of all someone like Rin who is difficult to understand. Her personality is obviously what would lead people to identify with her, I indicated this very thing in the OP, it's simply not her perceived "autism" either. What's more, the autistic aspects of her personality (largely her speech patterns) are not the ones that I feel define her or lead me to identify with her.

For me, I more identified with her inability to understand her own emotions, and her feelings of frustration when explaining something to the 'average' person. Plus I think different than most people, so I knew exactly what Rin was saying all the time, and Hisao's reactions frustrated me.

I think her speech was more of her only having one definition per word, and forgetting words, so she'd throw out a word that describes her thinking in an abstract way. Very much the Nature of being or spirit of the word/phrase instead of the dictionary definition.

I feel similarly. In fact, I identified very well with the very feelings she was having so much trouble with simply because I'd been in a place that she was at in her life, and come out the other side having the opportunity to analyze my own feelings at the time. I think the writer did a good job with this, because he really captured the emotions that someone like Rin would feel at her age and in her situation.

She also said that very thing. Rin communicates mostly through feelings and visuals. Language, to her, is not her primary means of perceiving, processing and expressing herself. So, the way she uses words is like you said. In fact, I imagine the reason she has such an easy time speaking backwards is because she can visualize the words and reverse them in her head. If you can do this, speaking backwards is easy.

[Mirrormn]

Your biased phrasing really just makes it seem as though you don't understand the character very well. Understandable, as several other posters seem to have indicated that that was the point.

I've been wanting to say this for a while, but was holding back since I couldn't find as tactful a way to phrase it.

[megiddo]

cmon, you didn't find "her disarming nature" funny at all?

[axlryder]

cmon, you didn't find "her disarming nature" funny at all?

yeah, actually, I chuckled a bit.

[megiddo]

i really do want to like rin; she seems cool in a way. i just wouldn't want, or be able to, have a relationship with her. the best i can do is have a friends-with-benefits relationship with her and just hang out with her from time to time, much like emi .