The New York Times's failure to ask basic questions about the story of Woody Brown, a severely autistic man who supposedly wrote a novel, shows again how far it has fallen. And the Times is not alone.
Why are we picking on autism, I think we should go right to the source, I think someone with effectively treated mental illness who has learned insight and judgment, perhaps even some higher functioning schizophrenics, could do a better job than 95% of what fails to even remotely pass as journalism in this country.
Even the right with some of these pathetic blog sites that just relentlessly shriek what the left is saying day in and out, is abject failure.
What I'm waiting for is for the New York Times to respond to Berenson's inquiry. How long will it take them to admit that they've been had? Or, are they going to double down and try to defend facilitated communication? If they go the latter route, watch them shamelessly cite 'experts' from UCLA and Columbia.
At this point, expecting integrity or truth-telling from the New York Times is delusional. They only have a reputation for "excellence" among people who want to be lied to.
Just how is it possible that RAG is still around after such a consistent pattern of non CRED. I do not get it or maybe as one poster said today here it's some sort of gell-mann amnesia effect. A form of cognitive dissonance LOL
It is the long-running Blue Silo of information. It has longtime credibility, and has been able to grow its online business significantly. So business wise, they are smart, and they allow all the hopefuls to use New York Times material as fact. It is the mothership of false information and the left-wing extremist narrative.
Just WHEN in your opinion did that change when you say "it has long term cred", since you say "it is the mothership of false info and left-wing extermist narrative"? It can't be BOTH
I believe they were more credible back in the newspaper age of the 1930s through 1960s. They’ve always been left wing, but had lots of competition at the local level to tamp them down. In the Internet age, they have picked up a lot of steam because so many local papers are now gone and people turn more to the New York Times online for national stories. I think many people just believe that the New York Times has a lot of credibility. Readers then get sucked into today’s blue misinformation silo by algorithms. The Times is the mothership; the pied piper.
LOL...yes it's all about "feel" with the neo Marxist way of life. What is your TRUTH and how you feel is what matters with them and not actual fact, truth or science! The coddled, entitled and victim minded WOKE mind.
"All the news that's fit to print". So all the news that's fit to print is a liberal biased view? The articles I've seen do not have a connection to reality much less veracity.
I remember this was all the rage in the 90s but thought it was accepted it was all fake. So surprised that it is still around. My feeling about it back in the 90s and today, if an autistic person can communicate through typing, why not give them a keyboard and let them type it on the computer? Why do they need a facilitator? Obviously he can't read or spell. He wasn't taught to do either but if his mother truly believes he can why doesn't he type out his thoughts on the computer? Mary knows he can't and that is really disturbing. It's a grift.
"According to her LinkedIn, Mary Brown holds a master’s degree in English literature from Northwestern, and for more than 20 years, until she quit her job in 2012 to care for Woody full-time, she evaluated movie scripts as a story analyst for Hollywood studios. "When a reporter from The Guardian asked Brown to describe his next book, Mary read his response: “It’s a bildungsroman about my search for camaraderie,” she said, before apologizing for the fact that she doesn’t even know how to say the word bildungsroman." -- The Atlantic
If Mary Brown's master's degree was in Mechanical engineering or architecture, would Woody design and improve machines, tools, and engines or would he design structures and prepare construction documents?
Great point! And you know they lie about anything to do with Covid or pharma or censorship, your areas of expertise. So please stop believing a word of their reporting on Trump and other subjects, too. Look up your man Michael Crichton’s Gellman Amnesia effect, and don’t let it get you, too!
Nearly everyone I know is on the spectrum or has kids on the spectrum. There is an obvious line between an autistic person who can communicate independent thoughts and ideas... and one who cannot. I have seen it first hand. The autistic who can communicate will make demands, argue or monologue in sign language, typing on a real keyboard, texting on a phone, pushing buttons to string along words together, pointing to a single picture, or just plain talk either briefly or non-stop. I have even seen a child who barely talks at least answer yes or no questions by looking up or down with their eyes - you can see the purpose in it behind those eye and face movements. But there are those who are truly non-verbal and cannot do any of that. They stomp feet, grunt, throw tantrums, cry, etc. and that is the extent of the communication. They just want their handheld device so they can watch their favorite shows which often are trains over and over again. In those cases of autism, and with other forms of severe disabilities, I have seen parents so desperate for a deeper relationship with their child or so convinced that their child is intelligent under the non-verbal struggles... that they create a relationship that simply is not there and they don't even realize they are making it up. The videos of this particular situation... show there is no connection between what is tapped on the card to what she says he wrote... most of the time he is not even looking at the keyboard but a muted TV show. Seriously, if he could type like this, he could use a real keyboard. The mom's arms also moved around a lot so the keyboard is not steady, which introduces a lot of bias and wishful thinking. But, when is it essential to prove it to that parent... that it is not real? Its the parent's coping mechanism - the only way they are getting through it all. Well, I guess its when they try to convince the entire world that its true. So now the scientific world whether they like it or not... must prove this false as its already done so many times before.
You’re wrong about spelling to communicate. I have an autistic son who uses the method. He can tap out surprising clear messages. He’s not fluent enough in the boards to write a book and other health issues have prevented further progress but too many people mistake autistic individuals to lack cognitive abilities because of limited communication and limited control over their bodies. You should not confuse spelling with facilitated communication either. I wish you would have investigated the method more before you went off half cocked and mistakenly dampened the hopes of many autistic people and their families. There are many who claim to debunk this method with a high handed obnoxiousness and you just gave them more fuel. I know you’re better than this.
Yes, however there's a huge gap between spelling to communicate and writing a novel. I think that's the point, the phony part the NYT buys in, where she goes to class, writes the novel and claims her son wrote it.
He’s not the first speller to do that. I don’t mind skepticism, I’m disappointed that, without understanding the method, some are instantly convinced that it’s phony.
Agreed. Which is why I scratch my head about once every 6 weeks or so when you have a meltdown over Trump. Many times you have come back and said the source you quoted was wrong, but...
There is hardly any good reporting in the msm, so I dont listen to or read them anymore.
Facilitated Communication is abuse. I have an M.A. in Special Education and taught Autistic students for many years. There was a PBS Frontline episode from the 1990s that did an outstanding job of showing how not only does it not work, but how others are putting their words and thoughts into the "mouth" of someone else.
Alex, please please READ the book UNDERESTIMATED: An Autism Miracle. There are many many examples of non-speakers communicating using a keyboard. Many of these kids start with big letterboards (it’s a gross motor problem) and eventually graduate to FULLY INDEPENDENT typing on a keyboard to express themselves. Don’t let the ones who are clearly led by their instructor make you think that it’s all fraud.
Believe your own eyes. Watch Jamie Handley type his own thoughts in this video (start at the 38 minute mark)
Some people (including me) think Helen Keller / Anne Sullivan was the same deal. Let's just say 4th grade me was a bit skeptical. A billion years later, lots more to be skeptical about.
I’m also a Helen Keller doubter. In 3rd or 4th grade we read about her and watched Miracle Worker, I remember being fascinated at first and then really thinking about it later that night and thinking there is just no way that is true-lol
This is what Clarence Thomas said yesterday about the basic culture of diseased despicable deranged politics starting from Washington and slithering down to state & local levels:
“Thomas also took aim at the Washington establishment — the comfortable class of officials who have learned to dress up their failures in respectable language. He accused D.C. of being overrun by people with no real commitment to righteous cause, traditional morality, national defense, free enterprise, religious piety, or the original meaning of the Constitution. "They recast themselves as Institutionalists, pragmatists or thoughtful moderates," he said, "all as a way of justifying their failures to themselves, their consciences, and their country." If that doesn't describe the last several decades of Beltway careerism, nothing does.”
But, not only are politicians dependent on a pathetically apathetic, uncaring and indifferent public, but even places like here continue to quote leftist shit like we really care what the left has to say.
Folks, you dismiss my railing about marginalizing and ostracizing evil, yet, I have yet to hear someone even offer an interesting if not realistic alternative on how we can end this cycle of decay, destruction, and death…
In keeping with this list, the people at Promethean group contrast 2 SYSTEMS (fundamentally financial++ in the way that all human interactions are financial)
British imperial system or American system.
The first propagates globalist CONTROL (through economic - banking - schemes), the latter, respects nation-state SOVEREIGNTY preferably with gov by consent of the governed. The Imperial system results in nihilism and the American cultivates the fruits of creative innovation of free individuals.
I'm still examining this world-view lens. It's like stepping way back (which I like to do) and then readjusting the lens' focus at different things than most all 'news' narratives look. News looks at 'trees' (or bugs) and Promethean view looks at 'forest'.
Imperial power centralized through City of London financial center now, in these modern times, operating a most sophisticated micro second market trades through algorithms combined with insurance and that linked to INTELLIGENCE operations (coups, color revolutions, Muslim Brotherhood....
Like traders (that they are!) set up 'wins' on both sides, they set up warring nations and factions and PROFIT from the continual chaos! Heads? tails? You lose. I win!
All Trump's moves are completely realigning global economic powers (in favor of sovereign nations) through agreements with nations, TARIFF/trade deals, now strategic military strikes to EXPOSE the OLD order and cultivate (make possible) the restoration, the re-alignment of sovereign nations.
Oh, and these global financiers also hide the underbelly of mob/cartel $$$$$ world wide Cayman Is. etc. Venezuela (not anymore!). Cuba?
Don't take my simplistic words. Read, listen to their analysis - and others who take a similar view - then judge what HISTORY and CURRENT EVENTS tell you.
You asked for an alternative..... Our American system restored is it. We just surrendered it over last -? since post WW2? When was McKinley? ( I need to study that era) Probably it'a been under assault since 1776. "We have a Republic if you can keep it."
Dear reader, do you love your freedom in America? We have to know on what it is based (Why the Constitution is GRAND) and what is undermining it. Covid EXPOSED a lot of the control reflexes.
Who writes about this? I have friends who think people are creating chaos for sport and/or profit, but they think Trump is being used by them. One watches Greenwald and the other reads Catherine Austin-Fitz. The big question is "who is left that can be trusted?", especially when Rand Paul appeared on a list of those receiving money from the Maduro regime, and all the deep rifts among conservatives.
The NYT has devolved into nothing more than an advocate and apologist for left wing positions. They don't give a damn about accuracy or perspective. And Columbia & UCLA have already lost all credibility. Anyone who gives either institution 100K for a degree is a fool.
Alex, you may have exposed this example, but there are non verbal or people who can use Spelling to Communicate as shown in the Spellers documentary. My Down syndrome nephew uses it and I can attest, there is no manipulation and this facilitated communication does work. I hate this example creates doubt on Spelling to
Alex, I’m afraid you are dead wrong about the capabilities of autistic spellers. You really must meet with JB Handley @jbhandley and his son and see how wrong you are.
With all the work you did around Covid — rightly calling out the ‘experts’ who spoke as if they knew better than the rest of us — you really should know better. If you do not reach out to JB, as far as I’m concerned, you’re just another one of the arrogant ‘experts’ talking out his arse.
Hi Alex, big fan of your work and part of the fun is taking onboard your perspective and arguments even when I disagree (not often, but sometimes). While I'm not advocating for anything about this person or their case, it did make me think about a very powerful podcast series by Ky Dickens, the Telepathy Tapes which dives deep into 'telepathy' amongst non verbal autistic people and their friends/family/carers. It leans heavily into facilitated communication and discusses the resistance and controversy around its use. It's well worth a listen (she is preparing a documentary film on the material) and it opened me up to whole other consideration of consciousness. I'm not a researcher or expert in anything (not even myself) but I was very moved by the work she was doing with these people and where it lead. Highly recommended !! https://open.spotify.com/show/1zigaPaUWO4G9SiFV0Kf1c?si=5d3dd8241c12498c
Any severely autistic non verbal person would do better journalism than legacy media and The New York Times.
Why are we picking on autism, I think we should go right to the source, I think someone with effectively treated mental illness who has learned insight and judgment, perhaps even some higher functioning schizophrenics, could do a better job than 95% of what fails to even remotely pass as journalism in this country.
Even the right with some of these pathetic blog sites that just relentlessly shriek what the left is saying day in and out, is abject failure.
I don't see anybody picking on autism.
I do see people pointing out that this case is just one more example of how off the rails progressivism is.
Being There seems to apropos, but at least he could actually communicate. Talk about going way back!
You crack me up Yuri 😆
What I'm waiting for is for the New York Times to respond to Berenson's inquiry. How long will it take them to admit that they've been had? Or, are they going to double down and try to defend facilitated communication? If they go the latter route, watch them shamelessly cite 'experts' from UCLA and Columbia.
Amen, Yuri!
Ha! So right.
At this point, expecting integrity or truth-telling from the New York Times is delusional. They only have a reputation for "excellence" among people who want to be lied to.
Just how is it possible that RAG is still around after such a consistent pattern of non CRED. I do not get it or maybe as one poster said today here it's some sort of gell-mann amnesia effect. A form of cognitive dissonance LOL
"Just how is it possible that RAG is still around after such a consistent pattern of non CRED"
Crossword puzzles, Wordle, and Connections
Everything else is like "the articles" in "Playboy" 🤣
It is the long-running Blue Silo of information. It has longtime credibility, and has been able to grow its online business significantly. So business wise, they are smart, and they allow all the hopefuls to use New York Times material as fact. It is the mothership of false information and the left-wing extremist narrative.
Just WHEN in your opinion did that change when you say "it has long term cred", since you say "it is the mothership of false info and left-wing extermist narrative"? It can't be BOTH
I believe they were more credible back in the newspaper age of the 1930s through 1960s. They’ve always been left wing, but had lots of competition at the local level to tamp them down. In the Internet age, they have picked up a lot of steam because so many local papers are now gone and people turn more to the New York Times online for national stories. I think many people just believe that the New York Times has a lot of credibility. Readers then get sucked into today’s blue misinformation silo by algorithms. The Times is the mothership; the pied piper.
Because it's not just ordinary bullshit, it's articulate, entertaining bullshit that makes its readers feel good about themselves.
LOL...yes it's all about "feel" with the neo Marxist way of life. What is your TRUTH and how you feel is what matters with them and not actual fact, truth or science! The coddled, entitled and victim minded WOKE mind.
"All the news that's fit to print". So all the news that's fit to print is a liberal biased view? The articles I've seen do not have a connection to reality much less veracity.
I remember this was all the rage in the 90s but thought it was accepted it was all fake. So surprised that it is still around. My feeling about it back in the 90s and today, if an autistic person can communicate through typing, why not give them a keyboard and let them type it on the computer? Why do they need a facilitator? Obviously he can't read or spell. He wasn't taught to do either but if his mother truly believes he can why doesn't he type out his thoughts on the computer? Mary knows he can't and that is really disturbing. It's a grift.
Right on the money. His mother is a grifter who pretends the retarded son wrote the book
"According to her LinkedIn, Mary Brown holds a master’s degree in English literature from Northwestern, and for more than 20 years, until she quit her job in 2012 to care for Woody full-time, she evaluated movie scripts as a story analyst for Hollywood studios. "When a reporter from The Guardian asked Brown to describe his next book, Mary read his response: “It’s a bildungsroman about my search for camaraderie,” she said, before apologizing for the fact that she doesn’t even know how to say the word bildungsroman." -- The Atlantic
Wow
If Mary Brown's master's degree was in Mechanical engineering or architecture, would Woody design and improve machines, tools, and engines or would he design structures and prepare construction documents?
Great question, so scary to think about how so many are just going along with it? Wonder why?scared of their own shadow or vices coming out? Maybe
Great point! And you know they lie about anything to do with Covid or pharma or censorship, your areas of expertise. So please stop believing a word of their reporting on Trump and other subjects, too. Look up your man Michael Crichton’s Gellman Amnesia effect, and don’t let it get you, too!
Il bet Alexandra Alter will never reply. To her you are just a pest who should be swept under the carpet. Well done and keep up the good work.
Nearly everyone I know is on the spectrum or has kids on the spectrum. There is an obvious line between an autistic person who can communicate independent thoughts and ideas... and one who cannot. I have seen it first hand. The autistic who can communicate will make demands, argue or monologue in sign language, typing on a real keyboard, texting on a phone, pushing buttons to string along words together, pointing to a single picture, or just plain talk either briefly or non-stop. I have even seen a child who barely talks at least answer yes or no questions by looking up or down with their eyes - you can see the purpose in it behind those eye and face movements. But there are those who are truly non-verbal and cannot do any of that. They stomp feet, grunt, throw tantrums, cry, etc. and that is the extent of the communication. They just want their handheld device so they can watch their favorite shows which often are trains over and over again. In those cases of autism, and with other forms of severe disabilities, I have seen parents so desperate for a deeper relationship with their child or so convinced that their child is intelligent under the non-verbal struggles... that they create a relationship that simply is not there and they don't even realize they are making it up. The videos of this particular situation... show there is no connection between what is tapped on the card to what she says he wrote... most of the time he is not even looking at the keyboard but a muted TV show. Seriously, if he could type like this, he could use a real keyboard. The mom's arms also moved around a lot so the keyboard is not steady, which introduces a lot of bias and wishful thinking. But, when is it essential to prove it to that parent... that it is not real? Its the parent's coping mechanism - the only way they are getting through it all. Well, I guess its when they try to convince the entire world that its true. So now the scientific world whether they like it or not... must prove this false as its already done so many times before.
You’re wrong about spelling to communicate. I have an autistic son who uses the method. He can tap out surprising clear messages. He’s not fluent enough in the boards to write a book and other health issues have prevented further progress but too many people mistake autistic individuals to lack cognitive abilities because of limited communication and limited control over their bodies. You should not confuse spelling with facilitated communication either. I wish you would have investigated the method more before you went off half cocked and mistakenly dampened the hopes of many autistic people and their families. There are many who claim to debunk this method with a high handed obnoxiousness and you just gave them more fuel. I know you’re better than this.
Yes, however there's a huge gap between spelling to communicate and writing a novel. I think that's the point, the phony part the NYT buys in, where she goes to class, writes the novel and claims her son wrote it.
He’s not the first speller to do that. I don’t mind skepticism, I’m disappointed that, without understanding the method, some are instantly convinced that it’s phony.
The article is about facilitated communication. He never mentioned spelling to communicate.
Ok I see now that the original NYT article was about spelling to communicate.
Here here! Same boat as well.
Agreed. Which is why I scratch my head about once every 6 weeks or so when you have a meltdown over Trump. Many times you have come back and said the source you quoted was wrong, but...
There is hardly any good reporting in the msm, so I dont listen to or read them anymore.
Facilitated Communication is abuse. I have an M.A. in Special Education and taught Autistic students for many years. There was a PBS Frontline episode from the 1990s that did an outstanding job of showing how not only does it not work, but how others are putting their words and thoughts into the "mouth" of someone else.
Alex, please please READ the book UNDERESTIMATED: An Autism Miracle. There are many many examples of non-speakers communicating using a keyboard. Many of these kids start with big letterboards (it’s a gross motor problem) and eventually graduate to FULLY INDEPENDENT typing on a keyboard to express themselves. Don’t let the ones who are clearly led by their instructor make you think that it’s all fraud.
Believe your own eyes. Watch Jamie Handley type his own thoughts in this video (start at the 38 minute mark)
https://thehighwire.com/ark-videos/spellers-take-autism-world-by-storm/
Happy to put you in touch with J.B. and Jamie so you can interview them and see for yourself.
Sounds like a good idea, Elizabeth G, so maybe Alex can compare and contrast the men.
Some people (including me) think Helen Keller / Anne Sullivan was the same deal. Let's just say 4th grade me was a bit skeptical. A billion years later, lots more to be skeptical about.
I’m also a Helen Keller doubter. In 3rd or 4th grade we read about her and watched Miracle Worker, I remember being fascinated at first and then really thinking about it later that night and thinking there is just no way that is true-lol
Maybe it’s not related, but, I think it is…
This is what Clarence Thomas said yesterday about the basic culture of diseased despicable deranged politics starting from Washington and slithering down to state & local levels:
“Thomas also took aim at the Washington establishment — the comfortable class of officials who have learned to dress up their failures in respectable language. He accused D.C. of being overrun by people with no real commitment to righteous cause, traditional morality, national defense, free enterprise, religious piety, or the original meaning of the Constitution. "They recast themselves as Institutionalists, pragmatists or thoughtful moderates," he said, "all as a way of justifying their failures to themselves, their consciences, and their country." If that doesn't describe the last several decades of Beltway careerism, nothing does.”
But, not only are politicians dependent on a pathetically apathetic, uncaring and indifferent public, but even places like here continue to quote leftist shit like we really care what the left has to say.
Folks, you dismiss my railing about marginalizing and ostracizing evil, yet, I have yet to hear someone even offer an interesting if not realistic alternative on how we can end this cycle of decay, destruction, and death…
Thanks for sharing C Thomas quote.
"... righteous cause,
traditional morality,
national defense,
free enterprise,
religious piety, or
the original meaning of the Constitution."
Such a fine list!
In keeping with this list, the people at Promethean group contrast 2 SYSTEMS (fundamentally financial++ in the way that all human interactions are financial)
British imperial system or American system.
The first propagates globalist CONTROL (through economic - banking - schemes), the latter, respects nation-state SOVEREIGNTY preferably with gov by consent of the governed. The Imperial system results in nihilism and the American cultivates the fruits of creative innovation of free individuals.
I'm still examining this world-view lens. It's like stepping way back (which I like to do) and then readjusting the lens' focus at different things than most all 'news' narratives look. News looks at 'trees' (or bugs) and Promethean view looks at 'forest'.
Imperial power centralized through City of London financial center now, in these modern times, operating a most sophisticated micro second market trades through algorithms combined with insurance and that linked to INTELLIGENCE operations (coups, color revolutions, Muslim Brotherhood....
Like traders (that they are!) set up 'wins' on both sides, they set up warring nations and factions and PROFIT from the continual chaos! Heads? tails? You lose. I win!
All Trump's moves are completely realigning global economic powers (in favor of sovereign nations) through agreements with nations, TARIFF/trade deals, now strategic military strikes to EXPOSE the OLD order and cultivate (make possible) the restoration, the re-alignment of sovereign nations.
Oh, and these global financiers also hide the underbelly of mob/cartel $$$$$ world wide Cayman Is. etc. Venezuela (not anymore!). Cuba?
Don't take my simplistic words. Read, listen to their analysis - and others who take a similar view - then judge what HISTORY and CURRENT EVENTS tell you.
You asked for an alternative..... Our American system restored is it. We just surrendered it over last -? since post WW2? When was McKinley? ( I need to study that era) Probably it'a been under assault since 1776. "We have a Republic if you can keep it."
Dear reader, do you love your freedom in America? We have to know on what it is based (Why the Constitution is GRAND) and what is undermining it. Covid EXPOSED a lot of the control reflexes.
Who writes about this? I have friends who think people are creating chaos for sport and/or profit, but they think Trump is being used by them. One watches Greenwald and the other reads Catherine Austin-Fitz. The big question is "who is left that can be trusted?", especially when Rand Paul appeared on a list of those receiving money from the Maduro regime, and all the deep rifts among conservatives.
Republocrats, a one party system of the wants of the corrupt immoral uncaring few screw the needs of the concerned moral caring many.
That's one aspect or piece of the puzzle, but this is the first I've heard of the betting on events.
The NYT has devolved into nothing more than an advocate and apologist for left wing positions. They don't give a damn about accuracy or perspective. And Columbia & UCLA have already lost all credibility. Anyone who gives either institution 100K for a degree is a fool.
Alex, you may have exposed this example, but there are non verbal or people who can use Spelling to Communicate as shown in the Spellers documentary. My Down syndrome nephew uses it and I can attest, there is no manipulation and this facilitated communication does work. I hate this example creates doubt on Spelling to
Communicate.
Alex, I’m afraid you are dead wrong about the capabilities of autistic spellers. You really must meet with JB Handley @jbhandley and his son and see how wrong you are.
With all the work you did around Covid — rightly calling out the ‘experts’ who spoke as if they knew better than the rest of us — you really should know better. If you do not reach out to JB, as far as I’m concerned, you’re just another one of the arrogant ‘experts’ talking out his arse.
Hi Alex, big fan of your work and part of the fun is taking onboard your perspective and arguments even when I disagree (not often, but sometimes). While I'm not advocating for anything about this person or their case, it did make me think about a very powerful podcast series by Ky Dickens, the Telepathy Tapes which dives deep into 'telepathy' amongst non verbal autistic people and their friends/family/carers. It leans heavily into facilitated communication and discusses the resistance and controversy around its use. It's well worth a listen (she is preparing a documentary film on the material) and it opened me up to whole other consideration of consciousness. I'm not a researcher or expert in anything (not even myself) but I was very moved by the work she was doing with these people and where it lead. Highly recommended !! https://open.spotify.com/show/1zigaPaUWO4G9SiFV0Kf1c?si=5d3dd8241c12498c