Given what happened in Rwanda 30 years ago, and given that we haven’t seen a repeat since then, I think Kagame is doing a good job. I’m not sure how I feel about him being in power for so long, but I also don’t think we’re in the best place to judge (the West) given how abysmally we failed Rwanda over the past 200 years.

And mods!

What you’re teaching them to do is trust “experts” on the internet to give them unbiased sources. (And we know that there’s no such thing.) You might be an expert, I’ll grant you, but what happens the next time they ask about COVID and the only person who replies sends them a link about bleach light treatments?

There’s nothing wrong with answering questions, but I’d much rather answer the question “Is this link/source legit?” than “What’s the answer?” I think that’s more ethical, and more critical thinking can come into play by explaining why a source is or isn’t good.

Because it’s something that’s easily googled? Because it’s lazy to ask questions like that before trying to find it yourself?

here ya go

It’s exhausting to be the research assistant for people who aren’t willing to put in the work. (Not saying that that’s OP.) It’s more within my capacity to point out where someone is making a gaffe and have them do the work to figure out why. I’ve been internetting since Telnet days and nothing has changed: people aren’t interested in sources you find for them, esp. on highly charged topics like this.

perspectives from people who dealt with more impairing issues (eg problems getting dressed, basic hygiene, trouble to communicate basic needs etc)

So those are all me. ABA still sucks. Im okay with admitting that, but I would think that you’d have to be pretty vulnerable to share that info, and not everyone is there. Maybe you have received perspectives from people with those issues who have chosen to not communicate those aspects of their selves.

There is no defense for ABA, period. ABA techniques were adapted for gay conversion therapy, which says a lot. ABA absolutely does not help anyone to learn important skills, but forces people to hide who they are to avoid shame and punishment. It’s abusive, causes trauma, and is not okay.

The use of “levels” is also profoundly problematic. Google it.

I understand what you’re looking for, but happily talking about ABA in an autism space is like asking LGBTQ folks about their positive experiences with gay conversion therapy. Others might feel differently, but some of us have been affected by our past experiences and don’t really care to be reminded of them.

This isn’t new information — traumatologists have known this for a long, long time. Glad that info like this is making news in the NY Times, though!

I use it and pronounce it like “Mix”

ABA at all, in any shape or form, is harmful. Its taking a person and saying, “The way you talk or act isn’t okay. We’re going to change you so that you talk and act like a different people group, and we’re going to ensure that pretty much your entire life is dedicated to this goal until we’ve achieved it.”

If someone chooses to get CBT, then there’s implicit consent. It’s pretty hard to do CBT without consent. ABA, on the other hand, is usually done to people who do not consent, which is abuse. The only reason it’s not seen as abusive is because Western society is so ableist that they consider anything that “changes” an autistic person to be more neuroconforming is acceptable, no matter how it’s achieved.

Plus hosts. I haven’t seen an ad in many years.

Corporations acting all parentally “disappointed” because they were too cheap to properly code it isn’t okay.

A spokesperson for the supermarket said they were disappointed to see “a small minority have tried to use the tool inappropriately and not for its intended purpose”

Disappointed. Bloody hell. A company that’s too cheap to curate some actual recipes is “disappointed” because the tech they built is creating lethal recipes. I wonder what their liability is if someone tried and got hurt/sick.

I had a student do that. Just a post-it note that said “Sorry for the damage :(“. It was a kid that I wouldn’t have expected to play a prank like that, too: very quiet and reserved.