I live in London, which if you are someone who enjoys multiculturalism there is no end of variations of food and entertainment. Basically, a city made up of ‘different’ that caters to ‘different’. I often joke about – how if I want to experience a different culture, I could just order a Deliveroo (with that country’s cuisine) and watch National Geographic on television. Joking aside ‘different’, or in other words diversity, inspires both individual and societal development. Embracing diversity enables connections to be made, narrowing the gap of extremism. People become kinder, tolerant and grow their mindsets to understand the world better.
For some people, ‘different’ can trigger an instinctive fight, flight or freeze mode, because the primitive human is tying to work out if there is a threat, i.e. a lion about to eat them. However, with patience and openness, we can exercise our brain; we can broaden our perspective about ‘different’, and by doing that we give ourselves permission to step-out of our comfort zone; dare to be daring (at least be willing to listen to another’s perspective).
Embracing ‘different’ means we can become empowered, tolerant and open to learning about other people’s stories/ experiences. However, if we’re surrounded by the same all the time, arguably our thinking becomes attuned to the same and thus becomes complacent. We strive to maintain a status quo of the same. I often wonder if too much of the same actually makes us less grateful and unhappy? I guess that’s a whole different post to write about!
In any case, diverse thinking seeks to find solutions that meet the needs of everyone, not just the needs of the majority of the same. When we create communities that are inclusive of ‘different’, we create more tolerance for each other. When we are open to ‘different’, we give others a voice and we create a safe place to exchange thoughts and ideas. These connections are mutually beneficial for all who openly engage them.
I thought about writing this post because of a research project I am working on, which is focussed on exploring the support levels needed for young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the workplace. The workplace, a place where traditionally the strongest and most competitive survive. However, much research would suggest that survival is also about embracing diverse thinking to innovate and to collectively win together.
I have been fortunate to read several interesting books (see list at the end of the post), journals and social media posts about autism and neurodiversity – or in other words diverse thinking. Besides developing my knowledge about this fascinating spectrum of human functioning, I feel appreciative of the diversity that surrounds me, especially for the people who think and feel different to me, all of whom have been a source of encouragement and have challenged and broadened my thinking along the way.
My research about autism has expanded my understanding of diversity to a new level. A level which delves deeper into how one processes the world and makes sense of it; a deeper understanding about individual perspectives and the human experience. I’ll focus on the word ‘sense’ because an individual with autism senses their world uniquely different to most of us, which in turn affects how they interpret people and surroundings. That’s not to say that most people aren’t sensing and experiencing their own unique existence, which of course they are, however, an autistic person actually processes the experience much more profoundly and distinctly different to the majority of people.
So, all of this about ‘different’ and being autistic has got me thinking about how many people out there, not just autistic, are struggling to be included in society, communities, the workplace, etc. How can we be more inclusive?
Here are some of the Autism and Neurodiversity Books and Articles that I’ve been reading for my research project:
- Spectrum Women, by: Barb Cook & Dr. Michelle Garnett
- Autism Works, by: Adam Feinstein
- Human Givens: The new approach to emotional health and clear thinking, by: Joe Griffin and Ivan Tyrell
- Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and How to Think Smarter About People Who Think Differently, by: Steve Silberman
- The thwarted genius within, by: Dr. Rainer Hermann Kurz
- Is Your Corporate Culture Cultish, by: Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries
Written by: Evie Medeiros ©2019 Mindfully Marvellous
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