Imagine that you’re awkwardly sitting there at a formal dance when suddenly you see a hand extended towards you. ”May I have this dance?” they ask. You look up, and find that it’s your favorite character.
Imagine that favorite character then fucking you so hard that night that you don’t think you’ll be able to stand the next morning.
Can there be a Time Lord that goes by the name The Dude and he’s just this surfer dude with long blonde hair and he says ‘radical’ a lot and his TARDIS is a surfboard
Okay, can I just say this is another reason why John Waston is absolutely incredible? Because he knows that Sherlock isn’t a “high-functioning sociopath,” he just has Aspergers. They might seem the same at first and function on some of the same bases, but they’re completely different. This is sociopathy (taken straight from my psych notes):
- Marked by a specific set of personality traits
- Guiltless, dishonest, manipulative, callous, shallow emotions, lack of empathy, self-centered
- Tend to be charming, personable, and engaging
Now, that might sound like Sherlock a little, but it doesn’t all fit, does it? He is not charming, personable, or engaging in any sort, even when he tries his best to be any of those things you can tell how unnatural and horrible of an actor he is, and there are so many points in all of the episodes that show that Sherlock Holmes does have a heart and is not guiltless or lacks empathy (the last ten minutes of Reichenbach, when Mrs. Hudson gets hurt, the scene in the Great game where John enters the pool and Sherlock, for a moment, is absolutely devastated the one man he thought was his friend turned out to be his enemy, when he honestly apologizes to John in Hounds in the cemetery) that it’s rather ridiculous. Now let me read you some of the symptoms of Aspergers:
- difficulties in basic elements of social interaction
- failure to develop friendships or to seek shared enjoyments or achievements with others
- may engage in a one-sided, long-winded speech about a favorite topic, while misunderstanding or not recognizing the listener’s feelings or reactions, such as a wish to change the topic of talk or end the interaction
- display selective mutism, speaking not at all to most people and excessively to specific people. Some may choose to talk only to people they like
- they may be able to show a theoretical understanding of other people’s emotions; however, they typically have difficulty acting on this knowledge in fluid, real-life situations
- display behavior, interests, and activities that are restricted and repetitive and are sometimes abnormally intense or focused
- Children with AS may have an unusually sophisticated vocabulary at a young age and have been colloquially called “little professors”, but have difficulty understanding figurative language and tend to use language literally
- have particular weaknesses in areas of nonliteral language that include humor, irony, and teasing
- associated with high levels of alexithymia, which is difficulty in identifying and describing one’s emotions
- strange sleeping patterns
- failure to react properly to social interactions; may come across as lack of empathy
Now, which one sounds more like Sherlock Holmes to you? Aspergers starts as a child and, if diagnosed properly, that child can learn how to cope and be almost normal, but it’s obvious that Sherlock never got that and was teased and bullied his whole life, which just made his condition worse. It’s kind of sad, really; the fact that he’s a psycopath or sociopath has been ground into his head so hard that even when he should know that he isn’t and be able to diagnose himself correctly, other people’s perceptions of him have made him believe them.
The whole Christmas scene with Molly and Lestrade is a testament to that, how nervous and uncomfortable he is even among his closest friends that he ends up completely embarrassing one and single-handedly ruining another’s marriage in one fell swoop; then at the morgue talking with Lestrade he is obviously desperate to understand why he is how he is (aka alexithyma), which a sociopath would never do or have a problem with. Even this above gifset where John says he secretly likes having him and Lestrade here together displays that selective mutism. Also, let me repeat, just because it may seem like a person with Aspergers lacks empathy doesn’t mean they actually don’t have it, they just have a harder time grasping social situations and responding correctly. Which is exactly what Sherlock is, and the fact that John knows it really colors their whole relationship a new shade, and almost every scene after you know this you can tell how hard (unless Sherlock really pisses him off, but even then most of the time he isn’t harsh with him) he tries to help the other man through his condition and be supportive of him and help him show Sherlock right from wrong in a social connotation. Just another reason why John Watson is incredible, everyone.
(Source: bbcsherlockgifs)
**This post has been approved by a person with a degree in psychology.**
**This post has been approved by a person with Asperger’s.**
I think that John, if anyone, is adequately qualified to classify whatever social/behavioural disorder Sherlock has. He’s with Sherlock a good percentage of the time, after all. He also has a very extensive medical background. As a person with his credentials, I’m sure that despite the fact that John’s a medical doctor, he is at least familiar with DSM articles, mental/social disorders, and has perhaps has begun reading/studying them more since living with Sherlock because he recognizes that Sherlock displays signs of ‘something’. I did read a very good argument against Sherlock having Asperger’s but I wasn’t wholly convinced that he doesn’t. The thing is, autism is a spectrum, so no one person falls under the same category. A spectrum of colours also has varying tints, so perhaps Sherlock displays a certain characteristic of autism, but not excessively. In the end, just like how someone’s IQ isn’t really quantifiable because their education may vary based on where they live, autism spectrum disorder is also not definite because there are so many variables to it [more on mentioning IQ to come, actually!].
I do realize that what Sherlock displays is that he does, in fact, have a social/behavioural/developmental disorder - the most obvious of which would be Asperger’s syndrome. However, honestly, Sherlock also displays qualities of other disorders as well, such as BPD, ADHD, OCD, etc [more about this observation later]. For this reason, it becomes difficult to make an exact diagnosis of a television character unless it is specifically mentioned within the show. Unless the writer is actually making this a focus of the show, something that s/he is addressing, his research will not be very thorough, unfortunately.
Here is a list of examples:
- Sheldon Cooper of Big Bang Theory, is never revealed to have a specific disorder, despite his repeating that his mother has had him tested, but obviously Sheldon has a disorder/syndrome.
- Spencer Reid, of Criminal Minds, is another example of a character who clearly has a disorder, but it is never revealed what he truly has. His mother, though, does suffer from schizophrenia, and in two episodes, it is proposed that he falls under the autism spectrum.
- Adrian Monk, from Monk, also displays some signs of a variation of disorders, but at the same time, he suffers from an extreme form of PTSD. It has also been revealed in the show, though, that his PTSD excacerbated the disorders that he’d already displayed in the past.
- Shawn Spencer, from Psych shows that he also has some type of disorder as well - definite signs of ADHD, for example - however, because this show focuses moreso on humour, it is very difficult to really pinpoint other disorders that he may have.
Note that these characters, as well as Sherlock, all have extremely high IQs and are extremely observant people [Sheldon with an IQ of 183, Spencer with an IQ of 187, for example]. Also 4 of these characters clearly have an eidetic memory, whether actually mentioned in the show, or inferred by the writers, which allows them to have a store house of knowledge - that which Sherlock, for example, calls his Mind Palace. According to a few articles I’ve read, there is a strong correlation between people with high/extremely high IQs that have some form of spectrum disorder or developmental/behavioural disorders.
Along these lines, there is also strong likelihood that when a person has a diagnosed DSM disorder such as autism, they also display what is called comorbid conditions. This means that, for example, a person on the autism spectrum may also have Tourette’s or Tic Disorder, OCD, and/or ADHD [and yes, it is quite possible to have all of these disorders.] Another example is of a person who is clinically depressed; almost inevitably, they will most likely have anxiety disorders or OCD or some other comorbid condition.
I have noticed that Sherlock does sometimes manipulate a person and/or situation so that he can expedite the process of extracting information, but he never manipulates them in an overly aggressive way. In fact, the most aggressive was with the shock blanket in Reichenbach Fall who was to watch the children. Even afterwards, he said to her something on the lines of, “I know it wasn’t your fault, I just wanted you to tell me quickly.” The only other instance is from The Great Game, where he fakes his tears and claims to have been a friend of Ian Monkford. The reason that he goes to these lengths is because he couldn’t care to go through the minutiae of conversing with them and slowly getting the information from them. Sherlock is a person who wants to see immediate results rather than wait. He understands how time can degrade a person’s mental faculty, their ability to reason, recall, etc.
I have neither a degree in psychology nor have I been properly and formally diagnosed with any disorders [despite the fact that I have a slew of them…], but I’ve done my fair share of research over the years and I can definitely see where OP is coming from.
Sorry if this is a little disorganized, but I feel like I’ve said my piece.John’s blog also seems to support the evidence that Sherlock may fall somewhere on the autism spectrum. Looking at the case of The Six Thatchers specifically you can see a lot of the signs of this. John begins by telling of how Sherlock had shouted at Father Christmas that he wanted a nice juicy murder for Christmas in front of a bunch of children, and they were escorted home by the police.
It’s then described that he insulted his client’s appearance, apparently for no reason, and we are reminded of how he makes no effort to hide his glee about the complexity of cases in front of the victim’s friends and/or family.
This last line, especially, struck me: I thought that what he’d done was pretty clever but Sherlock described as disappointingly simple. The next day he spent so much time going on about how he’d have got away with it that I went to the pub and left him talking to a frozen turkey.
So, quirky and eccentric, or an actual disorder? It’s interesting to speculate, but in the end, that’s all it really is. This isn’t a new debate either, as many have speculated over the years that the canonical Sherlock Holmes might have asperger’s.
It’s too fucking early in the morning for all this science.
Perfect post is perfect, perfect comments are perfect, it’s never too early for perfection.
mrs-freebatchof221bbakerstreet:
I made this for no particular reason
MY MOMENT TO SHINE
OMFG IM SCREAMING
I am reblogging this because it is fantastic, and also because #ruckawriter must see it.
Bahahahahahhahah!
cjtheoracle must see this. :)
because your dashboard needs a merman.
THIS IS STRANGELY UNSETTLING
so I must reblog it
ANGRYDUMPLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My lovely followers, please follow this blog immediately!
I changed you’re to your - also YAY, Merman!!
Dear Miss Lilo:
I must thank you for the appearance of your rather timely letter.
You see, I have been faced with the Terrifying Prospect of having to deal with a Sherlock Holmes who is Very Bored. He can be rather unbearable when he doesn’t have a mystery to solve and he likes it very much when it’s Interesting.
But please don’t think that we don’t care about finding your friend. In fact, I do know how it feels to lose your best friend and to feel that you’ve lost him forever. I was quite lucky that Sherlock came back so I am sure that we will be able to find your friend Stitch. Sherlock once took on a case where we had to look for another little girl’s best friend as well. He was a glowing bunny named Bluebell.
It all turned out well in the end, I should think.
Now, Sherlock will be quite happy to take on your case and he has asked me to assure you that your five dollars will be sufficient to cover his Consulting Detective Fee. You may want to reserve your Chocolate Cake for his brother Mycroft, who really loves cake, especially when it’s chocolate.
Please don’t think too badly of Commander McGarrett. He is a good friend of mine, though I haven’t seen him since I’ve come home from Afghanistan. I’m sure he would have been able to help you find your friend but you’re quite right to say that he has his hands full dealing with the visit of the King of Erebor and his Consort. I know them as well - my cousin Bilbo happens to be the Consort. They’re both very nice people but like your friend Stitch, trouble does seem to find them on a distressingly regular basis.
I must admit that Thorin and Bilbo are rather good at getting out of trouble in a pinch.
Sherlock is rather concerned that the disappearance of your friend may have something to do with the King’s visit. So we shall indeed be coming to Hawaii and we’ll be getting help from Commander McGarrett and his Five-0 Team. My cousin Bilbo will probably be surprised to find us there. Don’t tell him if you ever do see him - it’s a surprise.We will also be bringing some extra hands along. Fili and Kili will be happy to help us out, for Chocolate Cake.
We will get in touch with you as soon as we arrive in Hawaii.
See you there!
Sincerely,
John Watson
Dear Dr. Watson:
My name is Lilo Pelekai.
I am writing to you because I found your blog and you’re best friends with the World’s Greatest Detective. So maybe you and your best friend could help me find my best friend in the whole wide world. His name is Stitch. He’s supposed to be a dog. Officially, that’s what the State of Hawaii says. But he really isn’t.
I’ve put a picture of Stitch in this email, when he joined me on one of our Cub Scout Missions. He’s blue and furry and awfully strong but he gets in trouble sometimes, because according to my sister Nani, trouble just seems to like us anyway. I don’t know why.
I’ve looked everywhere for him but even that stupidhead Captain Gantu doesn’t know where he is and I know he’s telling the truth because he’s still here in Hawaii with us and he’s not gone off to some other planet, the way he would be if he’d really alien-napped Stitch.
I’ve also tried talking to Five-0. Five-0 is the special detective force over here in Hawaii but Commander McGarrett (though he’s very, very nice and I like him because he’s good at paying attention even to us little kids) has his hands full because the Governor’s got him babysitting the King of Erebor and his Consort, who have come to Hawaii for their honeymoon but I guess there are Bad Guys here who’d like to do bad stuff to them.
So I’m really really worried because I haven’t seen Stitch for days now and please please please come to Hawaii. I only have five whole dollars, which I got when Stitch and I sang Elvis songs on the beach, but I hope that your friend takes ins-stall-ments and I know how to make the best chocolate cake in Hawaii so maybe that would be okay?
Please come and help me find my friend Stitch.
Yours respectfully,
Lilo Pelekai
****
RANDOM-NEXUS THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, YOU HEAR ME?!!!!!
Yes’m! *tries to look shamed, but huge grin keeps bursting out around the edges*
since abercrombie an fitch destroys its unsold clothes and wont donate bc poor people wearing their clothes gives them a bad image i say everyone should donate as much abercrombie and fitch brand clothing that you have to homeless shelters so you can simultaneously piss off a shitty company and help those in need
