We should all be more considerate, but we also have a responsibility to call people out. Not doing so is far more dangerous to our industry and perhaps to our society in general.  However, the we go about that can be, and should be, done in a considerate way.

But look at the OP. Two references made to posts that I started and then in some maladroit fashion an attempt was made to connect the content of my posts to the tragic case highlighted. To the casual observer, the references made to my posts might imply that I, or indeed the people who responded to them, lack the empathy or compassion for others that might prevent a similar tragedy.

Yet, the OP was made in total disregard to that consideration. Perhaps if the author had dropped me a PM just to advise his intentions, it might have served well in demonstrating the level of consideration he advocates for others.

From what I know about the author, I doubt whether there was any intended malevolence in his post. It was just a tad clumsy and inconsiderate for my liking.

It is unfortunate that you started both posts - one as a light-hearted look at the world too.

lyledunn said:

but we also have a responsibility to call people out.

Agreed ... and it cuts both ways.

lyledunn said:

Perhaps if the author had dropped me a PM just to advise his intentions, it might have served well in demonstrating the level of consideration he advocates for others.

An interesting perspective.

lyledunn said:

From what I know about the author, I doubt whether there was any intended malevolence in his post.

I fully apologise if any is perceived.

I just feel very strongly about the (as I see it disproportionate) number of people I come across in our industry that face huge barriers that ought not to be there for very capable people.

It is unfortunate that you started both posts - one as a light-hearted look at the world too.

lyledunn said:

but we also have a responsibility to call people out.

Agreed ... and it cuts both ways.

lyledunn said:

Perhaps if the author had dropped me a PM just to advise his intentions, it might have served well in demonstrating the level of consideration he advocates for others.

An interesting perspective.

lyledunn said:

From what I know about the author, I doubt whether there was any intended malevolence in his post.

I fully apologise if any is perceived.

I just feel very strongly about the (as I see it disproportionate) number of people I come across in our industry that face huge barriers that ought not to be there for very capable people.

gkenyon said:

I just feel very strongly about the (as I see it disproportionate) number of people I come across in our industry that face huge barriers that ought not to be there for very capable people.

I have been watching Astrid: Murder in Paris at 21:00 on Friday evenings for the past few weeks. It is a bit of a caricature, but does demonstrate what can be done and how capable "different" people are.

One nugget was to the effect, people laugh at me because I am different, but I laugh at them because they are all the same. :-)

Back to the recent case: I have not read the whole judgment (nor the one below), but I do not think that the University staff were lacking in compassion. The impression that I get is that they were out of their depth. They wanted to help, but the deceased would not engage and they were not medical professionals. (Father, who incidentally, gets the money, had already reached a settlement with the NHS.)

It would hardly be surprising if neurodiverse people were over-represented in engineering disciplines just as, I imagine, they are under-represented (but not absent) in the performing arts.

Chris Pearson said:

but I do not think that the University staff were lacking in compassion.

Agreed.

Chris Pearson said:

The impression that I get is that they were out of their depth. They wanted to help, but the deceased would not engage and they were not medical professionals. (Father, who incidentally, gets the money, had already reached a settlement with the NHS.)

It's a really difficult discussion, which has been the bane of many public sector workers - when is it a "medical problem" vs "part of the human condition" etc. ...

Chris Pearson said:

It would hardly be surprising if neurodiverse people were over-represented in engineering disciplines just as, I imagine, they are under-represented (but not absent) in the performing arts.

Yes, I agree