In the previous article, I posted that acceptance was the first step, ahead of input. I failed to realize that acceptance is not possible without awareness; that cognition must occur before recognition.

That would make the steps so far, to be: 1. Awareness/Cognition
2. Acceptance/Acknowledgement
3. Input/Impact

I would suggest that the fourth step be called Integration, for reasons I will attempt to describe later.

These four steps are based on two books; the second one based on the first. The second book was titled "Understanding Understanding" (1974), with the chief author being Dr. Humphrey Osmond, (co-authored by Jerome Agel and John A. Osmundsen). In the introduction, the authors stated that they used the same designation as Carl Jung to do with personality types, but disagreed with Jung as to the basis of the designations. Those designations were: Intuitive, Thinking, Sensation, and Feeling.

In exploring those four types, I found that, upon personal experience, there seemed to be a flow in every story or plan, from the Intuitive person coming up with the plans, to the Thinking person formulating the legal and scientific basis for the plans, to the Sensation person carrying out the plans, to the Feeling person reviewing and extending the feedback on the plans to completion.

This four-fold path was reverted to the following terms: Perception, Permission, Performance, and Perpetuity. The Intuitive person was responsible for the Perception, the Thinking person was responsible for the Permission, the Sensation person was responsible for the Performance, and the Feeling person was responsible for the Perpetuity. This outline (which was drawn in graphic form as a chart with Perception on the top, Permission on the right, Performance on the base, and Perpetuity on the left) was applicable to so many events, both long-term and short-term.

Then, this plan unknowingly, seemed to be unfolding, as far as autistic advocacy and inclusion. The awareness could be compared to the Perception, the acceptance could be compared to the Permission, the input could be compared to the Performance, and the integration could be compared to the Perpetuity.
It seems like we are just getting through the start of the Permission (or Acceptance) phase, but are just beginning to prepare for the Performance (or Input) phase at this time. As far as the first phase, Perception (or Awareness), there seems to be little more to do except continue the dialogues that have been going on for the past two decades.

To clarify the above, I would give the example of a person going into boxing, as a career. The perception of being a boxer has to be with that person; he becomes aware of his personal need to enter that career. He then gets permission to practice boxing, and qualify for various events. He then shows his performance in the boxing ring, itself. Finally, he builds a professional record, over time, to extend his boxing record into a legacy (perpetuity).

It's like we, autistic adults, have become fully aware of what we need to do to build our own "niche" in a society that seems, to this day, to frown upon us. We are starting to build permission, through the "thinking" phase into getting others to accept us--in the legal, political, and medical arenas, but we still have a long way to go to "open the gates" of acceptance; i.e. to get full permission for inclusion. Once we do get the gates open, then we need to be included in the decision making processes, not just ones that affect us, but that affect all of society as a whole, as well. Eventually, the record of integration/inclusion will start to grow, and we will build, in perpetuity, a legacy that persons in the future will look back upon with nostagia.

In the meantime, while others (mainly those seeking Permission) carry on the goal of Acceptance, we, the ones bent on Performance will prepare to have our input--our impact on society in a way that will lead those geared to Perpetuity to carry on their goal, integration, in this venture.