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I recently watched The Mitchells vs. The Machines on Netflix, and if there’s one thing I took away from the film, it’s this:
Differences, abnormalities, disabilities, etc. are vital to the existence of humanity.
You never know when a weakness might turn into a strength.
Differences, abnormalities, disabilities, etc. are vital to the existence of humanity.
You never know when a weakness might turn into a strength.
The main character Katie, her father Rick, and her brother Aaron all have clear neurodivergent traits.
Katie appears to be autistic and/or ADHD, her dad may be autistic, and her brother Aaron is probably autistic as well.
The whole family is viewed by outsiders as “weird.”
Katie appears to be autistic and/or ADHD, her dad may be autistic, and her brother Aaron is probably autistic as well.
The whole family is viewed by outsiders as “weird.”
Katie’s special interest is art and filmmaking, Rick’s special interest is survival skills and the outdoors, and Aaron’s special interest is dinosaurs.
This is a scene from the film where Aaron is systematically going through a phone book to talk to people about dinosaurs.
This is a scene from the film where Aaron is systematically going through a phone book to talk to people about dinosaurs.
What ends up saving the family, and ultimately humanity as a whole, is the fact that the Mitchells “don’t think like normal people.”
They are not very well put-together, they do bizarre and socially unacceptable things, and people tend to ostracize them.
They are not very well put-together, they do bizarre and socially unacceptable things, and people tend to ostracize them.
The line from the film that stood out the most to me is said by a robot with broken parts:
“Our malfunction appears to have saved us.”
The message in that line can easily be extended to the rest of the film: the Mitchells are a “malfunction” and they ended up saving humanity.
“Our malfunction appears to have saved us.”
The message in that line can easily be extended to the rest of the film: the Mitchells are a “malfunction” and they ended up saving humanity.
The more diverse an ecosystem is, the more stable it becomes.
This is why biodiversity loss due to climate change is such a huge issue. It’s also why eugenics is such a huge issue.
Diversity is humanity’s greatest strength, even when it looks like a weakness.
This is why biodiversity loss due to climate change is such a huge issue. It’s also why eugenics is such a huge issue.
Diversity is humanity’s greatest strength, even when it looks like a weakness.
This principle applies to everyone- including people with significant impairments who require significant support.
It is not up to humans to decide what lives are valuable or not.
Every aspect of an ecosystem is important and necessary for the functioning of the whole.
It is not up to humans to decide what lives are valuable or not.
Every aspect of an ecosystem is important and necessary for the functioning of the whole.
I don’t just want acceptance, support, and resources for autistic people who present like the Mitchells do.
That same attitude is how we need to approach autistic people with significant support needs, communication challenges, etc.
Everyone has a place in this world.
That same attitude is how we need to approach autistic people with significant support needs, communication challenges, etc.
Everyone has a place in this world.
