GG: Asperger's Syndrome -- again

[Tim Conway <timcon@COMSWEST.NET.AU>]

Hello All,

Some months ago there was some correspondence on this list about whether
Glenn Gould might perhaps have been a sufferer of Asperger's syndrome, a
mild(er) form of autism. Timothy Maloney was the first to raise the
subject here and elsewhere, and I and others carried it on on the list.
Some people seemed to be a little upset that GG was being accused of
having feet of clay, as it were. Then the matter died down.

I raise it again not to upset anyone but simply because GG was, to my
mind, weird in many ways -- or, if you want, eccentric -- and I think
that his eccentricity needs to be examined. It still seems to me that
there might be an explanation for his acknowledged weirdness/eccentricity
and its relationship to his undoubted genius. In the 'New Scientist' of
14th April 2001 (a British magazine but also published in the USA and
Australia and possibly elsewhere), there is an interview with a clinical
psychologist called Simon Baron-Cohen (SB-C) who works at Cambridge
University (UK). He also runs a clinic for people with Asperger's
syndrome.

SB-C says that 1 in every 300 people is probably autistic, although he
adds that it isn't necessarily a disability in the case of those with
Asperger's. He goes on to say a lot more, some of it challenging Timothy
Maloney's conjecture about GG being an Asperger's sufferer. I repeat his
'tests' for Asperger's here to see what the rest of the list think in
relation to GG.

SB-C has 10 tests or features for Asperger's, ALL of which must apply to
the subject (that's you as well as GG!) to qualify that person as a
sufferer. Presumably, if one feature does not apply, you are not (or GG
is not) an Asperger's person. Leaving aside each list member's private
reaction to the 10 tests, how do you think GG qualifies as a true
Asperger's 'sufferer'? The 10 tests/features are:

-------------

1. I find social situations confusing

2. I find it hard to make small talk

3. I did not enjoy imaginative story-writing at school

4. I am good at picking up details and facts

5. I find it hard to work out what other people are thinking and feeling

6. I can focus on certain things for very long periods

7. People often say I was rude even when this was not intended

8. I have unusually strong, narrow interests

9. I do certain things in an inflexible, repetitive way

10. I have always had difficulties making friends

------------

(You might be able to find the whole interview on the 'New Scientist' web
site at www.newscientist.com.)

How did you do? I scored about 5 so I suppose I'm not an Asperger's
person. But how do you think GG would have done had he been asked to
examine himself on these criteria? I have a feeling that he would have
had a score close to 10 but not actually 10, although of course I never
met the man and haven't read all of his biographies so cannot be sure.
What do you think?

BTW, in possibly classifying GG as an Asperger's syndrome sufferer I am
in no way comparing him with or relating him to David Helfgott (sp?), the
Australian pianist whose life was detailed in the film (fillum) 'Shine' a
few years ago. Helfgott is a true nutter, in the nicest sense of the word
-- GG was not. Helfgott is a middle-rank professional pianist at best --
GG was incomparable.


Tim Conway
Broome, WA, Oz