Simon Tam = Asperger's?

POSTED BY: Miku
UPDATED: Monday, October 14, 2013 04:10
VIEWED: 17451
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MIKU

Thursday, April 20, 2006 1:29 AM

Hi, I'm new here, love Firefly.

Anyway, when I watch Firefly, sometimes I think Simon might have Asperger's Syndrome ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_Syndrome ).

I'm thinking chances are Joss just made up the character from scratch, and it happened to end up resembling someone with AS.

From his mysterious appearance when first introduced, to his difficulty in communicating with other characters, etc. . .

What do you guys think?

LAUGHINGMUSE

Thursday, April 20, 2006 2:15 AM

Firstus: welcome in!!! All fans of the 'verse cheerfully welcomed!

I don't know. When he's in his element, he has no problem relating to people. We also haven't really seen him under "normal" circumstances, either. He's constantly been stressed out about keeping his sister safe. That could make him even less open, less outgoing, than he might be under normal circumstances.

I also think I remember reading a bit more about Simon and River's upbringing: raised under the system of not-too-benign neglect. That's got to warp a person even further, but I honestly don't know if it's Asperger's Syndrome. Trying to prove that someone has Asperger's is like trying to prove a negative.

---------------------------------
Mankind makes tools; we use them to augment our hands, arms and legs.
The computer augments the brain and this makes it very unpopular with totalitarians. - Charles J.C. Lyall

FLAUTISTFIRST

Thursday, April 20, 2006 4:59 AM

I don't think Simon has Asperger's. Sure, he doesn't do so good with communicating with Kaylee. But that is just because he gets so tongue tied by her beauty and grace.

I think he does just fine relating to the others. Someone with Asperger's probably couldn't ask Mal why Mal came back for him even though Mal doesn't like him. Nor could he form a tenious trust with the one person who actually tried to hurt him (Jayne).

I think any trouble Dr. Tam has with communicating with and fitting in socially with has to do with a cultural barrier. He is very "core planets" while Serenity and crew are definitely outer rim.

Interesting idea though.

There's no place I can be since I found serenity.

JACQUI

Thursday, April 20, 2006 5:28 AM

I doubt very much that Simon has Asperger's Syndrome. Sure, he's a little socially backwards, but that doesn't make him impaired in any way.

Especially when you consider his seemingly isolated and emotionally distant upbringing, his rigid application to study and his career. He wouldn't have had much time to form many strong social bonds outside of the family home before he left it.

You'll notice in OiS, he tells Kaylee about his graduation, when he and a whole group of his peers got drunk and the police came. That's extremely normal social peer to peer interaction.

Quote:
Someone with Asperger's probably couldn't ask Mal why Mal came back for him even though Mal doesn't like him. Nor could he form a tenious trust with the one person who actually tried to hurt him (Jayne).

I have to disagree with this statement.

My 10 year old nephew has Asperger's and would be quite capable, not only of asking that question, but of forming it in his head in the first place.

He'd also be quite capable of manipulating another person likely to bully him into a tenuous bond of sorts where the relationship might not be strong, but would allow a measure of trust between them.

*~*~*
"He's hurting a woman, he really *is* a bad guy... and I wouldn't call him a gentleman."
- Kyle, 9, watching 'Serenity'.

SAMEERTIA

Thursday, April 20, 2006 7:48 AM

I don't see Asperger's in Simon. The social retardation that comes from being a genius child in a very constrained social-system, perhaps, but not Aspergers.

Simon is a trained surgeon- his motor skills must be above and beyond average, not below.

His movements are spare and contained, and he has no difficulty making eye contact and holding it.

We don't see Simon 'fiddling' with things- he's not fascinated with how something works (except maybe the human body).

Those with Aspergers are often extremely literal- we see Simon often using irony and dry humor. ("I'm thinking of growing a mustache. I'm a traditionalist")

Simon doesn't show signs of panic or inability to cope when circumstances change suddenly: Reavers are coming? Studied calm as he takes care of River. Kidnapped by hillfolk never to be seen again? Angery, but calm. He doesn't react like an Aspergers sufferer in these kinds of situations.

Now-
- however, he does wear fine clothes, perhaps prefering the feel of finer cloth against his skin.
- We often see him making a face when tasting foods (except the berries River brings him)- perhaps a demonstration of flavor sensitivity.

But I really think both of those last two are due more to his rich-kid society upbringing than anything as a mental condition.

Besides, do you think the Tam's would have a child with Aspergers? Of course not, not in that future. He would have been carted off to the genetics lab and had that corrected by the time he was five!

CYBERSNARK

Thursday, April 20, 2006 2:15 PM

Simon doesn't have Asperger's.

He's just a boob.

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

CALLMESERENITY

Thursday, April 20, 2006 2:21 PM

Well said.

Wasn't that well said?

One day.
One mission.
One army of Browncoats.

On June 23rd, we aim to misbehave.
http://serenityjune23rd.com/

On June 23rd, we aim to misbehave.

SOFI

Thursday, April 20, 2006 3:43 PM

had a kinda poetry to it

SAMEERTIA

Thursday, April 20, 2006 3:49 PM

roflmao!

LISSA

Thursday, April 20, 2006 3:59 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by SameErtia:
He doesn't react like an Aspergers sufferer in these kinds of situations.

My sped professor would shoot you for saying "Asperger's sufferer"

I'm not actually complaining though! Very well thought out post:) That just popped out at me hehe

~lissa, retired spwhore

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