I can understand from the physical limitation point of view as well. I don’t/can’t get out as much as I’d like, due to this as-yet-unnamed chronic pain/tiredness condition, so the internet really is a lifeline for communicating with people, even the people I know ‘in real life’, when I am unable to get out to see them.
.-= Anji´s last blog ..Cosigning – An Open Letter To Feministing =-.

I’m not sure if this has to do with mental illness, brain weirdness, or what—but I am super socially awkward. Written communications are so much more comfortable, meaningful, and quick. Aural information is much harder to process. Face-to-face, I stumble over words, freeze up, could say it so much better if I had a keyboard. Also, I probably can’t hear what you’re saying, and when I do, I won’t remember it as well as if you just wrote it down.

Everyone needs a space where they can be themselves, express themselves in their preferred way. And it’s fine if, for you, that’s meatspace—but it sure isn’t for everyone.

Also, I’m very excited that this blog exists! Totally adding it to my blogroll/Google reader.
.-= Lindsay´s last blog ..But What About the (Aspie) Men??! =-.

Another one for me is the thought-speed factor and my weirdness with audio processing (which for me is not a diagnosed ‘disorder’ as such): listening to someone speak at length about something complex just doesn’t work well for me unless I’ve got text material to look at as well – which led to me being one of those “annoying” students who wrote almost everything down while lecturers were talking. Because the only way I could focus was for the information to go from ear to hand to computer, into my eyes, and then into my brain.

Right now I can manage instant messaging conversations far, far better than phone calls, perhaps for the same sort of reason.

The Internet is an assistive device for me, also. I communicate much better in text than in real-time speech, because I have more time to process things and respond. I have a lot of difficulty finding my way around, too, and could probably use a cellphone with a GPS and turn-by turn directions. Plus, the Internet just gives me access to so much information that’s really hard to find in meatspace. Like, oh, the awesomeness that is the Disability Studies Archive at Leeds in the UK.

Kaz’s comment reminded me of something I’ve noticed. People who don’t have writing disabilities who have the same difficulties communicating in writing as I do in real-time speech will place their difficulties as flaws inherent in writing, rather than in themselves. (“Writing is harder because you don’t have the benefit of facial expressions and other nonverbal communication”). Whereas all the “expert” literature about my diagnosis will place my difficulties communicating face-to-face as intrinsic to me. (“These sorts of people do not understand nonverbal communication.”)
.-= Tera´s last blog ..Trailer dump:Avatar =-.

I’d like to add that there’s this whole “internet communication is one-dimensional and meaningless and terribly incomplete compared to Real Life because it’s all text without body language!” meme that I find incredibly offensive, because hi? I’m on the autistic spectrum, and I get approximately a thousand times as much nonexplicit information from online communication as face-to-face? I don’t see where people get off telling me that I am incapable of having a rich, deep, meaningful conversation, which is what you are essentially doing if you’re telling me online conversation is worthless and body language is a vitally important part of any interaction.
.-= Kaz´s last blog ..On talking vs. silence and currently-abledness =-.