Figuring it out: how autism helped me make friends | Tom Stratton | TEDxLewis&ClarkCollege

Tom Stratton shares how Autism and Prosopagnosia (face blindness) made him a social outcast growing up, but how he ultimately used his unique worldview to successfully build strong friendships. With support from family, aides and other advisors, he learned he could use certain hallmarks of Autism to flip it from a weakness into a strength. Stratton inspires us to be brave and search ourselves to recognize the weaknesses that we can reinvent into personal strengths. Tom Stratton shares how Autism and Prosopagnosia (face blindness) made him a social outcast growing up, but how he ultimately used his unique worldview to successfully build strong friendships. With support from family, aides and other advisors, he learned he could use certain hallmarks of Autism, such as insightful pattern recognition, intense passions, detail-mindedness, and a strong memory, to flip his Autism from a weakness into a strength. Stratton inspires us to be brave and search ourselves to recognize our own worldview and weaknesses that we are able to reinvent into our own personal strengths. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx

[@mariadeneuve6772]

From minute 14 I just cried and cried. Thank you.for this.

[@jessicaarceovalencia9609]

I am proud of you Tom. When I meet you, you were a sophomore in high school but you were such a social bug. Thank you for sharing your life experience with autism and prosopagnosia. I am sharing this video with everyone I know.

[@marvincartagena2260]

Thank you, every person i listen to, gives me more info, i learn more, not just about me, but about others, keep up.

[@dominiquemaccurtin475]

Thank you so much for this inspiring talk!

[@erickuhn1042]

Excellent talk Tom!