Lessons Learnt From Films

There are many useful things we can glean and learn from films, if we are willing to be broadminded and creative. Last night, I watched the fascinating work of fiction called ‘My Name Is Khan’ (2010).

Set in the USA, the protagonist (played by the talented Shah Rukh Khan) suffers from Asperger Syndrome (a form of autism, however he is a savant). His key message was a poignant one, and he travelled across country to deliver his two lines to the national leader. He stays true to his cause and survives by repairing broken things; he is a genius at fixing things. We are led to appreciate his character, motivations and skillfulness – beyond his physical clumsiness, reduced empathy and repetitive linguistic behaviors. The character of Jerry Espenson in the TV series ‘Boston Legal’ is an attorney who suffers from this syndrome, and has several quirks (often mistaken for actual symptoms) like ‘purring’ and shouting ‘Bingo!’ when he is nervous.

A hard film to get (but you can watch it in parts on YouTube), and a heartfelt one.

In the Korean film ‘Marathon’, an autistic youth runs the marathon in under 3 hours. Inspired by real-life autistic celebrity Bae Hyeong-Jin, this film raises the compelling issues of raising children with the mental condition. We have yet to fully fathom what causes autism, and the range of similar conditions. Those who have this condition are, generally, emotionally-withdrawn and seem to be distracted easily. There are certainly many forms and shades of this condition.

Both films explored sibling rivalry, when more attention is paid to the disadvantaged member of the family. The Hollywood-made film ‘Rain Man’ (with Dustin Hoffman & Tom Cruise) focused on sibling exploitation, whereas a lower-IQ parent fights for custody of his daughter in ‘My Name Is Sam’ (Sean Penn & Dakota Fanning). These films led me to resource from Wikipedia, and from there it linked me to other resources. I am led to conclude that this syndrome has a wide range of manifestations, and we have yet to fully understand how it works, and manage it. I can empathise deeply with parents and families of autistic children. It must be unduly tough and stressful to raise children with ‘special needs’.

One should be discerning when diligently pursuing knowledge. Knowledge applied is a powerful thing. You can seek information, support a cause, or raise funds to assist a charity. Instead of raising our eyebrows in horror, we can raise our hands in honour.

Remember to support my friend, Dex Tai for his 3 back-to-back Ironman triathlons. He is racing for his charity 'Racing for Autism'. Please help out in your own unique way.

Three Ironmans In 15 Days: A Shared Purpose

My friend, Dex Tai will be racing in three consecutive Ironman triathlons in 15 days as part of his Race For Autism mission. Dex and I last raced the 226K multi-disciplinary race in 2010 in Austria, and will reunite on 15 July in Zurich, Switzerland for my 13^th IM race, and his ‘three-peat’.

Doing an Ironman triathlon is a personal challenge. As much as people believe that we are backed by corporate sponsors, most of the time we travel completely on our own expenses. If you are fortunate to be recognized by sponsors, you may race with some attire or nutritional support. Otherwise, it is a private enterprise driven by willpower, choice, determination and strength of purpose.

In Dex’s case, he is driven by a shared purpose with his wife who has a deep affection for working with autistic children. He has expanded his support for the mutual cause by expanding on his capability to attempt a physical challenge of mind-shifting proportions. Having raced with Dex in IM Austria in 2010, I know that he has the ability to race two Ironmans within one week. He scored a 3:45 marathon on his second consecutive attempt. Our interviewees Wayne Kurtz and Kua Harn Wei have shown that 20 or 10 back-to-back, daily, Ironman distances are possible. It takes a clear plan, intense focus, and dedicated preparation to achieve the impossible. The impossible just takes longer!

Upon notification of Dex’s personal quest to raise S$10,000 for his charity of choice, I applied viral marketing to my community; I sneezed it on two occasions within a week. As an educator, I recognise the massive challenges involved with working with autistic people; they have brilliant brains that just work differently from us.  I hope that he hits his target soon, which is not impossible knowing that Dex depth of character.

Help me, to help Dex, to help his cause. Meanwhile, be more aware, educate others, and spread the word of our human condition. Will you help a stranger? Will you interact with somebody and communicate with them?