We
recently discussed whether or not Joan’s voices may have come from being crazy. But I wonder if it could have come from
autism. Her military leadership that was
really successful and guided by voices sounds like a successful person with
autism. Temple Grandin is a professor of
Animal Science at Colorado University and is diagnosed with autism. It is widely believed that because of this
she was able to become such a large success in the livestock industry.
Temple
Grandin, through her autism which made her light and sound sensitive, could see
things from the livestock’s perspective and then construct and engineer new
coral and alleyways to reduce animal anxiety.
Much to the astonishment of farmers and ranchers, Grandin’s design
greatly reduced the stress in animals.
Grandin did not say that voices told her to do this but instead credits
it to her autism. Perhaps Joan was
autistic and could see strategic ways to approach the enemy.
Grandin
has achieved many honors for her contributions to the field of agriculture and
autism awareness. Joan received command
of an army for her ability to show the king what he wanted/needed to see to let
Joan lead his army. Joan was often
strict and perhaps she was a virgin because she did not really understand the
relationship paradigm, she ended an arranged marriage. Grandin has never married and does not have
children saying "the part of
other people that has emotional relationships is not part of me" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin).
These two both contributed
highly to their causes. One to military
achievements of her country, the other to the field of agriculture and autism
awareness.
Evan-
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post! It is indeed noteworthy to see some the similarities between Joan and Temple Grandin. Your discussion of Joan's chosen virginity and Grandin's choice not to marry begs interesting questions for my personal research on Joan's virginity and virginity in the Middle Ages as a whole. Did Joan simply not see herself as desiring an emotional relationship (like Grandin), or was there something deeper to her choice? Hopefully my research can shed some light on this at the end of the semester!
-Rachel
Does Joan have an emotional relationship? It seems like she definitely has one with God, which is the hallmark of mysticism. Virginity means celibacy, but it might even have an element of marriage . . . like marriage to the Godhead. In one interesting study of modern nuns, they wrote very intimate language of God, without me being more explicit on this blog! Evan you have us thinking! What is the evidence though for Joan's autism--is being successful in war enough evidence to presume? I love the links with contemporaries though.
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