Awesometism

For another perspective on the importance of the internet and blogging for the socially awkward, I highly recommend Dan Harmon’s latest post.

Harmon, for those who don’t know, is the creator and executive producer of Community, the brilliant comedy about to enter its third season on NBC. Community is currently my favourite show on TV, thanks to its sometimes bizarre but always wonderful mix of meta commentary, pop culture references, general absurdity and genuine emotion. It also features my favourite potential Aspie in the history of television: Abed Nadir.

Besides a throw-away insult in the pilot episode, Abed has never officially been labeled as someone with Asperger’s, and Harmon prefers to keep it that way (see the second page of this article for his thoughts on the matter). But the compassionate, thoughtful and hilarious ways that Abed’s issues and personality have been discussed and dealt with over the course of the past two seasons give me the impression that Harmon or one of his writers definitely has some understanding or appreciation of what life can be like for people like me.