In today's society, if you are looked as "different" two things can happen. The first is that, people accept you for your difference and in brace it. The second is, that you are exiled and no one accepts you. That is everyone's fear: this idea that you do not belong in any social group or that you will not have friends. In The Big Bang Theory the character Sheldon Copper does not fit in with the norm of society. Dr. Sheldon Copper is extremely smart, smarter than most of his colleagues and the general population. Also, Sheldon has OCD (obsession compulsive disorder) and has some forms of autism. In some people’s eyes he would not be able to get over this and would not be able to function in society. Yet, Sheldon over comes this and with the help of his friends is able to function properly in society.
Sheldon often shows his
disabilities. A lot of the time his OCD comes out. This evident in the show when Sheldon has to sit somewhere specific
or how everything needs to be organized. Sheldon is not just prone to being OCD with organization
but also with germs and he sometimes has to say or do things three times. We can see this with his knocking
ritual. Penny is often the receiver of this and she almost makes light of it.
Adding comedic relieve to Sheldon’s OCD. Also, Sheldon does not pick up on certain social cues like sarcasm. Often
throughout the shows Sheldon asks his roommate Leonard, or people in his group
of friends if someone is being sarcastic or not. He does not understand sarcasm and he takes everything
people say seriously. Like when Penny
asks, "What kind of doctor removes shoes from people's ass?" (TBBT) Sheldon replies by spitting off a list of
doctors that could do that. It takes
Leonard holding up a sarcasm sign for Sheldon to get it. Lastly, Sheldon often struggles because he
has no filter. I don’t believe that this
has anything to do with his disabilities.
I think that it’s just because he is too smart. Sheldon often makes people mad because he takes
them too literally and often corrects them.
Now, you would
think that all of this would make someone like Sheldon Copper have no friends,
but that is the complete opposite. Those
that surround Dr. Copper treat him as any member of society. They create a sense of community that almost protects
Sheldon. They accept him for his down
falls and yes, they make fun of it. This
is what I think the writers of the Big Bang Theory were going for. Bring the idea of autism and OCD into society
and show it for what it really is.
Changing the public opinion of how people view those with these
disabilities. That yes, people with disabilities
like Sheldon Copper's have problems being in society, but they can function. Heck, Sheldon Copper is a Physicist. This goes to show that those with disabilities
are able to function in society with help from those in their community.
Please enjoy this montage of great Sheldon Copper moments.
This is a great example of a so-called "misfit" having a sense of belonging. My brother has Aspberger's Syndrome which is a mild form of autism just like Sheldon's. My brother doesn't pick up on social cues, but he still has a social life and is really smart. I think that this acceptance is exactly what the writers were going for.
ReplyDeleteWe see this alot all over media in things such as movies or tv shows. People may be different then what we are used to seeing and they may be accepted or not. I think its important for people to not take what people say is weird seriously. People need to live as how they are and they shouldn't have to change for anyone. It is societies job to accept or to ignore.
ReplyDeleteI liked the way yoy descriped the character, and the way that the show shows the character is very nice and appealing, and I'm sure many people could relate to it. not only those with similar problems but everyone that have had something that build up a wall between them and others.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good way for media to take a problem and solve it by influencing the public to see it as normal or dealt with.