correlation lotta people confuse correlation and causation. most without even realizing it. i did this and something good happened. so now i do that whenever i want something good to happen. poof. a brand new superstition is born. so anywho. autism rates are rising. bullying rates are dropping. they are inversely correlated. one must be a bit careful about assuming causation. especially when there's no obvious connection between events. like say, wishing on a star and winning the lottery. is there a connection between bullying and autism? some folks think so. though no scientific minded folks of which i'm aware. it might be kinda interesting if unethical to find out though. anywho, if there was a connection it'd go something like this. kids who are weird and different inevitably end up being the target of bullies. being weird and different suddenly becomes painful. which can be a pretty strong motivator to not be weird and different. especially at certain hypothetical stages of the human brain's development. that was then. this is now. bullying is not allowed. it's become acceptable to be weird and different. hypothetically, the developing brain never gets knocked out of that mode. and gets locked into it. until a later age. when it takes a monumental effort to overcome. course this is all assuming causation. and in this direction. i have just as much basis to argue that autism prevents bullying as i do the other way around. or maybe, there's no connection at all. and it's just a coincidence.  ¶ 8:00 AM