Don't confuse 'Game of Thrones' character with reality

I'm not a fan of the HBO series "Game of Thrones," but apparently, I'm in a distinct minority.

So I was surprised when I started reading that one character supposedly has aphasia, a language condition that affected me during and after my stroke, and many, many others. Maybe even you.

Now, aphasia does NOT diminish one's intelligence. You've got all those thoughts in there, and aphasia is often a barrier to get those thoughts out through speech.

So I did a little research, and instead of this being an instance to educate the public about aphasia, the talk that the character Hodor has aphasia - which is incorrect - has bolstered the mistaken impression that aphasia effects intelligence. Again, it does not.

Here's a good rundown on why this idea is wrong, highlighting that Hodor does not have aphasia: