Not proud, not happy

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I'm sorry but people who say they are proud to have AS or whatever related condition make me uncomfortable. I'm rather hoping to find others who just are and perhaps have something in common with myself.

I have no diagnosis and pretty high function, but I'm very awkward socially and have no friends. I am not very happy about that.

I found the site through Wikipedia a few days ago when it occured to me to look up autism. I liked the name but once I started reading I got a bit overwhelmed by all the proud people. I am a rather quiet type and I am not proud to lack social skills. But I figure I can't do much about that, so perhaps I can find others with whom I can find understanding.

I guess I should at some point fill out a questionnaire in the sticky thread, unless I get kicked out of here for this post.

First of all, welcome. Second, you won't get kicked off for this post. I'm proud of myself, not my AS, and I think the other members are the same.

I am proud, not of my Autism or Asperger's Syndrome, but of my perserverence to survive, to exist, to challenge my self and to triumph over my shortcomings.

I think you will find that is the source of the Aspie Pride, Igorama

And Welcome!


Merle

Welcome to WP!! !

Hello! I'm kinda proud to be me, but not proud of my AS. but maybe since that's a part of me, it fits into the "me-pride" category...

Welcome Igorama! I hope you can find some happiness here.

Please try to not put too much weight on the word "pride" and carefully weigh each person's message.
I generally take "proud" to be shorthand for holding oneself in good esteem; feeling a part of a truly amazing community; or giving oneself fair recognition for one's gifts, talents and achievements.

I'm sure you will find some folks who use "proud" in a vain, self-aggrandizing sense, but it seems to me that this is an exception and not the general rule here on WP.

Thank you all.

Welcome to WP!

Tim

I agree. I am not proud because I have AS. I am happy for what I have managed to accomplish so far despite my difficulties.

I'm proud I'm an aspie? I'm proud I have brown hair? I'm proud I have pale tan skin? I'm proud my Scot ancestor ran to Virginia to escape his uncle who won the claim to the throne?
I've never thought to say proud. Maybe content with. Better, not ashamed of. Now that I know I have faceblindness, I'm not aggravated at myself for continually reintroducing myself to people who have known me for years. Now I have a way to cope. I tell each maybe new person, "Forgive me, I'm missing some crucial brain cells, so please tell me who you are every time we meet, ok?" And that's working out wonderfully well.
The kids always thought it was weird or funny or aggravating when I couldn't tell who their friends were and asked each time when I found some stranger walking around in the house. Now they just think it's funny.

This is not what makes us happy... but I believe while unhappy, we are even more awkward socially then we should be.
Welcome!

Welcome!

Now it's time you start making friends here and learning that you are not alone. There are others who have experienced much the same here.
\

Don't be so grim.

Life is a good thing.

Are you actually a set of Terry Pratchett Igors, blended into one... sort of an Igor panorama?

Welcome. Enjoy yourself. Go a bit easier on yourself too!

Welcome!

Many WP posters, perhaps most, believe that they are more intelligent than NTs, and superior in other ways, that many more historical figures had AS than a strong case can actually be made for, that ASers are the "next step in human evolution" etc. They believe these things not merely in the absence of evidence. Rather, they believe these things despite much evidence to the contrary.

Just as an example, if we took a cross section of WP forum posts as a starting point, a number of suppositions could be made about ASers: We like cats, have trouble keeping jobs, and tend to be lonely. Such a random sampling would not, however, support the commonly voiced assumption that WP is a community of unusually intelligent people, though there are certainly some smart people around, don't get me wrong.

But don't worry. Not everyone buys into the aspie pride thing. If you look closely you will find there is in fact a "curebie" minority on WP and that we help and support one another in our effort to compensate for our disability.

I myself have been very successful in mitigating AS symptoms through cognitive therapy and plain hard work.

If you keep at it and don't let the insecurity and defensiveness of others get to you, there's no reason you shouldn't expect to make significant progress with a little help from your friends.

See you around, neighbor