Being made fun of?

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Hi everyone,

I'm just about to complete my undergraduate degree at university. In the past couple of days people have begun to talk about the jobs they have been successful in applying for and when I was asked what I was doing after university I informed them that I am undertaking a masters/PhD.

Today I walked past someone and said good morning to them but their friends began to laugh at me and call me master or doctor. Have I done something wrong in answering people's questions regarding my future? Everyone else talks about it so why is it so funny if I do?

This has upset me a lot...it seems that answering someone's question isn't something you should do anymore! Was it so funny that my response had to find its way around the cohort?

Feeling very fed up

On the surface, it sounds like they're just playfully teasing (hard to say since context and the way in which it was said is important here). I wouldn't get amped up about it unless it becomes something that escalates beyond playful teasing.

Take a look at their body language and tone. Were they joking If not, they're probably just jealous of you because they either aren't smart enough or don't have the discipline for a phD. They are being extremely immature and acting like elementary school students. You should probably ignore them; immature people like that will eventually get bored of picking on you if you don't give them something to feed on.

Some may also not have the resources of whatever sort (money, brains, interest, drive, skill) to continue on and need to work immediately. Because our culture values resources so very much, they may feel inferior. That may in turn trigger their defenses which for many NT people can be expressed by using their social tools to ridicule whoever made them feel inferior. Many other social-hierarchy based apes do the same thing.

Sounds like typical normie behavior to me. Just give them a death stare or ignore them.

I'm afraid that I'll be accused of making fun of others. When I like someone I found myself teasing them in a playful way (yeah, at least I believe that's in a playful way). Even if I tease them in a way they don't like, the blame should go to my bad teasing skill.

They were either joking around or they have such low standards that they can't fathom why someone would further their education like that. I once worked at a place where people held it against me that I had a college degree, talked trash about another girl because she was applying for her master's to better herself, and bragged about how they didn't want their kids go to to college because such a degree was useless compared to just getting a job. They just had a very narrow mindset - I think in their opinion education was a waste of time and money, and they probably imagined those people later homeless and without jobs or something - they didn't realize that people actually go onto better jobs and teaching positions, research, etc after they have furthered their education probably because they weren't familiar with those circles. Most hadn't even been to college, or if they had attended some college, they just had no idea what work their was beyond what they saw around them in their regular world - mechanic, beautician, etc. I think if someone said they wanted to go to medical school, they would have understood that, or lawyer - they understood that kind of thing, but the world of academia was a total black box to them. If they were making fun of you, realize it was their own ignorance and/or insecurity/jealousy and be glad you know your goals, I think it's great that you want to go far

They know you have Asperger's (or that you are somewhat "different") and in their book it makes you stupid. Ignore the s**t hats! They are so ignorant that they can't see or walk straight. When I was a 17 year old with a learner's permit some of the popular kids made fun of me for daring to learn how to drive. In their book I was an idiot who should stick to blue crayons and never touch a stick shift.

Congratulations on graduating! Very soon you will have the very legitement title of "Dr." and they will be getting high and getting into car wrecks.

It is surprising how many people are jealous of an Aspie trying to use the positive aspects of the condition to better themselves. Please look at this response for the jealousy that it is reflecting. They cannot possibly acquire a PhD---but you can! BTW, there are negative comments when NTs get advanced degrees, too.