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Tuttle
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29 Aug 2011, 1:47 pm

So, I know that there are stereotypes about how aspies are only specialists, yet that's not true for all of us. I'm curious what traits match in those of us who are more well-rounded, especially via wanting to know everything about everything rather than wanting to know enough about everything.

People sometimes don't believe me that there can be such thing as an aspie polymath, yet I've met people in this category. What is it that makes us, who want to know everything about everything different from the aspies that only want to know everything about their special interests.

I definitely have special interests despite the fact that I want to learn everything period. They just don't overwhelm my interest in learning period.

Of those of us who I've met who are like me, we all can be considered twice-exceptional, but I don't feel like that'll be true for everyone. Maybe it is though.



Artros
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29 Aug 2011, 2:00 pm

I want to know everything about everything. Language (I can speak seven with variable fluency), biology (I have a number of books on the subjects and greatly enjoy watching documentaries), math, geology, as long as there's data I can easily process, I'm interested (stuff like fashion and art interest me much less because it's more about looking at things).


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btbnnyr
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29 Aug 2011, 3:32 pm

Totally get what you're saying, Tuttle. I also want to learn everything about everything. I say that my special interest is learning, but not a lot about one thing or a little about everything. Instead, everything about everything. I've also heard other people say this here. During the diagnostic process, I was asked about my "all-encompassing interests of abnormal intensity or focus", and I said that I had many interests, which were all all-encompassing and of abnormal intensity and focus.

Edit: Let me add that I don't consider myself a well-rounded person in the way that well-roundedness is usually defined. Being good at this and that and the one and the other, where this, that, the one, and the other are totally different things, like science, baseball, socialization, and business. I am limited, or "restricted", to being intensely interested in intellectual subjects ranging from science to baseball. So my special interest in learning does preclude me from being a well-rounded person or a person who can tear herself away from this special interest to function well in other areas, even basic areas such as eating or sleeping. Where are the nutrition pills to eat and the disposable scrubs to wear?



theslanket
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29 Aug 2011, 5:02 pm

I want to learn everything about everything too. That desire is what caused me to use more eye contact when I talk to people.

One time we caught a shoplifter at work. She brazenly lied to my manager's face, and then walked out the door. I was irritated (HATE shoplifters), so I didn't look her in the eye. However, sometimes eye contact is the ONLY clue someone's being dishonest. So I began to look at eye contact differently. It conveys information about a situation you can't get anywhere else. So, really, I can't let myself get intimidated by eye contact if it is risking missing more knowledge about my environment.