Aspergers and Autism can be good

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The media focuses on how we are different, and zeroes in on negative traits, traits that neurotypicals can have but are highlighted in us as a kind of witch hunt of neuro-atypical people. Even our skills are associated with our wiring, discrediting us, condescending us as being skilled based on what they see as an inferiority, and I am not the only one who has noticed this, whether you pathetically ignore my point or not to add to a thread with 100 responses on maybe the same issue or just something meaningless without objective.

I believe we are a mutation, like how green eyes evolved for attracting sexual partners. We are the minority, but so is genius and gifted athleticism. We are not all the same, though some of you buy into that tripe, seeing yourselves as helpless and dumb and stupid because you do not share the conniving nature of most neurotypicals. We neurodiverse, are businessmen and businesswomen, artists, engineers, scientists, musicians and surfers and actors/actresses. We are all different, and can learn the game through living. Some have been serial killers or drug addicts. We can be average or stupid or genius, we can be helpless or we can be strong leaders. Like neurotypicals we are not one thing. We can vary as we are individuals grouped under a lazy terminology as a way to single us out for the benefit of neurotypicals.

Within the neurodiverse community, I see trial and error of evolution, a step ahead of the neurotypicals in many ways, given the neurotypical way leads to meaningless war and world destruction. You can argue that we will be bred out by society, but genius also puts people off socially, and isolates many of advanced intellect. Given humanity is self destructive, and heading toward killing itself, do you really think their ecology destroying, plague instinct, is suited to judging what is right for evolution? Evolving is not being better than others, it is adaptation. Humans as they are now, are reaching their best before date, and coming catastrophe will ensure they will not last very long.

Our kind, is the future. We are the future. Our traits have the potential to create a world in balance, and we are the precursors. Our neurodiversity need not be a bad thing, when it can also mean greatness. Maybe it's everyone else that is wrong, not us, but nobody or few will care. This post, this ode to neurodiversity, is for a future generation, if indeed there will be one after climate change and famine deals damage to the entire biosphere.

Good luck,
James

Interesting. I don't see ASD as the single way forward, rather I wish society would embrace the benefits afforded by both viewpoints. From a pure evolutionary standpoint, I reckon NT would win out every time, but what disappoints me is the untapped potential as we currently don't seem able to harness both modes of thinking.

Once there were more Austrolapithecines, but then our genus evolved from select groups of mutations. Just because we are the minority now, doesn't mean we always will be, though that is the way they would describe neurodiverse: as unattractive flaws of nature. Yet I, am better at picking up women than a lot of neurotypicals. Also, with the advent of artificial insemination, we can be parents if we so choose. I am intelligent, did better than most at school, and may go back to college when I'm done having my fun travelling. Look at me, a neurodiverse 23 year old that always completes what he wants And who says there won't be more like me in a few centuries to a few thousand years? I am neurodiverse, and those like me are more likely to breed, so, the neurodiverse that don't will breed out. Mutations start off small, the useful parts stay, the rest go, and our mutation has only begun to infiltrate the genepool. The positives of neurodiversity will be kept, the rest will be bred out, but so many of us contain that potential, and no matter what we should be proud.

I totally agree with the statement that Aspergers has positive traits. Personally, I feel that the mutation is just positive thinking traits (creativity, etc.) expressed negatively that affect our lives so much. If we can find a way to control the negative symptoms without losing the positive traits, we will be very very successful as in our way of thinking will be prized in society. Anybody concur?

There are positives to my situation, but at the end of the day I look at everything I've cultivated and feel a vague sense of emptiness. Usually I'm excited to be working and learning... when I'm too busy to crave human connection as I do at night. All the special interests and fascinating niche skills in the world won't make me not lonely when it's been a month since I had the company of peers and it might be another month until there's time for each other. All the horror movies I watch would be better with someone else on the couch.

Would I be happier if I was neurotypical and surrounded by people without any of this? Who can say. I'll die having accomplished some interesting things and having some regrets, which is probably the same way everyone else goes out plus or minus Asperger's. I don't know if what I do is something that couldn't be done by neurotypicals, but I certainly have more time and passion for it.

Am I a step forward or an adaptation? Can't say.

I concur, and I think meditating to focus the mind can help, zen type stuff to kind of system boost our thinking processes.

I understand wanting people around at times, so many don't have the time, neurodiverse or neurotypical. I myself am more of a loner but sometimes it is good to be around people. I find that time management helps, to make room for time with some friends. It can be difficult, so maybe coworkers or finding allies in a project can help.

Like with most humans there are good things and bad things about ASD. Because the "good" parts are suppressed and the bad parts emphasized by the larger population it is a natural psychological reaction to overcompensate by espousing we are superior or the next stage in evolution. That does not make it accurate

No, I am saying mutations are part of an evolutionary process. Me? I wasn't in special ed, I was made fun of for doing well on tests and was described as a model student. I am fine picking up women, and I stopped college of my own free will FOR NOW to travel, which of course an NT wouldn't need to explain being 23 and all that seeing the world jazz. The "problems" I have are that I prefer to be alone, I feel others get in the way, and that I had to learn and am still refining my ability to charm others which has resulted in me being seen as more of a rogue but well liked at the same time. I'm always respected as a leader in leadership positions, and am much more charismatic than the pedantic dolts that sometimes try challenging me in day to day life. For example: we were taking inventory at college, this moron called Tim had a problem with me helping the late girl catch up by turning it into a game, by telling her to gather certain things by colour so we can add the total after, writing the figures down. We did it fast, she was happy and motivated, he intrudes saying "we don't need to include the colours", even though the work ended up done. I look at result and motivation, but am happy getting things done with my own hands delegating when necessary. Yet, alas, I was diagnosed as having aspergers do to not playing well with others as a child, being violent and antisocial to other kids, and apparently lacking empathy, despite the "other kids" bullying me and attempting violence with me merely defending myself but not being believed because I was a "weird kid" or something. To this day, my only symptoms are lack of interest in social norms, thinking outside the box, and...a few others I grew out of over time, such as obsessively talking about my interests. I do and don't believe in the ASD, because I think I was lazily diagnosed by textbook referencing Psychologists who just wanted to get onto something new instead of looking deeper, and I believe more in the concept of neurodiversity and see ASD being a lazy umbrella term for common symptoms to make it easier for Psychiatrists, Neurologists and Psychologists to get to their next coffee break and dump complex cases. Given that my only downfall was not playing with the animals in the school yard and preferring to observe their behaviours, don't you think it might sometimes just be a witch hunt to label anyone different?