aren't ret*d people the opposite of autistic people?

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Agreed there. We have a lot in common; I think we ought to join forces. In my area, the department called "MRDD" (mental retardation and developmental disabilities) handles assistance for autistics and people with MR both. A lot of places the same laws apply to both. And both things have in common being a natural difference in the brain that depended on how your brain developed, rather than an acquired problem like with most kinds of mental illness. In both disorders, the solution is teaching useful skills; so there's a heavy importance on education and therapy.

Another thing that's been called "the opposite of autism" is Williams syndrome, which is a genetic disorder that causes developmental delay, but is also associated with extroversion, sociability, natural socializing ability, and a high sensitivity to others' thoughts and feelings. People with Williams syndrome can be so friendly that they can be hurt by people they trust too easily.

Please forgive me if what I say is at all inaccurate, but it is my understanding autism is basically a condition in which a person has difficulties with interpersonal communication and thus interpersonal and social skills. I believe it is on a scale (spectrum) from very mild and subtle (aspergers) to very severe. An example of a severe case might be a child, say, who can be so focused on something like, say, a video game, to the extent that a crowd of other people can surround him in the room without him even noticing. Autisic people would tend to be very independent and not incredibly social. Those with mild cases (aspergers) might merely be socially ackward.

Is this accurate?

So to touch on the question regarding what is the opposite or antithesis of an autistic person, I would say it would have to be somebody who communicates very well, is very social, who is very good at reading people, very expressive themself, makes friends very easily, and ultimately has excellent interpersonal and social skills. The individuals who posess these virtues would be those who can easily jump aboard a group or team, have a lot of team spirit, easily gets on the same playing field as the group or team they're a part of, and can be strongly effected by others emotions, and ultimately has a lot of empathy and sympathy.

I would have to say fraternity and sorority types are the opposite or antithesis of autistic. Those who were very involved in extracurricular activities and popular in high school and all throughout school. Those who have an ease at fitting in and getting involved and being a part of something bigger than themselves with others around them.

Am I on to something or is anything with my thinking flawed?

The opposite of ret*d is genius. The opposite of autistic is... probably nothing.

Most ret*d people do not fit your description of ret*d, and most autistic people don't fit your description of autistic people. Everyone is different.

I think autistics and ret*ds have more similarities than differences.

BTW: Should remind people that "ret*d" and "ret*d" are starting to be considered offensive words; so if you use them and you don't know whether your audience considers them offensive, you may be mistaken to be prejudiced even if you are not.

NTs are weird that way sometimes. They look at how you say something, instead of what you are saying.

Good alternatives are "developmentally disabled", "intellectual/cognitive disability", or the specific syndrome.

In ten or twenty years, of course those terms will have become offensive and we'll have to switch again.

I know--it's stupid. Why should there be anything wrong with being ret*d, so that mentioning it would be an insult?

Once we figure out there is nothing wrong with it, we can stop switching around the words all the time. Until then, I guess we've got to use the "right" words to keep people from thinking we look down on others for no good reason.

I am comfortable in considering myself ret*d, but know that not every person would feel I fit their definition of what ret*d means.

ret*d happens to be one of those were we have a straight out definition for, it's having an IQ below, oh 70 or so, I forgot the exact number, and the low IQ needs to be a life long thing. Yeah, it's not the best way to define intellectual disability, but thats what the defination of mental retardation is.

I much prefer your post regarding empathy.

I don't agree they're opposite really, but in the ways you've described, they are, kind of.

I think the real reason you're probably a lot more comfortable around them is that they, as a rule, are almost never judgmental.

I'm socially ret*d. I don't have any qualms about admitting that. That's the only way I am though.

EDIT: No, wait. I'm pretty sure I'm financially ret*d too. (That's not a joke)

Too bad a good portion of those with autism are mentally ret*d (used to be most, now it's probably half).

DUH. Good point.

Wilson's syndrome is the closest to opposite you'll ever see. It isn't really opposite though. So, yeah, nothing really is.

It's like trying to come up with the answer to "What is the opposite of the sky?"

I am not much sure that people with MR are really docile and calm; the only MR person that I had know (a neigbour of my childhood street) had some occasional moments of violence



Who is the "we" here? People with ASD? People with AS? I never see any reference of people with ASD being of "higher intelligence" (if anything, the usual stereotype is the opposite)



Being trusted and easily tricked is usually presented as a tipical characteristic of autistic people



Again, having pleasure in repetitive activities and difficlties with change is one of the hallmarks of autism.

I think you are confusing autism with a mix of ADHD and paranoid personality disorder.

Likewise. Also I consider myself ret*d in maturity( psychological), and I do not recognise that in you. I perceive it in some other posters, whereas some younger members surprise me with their maturity at times.

Bah! I think it shows on occasion. You probably just haven't seen those posts. Maybe not. It could just be residual self-doubt too. Feels the same either way.



Holy crap yes! I've seen some stuff here from certain users and thought the poster was at least in their thirties. I've been shocked more than once to finally notice some of them are teenagers!