Any new theories for Asperger cause?

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I'm not sure what you mean about the painting. I could probably work it out but I don't have time.
Anyway, yes technically it would be the person changing themselves, but why would they be doing that? Because society says tha is how they should be. Again, Aspergers does not cause problems (apart from sensory problems etc). It is being an Aspie in an NT world that causes problems. Therefore, you would not be curing yourself of anything.

That allegory (is it supposed to be one?) is totally besides the point - AS is not about communication, it's a way of THINKING. And it obviously "works". So why would anyone want to change it? Because "society" says so? Then why not "cure" communists, liberalists, whatever society doesn't like at some point of history...
(And it would not only be someone changing themselves, it would also be parents changing their children... That's just scary!)

ok guys, my apologies. i just feel you have a very large bit of sub-optimal software crashing away in your head - very loud, but you're so used to it you don't notice it anymore - it's trying to logically work out every step you take - and that if you switched that off you'd find a better, free-er way of living - as I have done. maybe one day you could look at yourself, and try and see if that is what's going on.

no-one seems to have any better ideas

all the best

You remind me of those Christian nutcases that claim they used to be gay but through therapy they're now straight and we should all do it too.
What a load of bollocks.
I'd be a stupid c*** if I was NT. I'd rather shoot myself in the head.

Last edited by Sopho on 13 May 2007, 9:55 am, edited 1 time in total.

Ok, so you claim know exactly what's going on in MY head? And my way of living? AND judge it? Sorry, but if that's the result of "switching something off", I don't want it. For me, it sounds like the ridiculous attempts to "cure" things like homosexuality or atheism. Plus, not that it's any of your business, I have a healthy social life and I'm completely happy. It's not as if NT people didn't have any problems in life, and since my biggest "problem" is not wearing shop bought clothes, I guess I'm actually quite lucky...

In that case, what is the difference between a person with AS and an NT. What would an AS person lose exactly?

And why is that?

you wouldnt be NT - you, Sopho, would just be using NT skills in addition to AS skills - the right skills for the right situations.
and you wouldn't be any different in terms of IQ etc. you'd still be you

apologies if I'm sounding evangelical, just interested in sharing something good, but clearly not getting through

What would an NT lose if they were had AS?
It's not about losing or gaining. It's about changing who you are. I wouldn't want to take a drug or go through therapy to turn me into an entirely different person. I don't want to become a mindless blithering idiot poncing around worrying about what everyone else thinks about my clothes and whether some a***hole off TV is marrying some thick-as-sh*t footballer. I prefer being myself, however hard it can be.

That would be fair enough. That wouldn't be making me NT or curing me.
An example of this would be learning social skills and finding ways to logically understand things that come naturallly to most NTs. Which plenty of people with AS are already doing. It's not a cure though. It's just learning to adapt. Which I have no problem with, in fact, I support it.

Exactly... It's not as if Aspies were unable to learn...

Yep.
And through understanding social norms/attitudes logically rather than just accepting them straight away, if anything we have a better understanding of them.

I guess for me the big initial thing was not getting system crashes/meltdowns when my AS system couldnt cope with the complexity of a long multiperson social situation.
what has surprised me as well though is the simple joy of communication - instead of desperately watching someone trying to work out their social expression, check it against the data bank and work out what might be socially appropriate to say, now i just relax and 'go with' what is going on - I find myself laughing with people, sharing moments, at ease when there are pauses in the conversation, having moments of connection and of sharing.

I'm not noticing any change in my interests, passions, systemising ability for work and similar challenges.
And I am still not reading 'Hello' magaizine either

I don't know if I agree with this, JCJC has been posting this stuff all over the forum and seems very wrapped up in it... obsessive even, and I think does not have the capacity to understand that other people may think differently or have a different opinion about this subject ... we just have not been "converted" yet, it is a failing on JCJC's part really for not explaining it right, not us, because once we "get it", we will be on side too!

It is my opinion that AS cannot be “cured”. Sure a person with AS can learn to more peacefully co exist in an NT world, but actually becoming NT or able to adopt a full NT skills repertoire? That is a very lofty goal indeed, and not something I think all people, or even most people with AS could actually do!

The ability to comfortably look people in the eyes, the understanding of social cues, not taking everything literally, not having emotional immaturity, not having comorbidities like anxiety and severe depression, empathy and emotional intuition, the natural understanding of social faux pas and rules, not having life-controlling obsessions and fixations...want me to go on?

You yourself were afraid to talk to that girl you liked a few days ago. That wouldn't be a problem if you didn't have AS. You also have anxiety issues like me. There would be no more fear.

You have to understand that the only difference you would undergo if you took a 'cure' would be that you would lose all the undesirable things that make your life so hard. Our IQ wouldn't drop 50 points, we wouldn't suddenly become lying, thieving, sex-obsessed animals. These are ignorant stereotypes and attempts to justify the way we are; to 'strengthen' our weakness by making the alternative seem undesirablr. What you list as NT traits are wrong and very close-minded - anyone can be like that, and all of my NT friends certainly are not.

Do you honestly believe that you will suddenly become like that if your AS goes away?

Most people talk about crap though. I am happy with communicating online and, if I ever find someone IRL who shares my interests and wants to talk about something worth talking about, then I'm sure I will survive. But, as for now, communicating isn't my main priority.
Also, I feel I should correct some of what I said a few minutes ago. I'm in one of my weird moods again and I keep saying the first thing that comes into my head and taking quite an extreme view on things. My reference to 'mindless blithering idiots' or whatever I said, was not supposed to reflect all NTs. Most of my family are NT and I certainly don't dislike them. I just wouldn't want to be NT myself. Hope I haven't pissed off any NTs who might be reading this. lol