I think Wrongplanet has lost its way

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Really? Sometimes I feel really lacking in the social department. I haven't noticed any flame wars in a long time, and the trolls are just making their usual posts that I don't click on. Maybe I just missed them or something (though I'm not interested in finding them--drama is overrated).

I feel comfortable on WP. I've never had anyone be mean to me. But I also don't notice the "ups and downs" of social acceptance and nonacceptance, either.

I hope I haven't been a problem. If I have, it was never intentional.

Sorry for the shameless plug but there is a nice small forum for those on the spectrum here http://www.spectrumforums.com

I use both that forum and this one because there advantages to small and large communities.

I personally think there's a problem in the AS community with "self-diagnosed aspies" who aren't really aspie at all but think it's way cool to claim to be one because it sounds way rebellious. It reminds me of how all the white hippies were claiming to be 5% Navajo in the 1970s-it was cool to be seen as an oppressed minority. I think we're coming into another era where being seen as a certain minority group that is perceived to be rebellious against the system is the "in thing", and autistics just happen to be it. The good news is that just like Native Americans went from "dumb Injun" stereotypes to being seen as human because of the 5% Craze, all the fake self-dx going on now will ultimately benefit those of us who really ARE autistic, in that we will be seen as real people worthy of consideration. In the meantime, the fakes are turning discussion forums upside down with flame wars and angry pseudo-advocacy. It is hurting those of us who ARE AS, because we are naturally klutzy socially and forever misunderstood by NTs, and we get ganged up on on our own forums.

*wrong thread*

Compared to many other sites this one has the fewest number of flame wars, trolls, salesmen and students looking for material that I've experienced.
It it seems chaotic it's because we by nature can be a little chaotic in life.
More catagories or subcatagories for posting would make it seem better organized but it's already large by most standards.
One also has to take into consideration the wide range of ages posting here, probably from 13 to 70 or so is my guess and that appears to add to the chaos.

Gary is correct. I have been here for about a month and this is the first site that hasn't given me advice on where to go or told me how to please myself.

Yead I did that 'who has AS' thread and thought I'd get a contract put out on me so that's not a good place to go.

Yead I did that 'who has AS' thread and thought I'd get a contract put out on me so that's not a good place to go.

Well, I hope that WP hasn't lost its way; I just got here and came specifically looking for support for a diagnosis that was legitimately given--and not on some mere whim.

I haven't been here too long but I personally really enjoy this site. Maybe there's some jerks, I haven't really noticed. I only pay attention to what catches my interest.

I am posting on this thread because I thought I'd bring in a bit of a different perspective: In my opinion, this thread is more discouraging to the overall veiw of WP than a few flame wars. I would assume that a newbie who finds flame wars would just assume there are some jerks here and there. But a newbie seeing this thread would feel discouraged about the overall tone of WP since this is what this thread is promoting.

Seems to me like the proper way to advocate change is to make more positive, supporting threads/posts yourself rather than more negative ones.
JMO.

I think all forums struggle with keeping their focus and direction.

And, honestly, it may be harder for an AS forum, precisely because many AS really struggle with social skills, on-line as well as in real life. If someone struggles with understanding appropriate humor in real life, isn't that going to be worse on line? If someone struggles to know when something is meant as a personal insult and when it isn't in real life, isn't that going to be worse on-line? It's hard to imagine any forum being immune to the side effects of the mode of communication.

Compared to my experience at parenting forums, I would say that both AS forums I have visited are blunt and combative. It took quite some getting used to for me, even though I can say I should have expected it. People with AS tend to be more blunt, and also tend to believe very, very firmly in their positions. It's one of those combined blessing/curse things, depending on the situation.

I haven't run around facebook much, so I can't compare to that. Or to anything frequented by teens and young adults; my internet experience is pretty much parents, and we are a different breed to start with, sort of, lol.

But I'm not too worried. This is a great site. It will ultimately self-regulate. A few people will be hurt, but that is the way of life on the internet. I haven't figured out how to prevent that - if I ever do, I'll be sure to let the managers know.