ARTY Farty trendy types...

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That's how I read the OP, and I understand the frustration it causes! A hipster to me is any person who affects their personality and tastes to please others or seem cool (whatever that means since it changes daily!). I went to college with a lot of people like that; the trend then was to be "depressed" or the "angsty artist." Every time I heard someone say "My life is so depressing" I wanted to ask them if it was true. Because they played these things off like a big joke, and they weren't trying to be honest about a condition they had.

So the people who are pretenders go out of their way to make comments like "I am SO depressed, you guys, I totally want to hurt myself!" or "I'm such an Aspie, you guys!" And it really does sets up a terrible dynamic as activebutodd pointed out. First, it opens up for the possibility that others in real need look at these people and think "I'm not like that, so I must not be an Aspie (or depressed or have an ED)" and not seek help or treatment. Second, it makes it harder to talk honestly and share helpful, reliable information.

Or maybe I'm being too sensitive and need to just ignore them. XD

^ fair call. However I think the confusion comes from what appears to be a "smear" on a certain type of person or people.
Bear in mind many people diagnosed with an ASD have a spike of "special interest obsession" in one area. For some it is a region in the science and maths realms. That is the prevailing stereotypy that tends to drive many here on WP up the wall with its narrowness.

For others, the "spike" special interest may be in the region of arts, humanities - as it is in my case.

SO, the title of the thread can appear hurtful to some of us who have lived lives with an ASD and who do not fit the prevailing stereotypy (which is just as problematic and narrow.)

There are a fair few artists, writers, musicians here on WP who have been diagnosed with ASD's. Many in fact. Many have lived very difficult lives and have struggled to find their feet in the world, just as others with a differing presentation of an ASD do.

My hope is WP is a place free from this kind of branding and labeling of people. Surely, even if we do not get on., we should tend towards a spirit of tolerance for one another.

Goodness knows, those if us who are diagnosed and who live with ASD's on a daily basis need to come here and feel ok. For me, this is my main social contact with people - along with Facebook. Just about everything is virtual for me when it comes to people. I may see a few people here and there, but on the whole, it is very much about text, forums and sticking on my own in the day wherever possible so i can stay calm and ok with myself.

I don't want to attack anyone. I am just wanting to encourage people to maybe consider we have many different presentations physically and materially and in terms of how we present with autism. Maybe it's something to think about.

have a nice day.

Well said.

I am a member of the art/music community. I have helped run a popular performance and arts venue in my city for 6 years. I have been singing in bands for over half my life. I I don't think i have ever been anything but an arty farty type...I am the spawn of arty farty types. My (very AS-ish) mom is an artist and my somewhat non-neurotypical dad is a musician among other things.
That being said, The only arty farty types I have any hope of remotely getting along with are non-judgemental non-conformists...and quite a few of those happen to lean towards the neuro-diverse side of things...or at least are highly tolerant of people who are different.
Not all arty farty people are trendy hipsters and visa versa...and for some reason, I sincerely cannot imagine trendy hipsters wanting to co-opt autism...it just isn't "cool" enough. I imagine that plenty of trendy hipsters would be more likely to turn their noses up at people with neurological differences..especially ones as subtle as AS can be...I mean...they love folks like Wesley Willis and Daniel Johnston who wear/wore their differences on their sleeves and it is part of the reason they are loved so much....but if you are not famous..then it just registers as weakness...I think it is probably more trendy to subscribe to the notion that AS does not exist...or some such
I have been around these people for a long time. I might be wrong, but I consider the inability to assimilate and subscribe to "group think" to be a facet of being on the spectrum ...I have intermittantly scratched and clawed at the barrier that separates me from them for years with little success.

The thread hit a sensitive spot with me because I do not fall into the stereotype of "IT geek" I am not really a math or science person...I am a music and art person....and I have struggled with symptoms associated with the autistic spectrum since I was a child. I do not need anything to make me any more different...if anything I would like to be able to understand these people better, and I would like to be able to be understood

But really...maybe they just are boring superficial sods that i should not want to waste my time on

I don't think it's unusual for ASD people to be artistic rather than techie. I'm a bit of both. Yeah, maybe they are sods. Rely on your own talent and inherent glamour! Don't try and steal ours cos we're so cool!