We are evolution-not them.

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This may have been said before, but I disagree. It only seems plausible on the surface level. Evolution is the adaptation of an organism to better thrive in its environment over numerous generations. Even I'll admit that ASD might me an advantage in a more digital world.

But that's where it stops making sense. If you go off of my definition-in-a-nutshell of evolution, it states that evolution takes place over many generations. However, ASDs inhibit reproduction as a rule, as their symptoms either make socialization (and ultimately, reproduction) more difficult if you have a mild case, or basically impossible if you're on the severe end of the spectrum. If ASDs were an evolutionary advantage, wouldn't it be easier to pass down our genes? Plus, if it were that beneficial, wouldn't ASDs be even more common?

That, and it's pretty much a death trap to think of a diagnosis of an ASD is superior to a lack thereof, or vice versa. I think that it's more an issue of perception; they're both a particular way of thinking and functioning, and neither is outright wrong. (I personally find being an aspie is more difficult than being NT right at the moment, but that's another topic altogether).

That's cool! Thanks!

Natural selection is as relevant now as it was the. Also, just because we don't function the best in current society doesn't mean we didn't function better in the past.

I was hoping this would be a place for me, but with threads like this I guess not.

One of the things about evolution (NB: I'm talking about it anamorphically) is that it tends to try out a lot of different combinations to see what works best. Perhaps autism is one of those tryouts, and evolution is trying out a lot of different autistic genes and gene combinations to see which works out best for future generations. Perhaps it's like the first creatures that came from the sea and walked on land. They're worse off in the sea, and most of them died there. Also, a lot of them died from some failed adaptation. But the few who survived went on to populate a whole new area of the world. Now, I have no idea what new area of the world ASD is superior for (cyber? space travel? transcendental planes?), but it's a very fascinating idea to think about.

Now that I mention it, space travel (especially being cooped up in a small compartment with a few others for a long time, under adverse conditions, having to be focused and logical and professional, etc) seems like something that a group of aspies would be particularly good at. Especially psychologically.

some people say that, if you read all the replies, I think you'll find the general consensus is completely against this stuff.

The thing that has always worried me, when trying to confirm in my mind that an aspie society would work, albeit with a different set of strengths and weaknesses ..

We would still still produce severely disabled autistics wouldn't we? I have not much knowledge of genetics, but we would have .. 10-20% of our population in permanent care?
Perhaps more if you consider the neurotypical gene pool gone, and aspies only breeding with other aspies.. it would never suceed would it?

Someone with better knowledge of genetics and our probabilities of producing severe autistics, please chime in, I am very keen on having a more definite answer to this.. if there is one?

I don't want to be, but I'm fairly sure I am correct on this.

Ditto!

In response to this thread as a whole, try to define the following terms without comparing them to something else:

"Normal"
"Abnormal"
"Superior"
"Inferior"

In all of these cases, "__________" to what? To all NT's? There is too much variation for that to make sense.

As others have pointed out, "we" (and putting all Aspies in a single "we" category has problems of its own) are "stronger" in some areas and "weaker" in others, just like "NT's" (of all "types").

The label "Aspie" has helped me understand myself better. It means I have SOME THINGS in common with a group of others, but not all things. I am not "superior" or "inferior" to anyone, in any group, just "different", as we all are. I don't think I am exactly the same as everyone on this board, nor do I think it's necessarily impossible that I may have some things in common with "NT's."

Labels are only useful if they promote self-understanding and understanding of others. Beyond that, they create more divisiveness.

trust me this forum isn't always like this, but at times we need to vent or rant to ease stress or to get through a bad day. this place is mostly good for conversation, healthy debate, or sharing interests.

also trying to figure out more about aspergers and autism in general. threads like this are made to deal with life and are usually central to one person's experience. i know because i often vent to relieve stress. just hang around a bit more there are plenty of threads that are just friendly conversation.

yeah i thought the video is cool, i like how they are looking into understand us a bit better and helping the autistic's that can't speak a method to express themselves. i'm not sure if the video has that one guy with the ipad who started talking about his bro but i thought it was nice. i also wonder how much stuff is trapped in their heads that they want to express.

and yeah a person should be more ore less gauged by their personality or how they act around or treat others. i know i am in no way surperior to anyone else. and i don't see anyone as surperior to me, we are all people we all give a different thing to the world and one thing is no better then another.

like i have an artistic view of almost anything, another may look at the same things in a more scientific way, others take a more standard view point. and that doesn't make me better just gives me a different view of the world. we are all different so we can accomplish different areas. like a scientist would make a terrible artist if he\she doesn't have the art talent, and an artist person would make a horrible scientist, we can all learn different abilities. but for those of use with the talent it makes things a bit easier to learn and master.

Insert here a lecture on why evolution is not a process of improvement, why natural selection is not "the survival of the fittest", and why genetic diversity is a good thing even when individual traits are detrimental.

I'm too tired to write it out right now. Go research it for yourself. It's not like I haven't lectured about it ten times on WP already.