Up until recently, I've assumed that I have Asperger's

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I have a lot of the traits commonly associated with Asperger's: esoteric interests, disdain for small talk, little desire to conform, doing well socially only when applying effort at mimicry of NT behavior and after receiving coaching from NTs, my B.S. and M.S. in a science, and many other things that most of you could probably relate to.

However, recently, I've read that Asperger's can be concisely summarized as an inability to infer agency in inanimate objects. This was in the context of a discussion of atheism and Asperger's on an atheist message board. One poster joked that "reality has an autistic bias" to highlight a clear advantage of Asperger's. It was stated that proto-religions developed when humans inferred agency in inanimate things like moving air, water, etc. ("spirits" and "gods"). One poster speculated that this may be why there seems to be a strong correlation between superstition and being a NT and between rationalism and having Asperger's.

I'm an atheist, but inferring agency in inanimate objects is something that can occur in more mundane ways. A very common example is becoming angry at (or fearful of, as with NT romanticist poets writing about "angry" storms at sea) an inanimate object: the hammer that you're holding in one hand that just hit your other hand when you were aiming for the nail, the computer that is causing you frustration, etc. I have become angry at inanimate objects like hammers for very short periods of time, which, I've been told, is something that makes one a NT. Also, though I'm clearly not a normal person (except "normal" is relative, and there are several ways in which I am quite normal), I can pass as normal with a reasonable amount of effort when I deem it in my best interest to do so (when trying to seduce a woman, for instance, though I'm not supposed to do that now that I'm in an exclusive relationship ). So please answer the poll question and share any thoughts that you have.

Who told you this?

I think the "inability to infer agency of inanimate objects" line was a joke along the same lines as "reality has an autistic bias." Meaning whoever said it was trying to point out what they see as the ridiculousness of religion (believing there's life beyond observable biological life, in the form of a god/afterlife/souls).

If this is the only reason you are doubting yourself I say don't worry about it. It's just one thing. Even if it is a neurotypical thing to get angry at inanimate objects, every person with autism/asperger's has something about them that is NT. It's why it is a spectrum. Everyone is different. Using myself as an example, clumsiness is supposed to be a signature part of asperger's yet I'm not clumsy at all. Just saying.

Asperber's ???

no, it's Asperger's

Or PDD-NOS, for that matter, if you are so unlucky as I am.

Anyway, I think the posters before me are right. These traits don't make you NT. Even if you think of inanimate objects this way, I'd say it's quite common among Aspies, too. When you are angry with an inanimate object like a computer or a hammer, it's only a way to deflect your negative feelings associated with them, to protect yourself from it. Never mind, it's quite common.

Why? This is one of the strangest things I've ever read. Yes, perhaps you aren't one of us after all.

During meltdowns I've broken all kinds of objects. Afterward, I feel guilty about damaging defenseless objects. But I think I have synesthesia that makes objects feel alive (but not with personalities).

But I wouldn't try to rationalize my behavior during meltdowns.

Other: ________________ (Please Explain).

Neither.

The OP had me at Asperber's.