aspergian underground network

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Hello,
those of you, who are successful in their jobs and have responsibility for others, do you help your colleages and co-workers if they are aspergians? For example, if you are a teamleader and in your team are some aspergians. Or if you are professor and your students or PhDs are aspergians. Or simply if your are in position to help other aspergians. I work in an IT-Company, and we have some aspergians in higher positions, but i don't see, that they think about the others and help them. If i get such positions, i would do something reduce stimuli at the office or suggest some good therapy, or give them some tips to cope with asperger (which helped me). I once only got a hint from an aspergian boss how to formulate complex emails easier to understand, it helped.

bye
yamyam

I rarely experience such situations. The Aspies I usually meet either don't need or don't want any help. But when I'm able to help another Aspie who actually has a problem, of course, I give my best to help.

It isn't as if we have a secret handshake or passphrase, so unless people tell me that they're Aspies, I'm not likely to even suspect it.

Never, in all my years of interviewing job candidates, has any one of them answered that question, "Is there anything else you'd like to tell us?" with the words, "I'm an Aspie!"

I'd say the majority of asperger-types don't know it, so it really doesn't work. But, I do think it wouldn't be bad, so we can help one another. Is there any sort of symbol or icon for having Asperger's?

None that we can all agree upon, or that has not already been appropriated by another group.

How about thinking of one?

Maybe, something both geometric and natural, relating to logic or focus, like this?

That sounds like a cool idea, but will it take off?

How about that alien on the "e" of the wrongplanet.net logo? Can someone maybe do a variation of him/her/xyr, and we can have that symbol to indicate that a certain place is friendly or safe for neurodiverse and/or disabled people?

Well, I'm not entirely a fan of the alien on the 'e', since we're humans. We're just humans with a somewhat different brain structure / configuration.

But, it has to be somewhat specific. Neurodiverse would, by definition, include people that have nothing to do with us, ones who are bipolar, have ADHD, multiple personality disorder, psychosis, even. It has to be Asperger's or Autistic-ish specific. Everything else is it's own thing, since it is it's own thing.

It will not take off unless it's specific enough. I think if you care to do the alien thing (which may have some negative associations to people) for one big umbrella, like the rainbow or triangle is for the LGBTQ, please go ahead, but I'm just taking Asperger's and Autistics here.

Will it? Who knows. But, it has to start somewhere. Let's see what people think.

Side note: The symbol I'm working also is handy, since it's always on the keyboard as the asterisk.

And, you have to think big: It could be in jewelry, as tattoos, you name it. Not to mention, it's reaching to the stars, in a sense...

I thought that was supposed to be a snowflake. BTW the 'Autism Army' thread discussed logo possibilities. I have a bit of an interest in 'international' symbols, though something really awesome would be Teslatian or sort of alchemaic in appearance

To answer the original question, yes I do try to help others. However, that help is not limited to people on the spectrum but rather extends to anyone in need. Now that I have learned about what it means to be on the spectrum, I have learned not only why I am the way I am but also how to recognize others with similar issues. Going forward I will use what I know to be better able to help those who cross my path in life who suffer from these issues too.

I've never known an aspie in a work situation, but I probably would help them if I thought they would want and appreciate the help.

Hmm, there's an idea! I agree, any logo, passphrase or "secret handshake" would have be:

1) specific - otherwise it won't mean anything to enough people to work
2) distinct - otherwise it won't be recognised
and I would add:
3) subtle - otherwise people will ask about it out of the blue.

Ideally, it would be something that another person on the spectrum would recognise beyond doubt, but others would largely ignore. I like the asterisk, but I fear it's just too common a symbol. The alien is certainly not subtle.

I have worked with people that I strongly suspect are on the spectrum. The big difficulty is knowing whether they are aware of their (potential) condition. To have a discussion about it (especially with the social impairment of AS) would be difficult.

I don't think a symbol would be much use as either very few people will recognise it, or (if it becomes part of a publicity campaign) will effectively be a public declaration of AS.

That seems to be the main problem. I like the asterisk, as well as the idea of wearing a pretty little snow flake brooch. It will work as long as it is propagated only in autism related forums. But once it becomes known in public, it will disappear, because nobody who wants to keep a job will declare him-/herself as aspie.

... and within five years it will be appropriated by some ethnic group and/or sitcom series.

Hmm... Tesla never really had any self-symbolism, but the Alchemic symbols seem pretty interesting, although a bit complex. I read the Autism Army thread and only saw the cog flag, which I think has negative associations with it "being a "cog in the wheel" or a 'tool."

Obviously, I've got my bias to my own thing, but I think simplicity and naturalism, hence the mix of the asterisk and snowflake as one. To show the focus of our interests, and the individuality we all have.

And, a thing I didn't point out: The idea is for it is to cusp that edge of being common and unique. That way, WE all know what it is, but it really can't be appropriated, since it's already in the open. It's a way of being both proud (if we truly own it) and "hiding in plain sight". People who don't know, won't know THAT type of asterisk is an Autism/Asperger's Asterisk, but people who do, will.

Let me give you an example of something that exists now. You may not know it, but an anchor tattoo is a gay symbol. Honestly, I never even knew it until I came across a girl I thought was gorgeous, but never had a boyfriend. And, that tattoo was always in everyone's face. What was the deal? Well, after finding out she had a girlfriend, and reading up about it, it became clear that was the point she was making: Hiding in plain sight (as plenty of people have traditional tattoos of Anchors, as well as actual sailors doing it), and if you know, you know. If you don't, then you're not going to get it.



So, it would be all of the below:

1) specific - an asterisk - otherwise it won't mean anything to enough people to work
2) distinct - a curved edge asterisk, which really isn't used as a symbol anywhere - otherwise it won't be recognised
and I would add:
3) subtle - because it's just an asterisk, it wouldn't immediately mean anything to anyone - otherwise people will ask about it out of the blue.

And, it can't disappear, since an asterisk is on your phone, calculator, spreadsheet, and used in regular communication on a daily basis. Just like the button, we're part of daily life and here to stay.