If you could, would you rather be NT or autistic?

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Obviously, we can't change our autistic nature, for those who do have the disorder. Scientists are barely beginning to understand how autism affects the brain, so I'm not expecting a miracle cure anytime soon .

Anyways, here is my question- "Hypothetically, if you had a CHOICE between being neurotypical or autistic, which one would you choose and why?"

I would choose neurotypical myself in a heartbeat.

While being a high functioning autistic does have its advantages (increased intelligence and understanding of certain subjects, a love of knowledge and learning, the use of logic and reason over emotional rationalization, knowing random facts and figures), its disadvantages outweigh its advantages.

As human beings, the understanding of each other emotionally and socially is so pivotal and relevant to our every day lives. Being able to interact with our peers, understand them, and engage in emotions with them is part of what makes life such an enjoyable experience. Our lives revolve around socializing- romantic relationships, friendships, business contacts, family, acquaintances, etc and so forth. If we don't socialize with others, we feel isolated, alone, self conscious, ashamed, and "different".

While most people who are neurotypical don't have our intense focus on things as we do, they do have something that we often lack- social and emotional understanding- empathy, sympathy, emotional intimacy. Getting into romantic relationships with others would also be much easier, since as a neurotypical, your understanding of nonverbal communication and social dynamics would be increased.

Also, NT's have a high tolerance for doing trying out new things, and doing things that would fill most high functioning autistics with fear and dread. They (and this is a generalization, but rather accurate) don't have the strong fear of change that we do, and are capable of overcoming those fears with more ease then we do.

For these reasons, and much more, I would rather be neurotypical, if I had a choice.

I like my ability to think straight and talk straight.

I think the world is filled with stupid people not people with mental impairments but people who should know better but are willfully stupid.


I really feel at home on this forum but that is not to say I do not disagree sometimes.

NTs gets a much easier ride in life and to want to be on the spectrum instead to me seems stupid.

Having said all that the logical side of my brain says it's a mute point anyway because we don't get to pick the hand life deals us.

So the answer is if I could pick I would be an NT.

Now Verbose I see you would make the same choice as me but some on the board overplay the positive side of Autism.

So anybody who picks the answer they would rather stay Autistic I disagree with.

I'd chose autistic, because that's what I am, and I like being me.

If I'd been born NT, I'd chose NT.

I think it's very sad when someone wants to change who they are.

If I wasn't autistic I would be just like everyone else, which actually seems kind of lame to me.

It is not that I want to change who I am I would just rather have a better life.

We can not change the world but If I could change myself to get along better in it I would.

Just think about it a big house a fast impractical car a nice wife and an even better bit on the side.

Edit I am gay anyway just fancy the lifestyle off the above/

NT or else Asperger's without NLD. Autistic + NLD is the worst combination possible calculated to cause misery.

I'd have to say Aspie. I'm perfectly fine the way I am now

Especially if we're assuming this would be for our entire lives from day one; since I met my girlfriend here XD.

I would choose to be NT any day. It wouldn't even feel like a choice. I'd just be NT without even thinking about being Autistic. It is a very subtle thing to describe because I do know that being NT doesn't mean you have a golden ticket for happiness and peace all your life. But it's more about being in the majority, and being accepted, and not appearing odd or different to others, or having some sort of vibe about your personality what people can't quite put their finger on so you get rejected for it. Honestly, it really isn't nice.

Yes I know there are odd NTs out there (I have met a few), but they still seem to be socially accepted in some way. OK I don't get completely rejected or bullied by everyone I meet and there are people out there that do like me, but I feel I've got to kind of tread carefully in everything I do and say in order to prevent myself from saying anything weird.

Also it would be so nice to not have mad obsessions. OK NTs can develop a special interest too, but they can steer it better and don't let it get in the way of employment and other important aspects in their life. With me, I swear by my special interest, and I have let it get too far but I love the special interest so much that I always wish I could be openly obsessed with it but be socially accepted at the same time, if that makes sense. But instead, I just get funny looks as if to say ''you're so obsessed with something so weird!''

And lastly, it would be so nice to live day to day life having these natural social skills built in you. It's not very nice having silent panic attacks inside when somebody is just walking towards me in the street. It's not very nice being with people who greet every stranger who walks past and feeling offended when they don't speak to me. It's not very nice having a standoffish expression all the time, even if you work on your posture, facial expressions, eye contact and fashion sense. It becomes very hurtful, and I worry about what all this will mean later on in life.

Yes, I would prefer to be NT any day, having NT problems instead of unique Aspie problems.

I don't believe in all this ''NTs have empathy'' cobblers though. Most Autistics believe it, then in the next breath they're like ''NTs just can't understand how it feels to be me''.

I could lie and say I've accepted myself, but yes, I would rather be an NT.

This.

At times, I envy the undeniably easier lives Neurotypicals lead, but being on the outside has shown me how much conformity is valued amongst Neurotypicals, and to be honest, it disgusts me at times.

I have nothing against Neurotypicals, but I appreciate the greater understanding of society that Autism has given me.

I also enjoy my special interests and desire to learn.

My autism can cause me a terrible amount of frustration so I do often wonder what it would be like if I was an NT, but then I think about my positive autistic traits and am thankful that I have Asperger's.

I am happy as who I am. I wouldn't change myself for anything in the world, especially if it were something as fundamentally intrinsic to my life and being as my autism.

I don't know what I'd be like, so I can't really say with much certainty. But while I have trouble with stuff sometimes, I'm pretty happy with who I am, difficulties and all, so probably not.

Would like to be NT

That's what gays used to think. But it's no longer illegal for them to have sex, it's a lot less common for someone to be fired for being openly gay, and some places are even starting to legalize gay marriage.

You can change the world. It's not easy, but it's possible.

There's nothing wrong with a gay person. It's just a matter of having different sexual preferences. Who cares? That stuff is private. There is something wrong with someone who can't hold a job, can't go to the super market without freaking out, frequently can't speak, and who bangs her head against the wall until it gets bloody. ADHD is far less severe of an impairment than autism, yet most people with ADHD would admit it's a disability.