Politician - something for an aspie?

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I have recently become a member of the youth wing of the Conservatives in Norway, and today I attended a party conference where we received lectures and discussed politics. In one of the lectures, the lecturer spoke about a family with a 15 year old son who they wanted an asperger assessment for, but they had to wait for more than a year.

Several of the others who were there told the guy sitting next to them "I have aspergers too" and I could see people reply saying "I do too!"

Throughout the day we discussed politics and I collaborated with others to write proposals. Several of the people I talked with had lots of traits.

The guy who I got a ride home with was as close to the Aspie sterotype as you could get: PhD in economics, 40 years, single, no children, speaking with a very monotonous voice.

Would you say that politics is a field where aspies can do well, and do you think that there are many aspies in politics today?

BUmp

I would think not. In order to do well in politics, it seems you have to be able to lie very well, or at least be comfortable with serious truth-bending and I find that most people I know on the spectrum find those ideas repulsive. My brother is aspie-ish and has degrees in poli-sci and economics and bailed because he couldn't stand it. He liked the idea of the analytics, but the actual politics were very much not aligned with his values and who he is as a person. I think perhaps some Aspies are ideological in a sense and feel compelled to do something to right society's injustices. But the actual field of politics is too muddied by...well...politics.

^ This is why the candidates we have to choose from are not terribly honest. It will continue as long as Super PACs and special interests are able to purchase representation with money... politicians have to cater to those and then come up with lies that will make people vote for them while they do that. I think the Citizens United decision, supposedly in the name of free speech, is ANTI-free speech since instead of everyone having a say, you have to PAY for representation!!

I wouldn't rule it out if you find yourself interested in the field. Not all jobs in politics involve actually being a politician. There's a lot of behind the scenes sort of jobs where a person with AS would potentially be a good fit. Speech writing, for instance.

hahahahahahahahahahahahaha....breathe.....hahahahahahahahahahahahaha politician?????? I wouldn't make it past Phase I.

Depends.

Can't hurt to try. I do some activism myself, it's not that hard when people come up to you, and talk to you, and your talking to them about something you know and stand for.

You will need to learn how to answer tactfully though. I know a lot of aspies will give painfully blunt answers, sometimes answered that would qualify as "half cocked" answers.

If you can learn how to answer a question with tact you have a chance.

Aspies who train themselves to work with people can do a better job than NTs, IMO. Being a politician is probably possible IF you are willing to dedicate a lot of time and energy to social skills training, a willingness to accept criticism/isolate critics, and a tolerance for humiliation every so often. But it's possible, and I want it to happen one day. If you're the first, all the better.

I do know one thing, if we had a President on the spectrum, and with all the interest in trains, I think we would have national high speed railroads by now.

if mitt can get this far I bet an aspie can

I can definatly take some criticism, I got a lot of it in the debate on Saturday, all I did was to step up and answer it.

Handling criticism is one of my strengths, actually.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has a number of traits
Time Magazine Person of the Year

I have HFA and all of my family members and treatment team think that it would be a horrible idea for me to go into politics. All of the advice against it has made me realize that I could pull it off but the path would be much harder and I might have to wait a little bit longer than most aspiring career politicians (I would refine my social skills from almost completely normal to better than what I have now). Someday, there will be a HFA/Aspie politician somewhere on the state or federal ladders. I do not know who but I am very confident that it will happen in my lifetime.

I think it would be a great idea. It would be an opportunity to educate the general population about the autism spectrum and to show them that it's not the tragedy that A$ makes it out to be.

The current south korean president has lot of aspie traits. She came into power by being a daughter of former dictator. She is pretty terrible at what she is doing in my opinion. Even her supporters are in doubts when it comes to her leadership.

In my opinion, politicians are more suitable for someone with psychopathic or sociopathic traits regardless of their political stands. Being able to read the situations quickly and turning it into their own benefits is something that I can hardly imagine someone with aspie trait could be good at.

I have seen quiet few with aspie traits engaged in activism and politics, but have never witnessed them making it successful career.

By the way, do you mean Høyre by conservative party or Frp? I know a classmate with some aspie traits who are active in Frp youth group..