Special Interests

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Do you think if you did not have autism, you would not have your special interests?


I think those with autism seem more fixated over their special interests. And it/they might be more dominant in the life of someone with autism, since they are not doing other things like socializing.

But I think everyone has special interests, and I can't see losing mine if I lost my autism. Right now my big interest is Lord of the Rings Online video game. Which has a forum and very many people have played it daily for years and are even more involved in it than I am. And I think the majority of them don't have autism.

From what I can gather the big difference between autistic special interests and nautistic interests is the intensity and longevity of autistic interests. Nautistic people's interests are things that they do to occupy free time, when they don't have more important things to do, whereas with autistic people their special interests are the important thinsg to do.

It is difficult to say. My special interests are genealogy, history, law and politics. The common thread between them is that they rely on facts. I believe that, for me, facts are more reliable than ever-changing whims of humans. Maybe that is why my special interests are ... special. I might have slight interests in the same areas if I no longer was autistic, but the degree of my fascination with them would be much reduced or absent.

I have, in other topics, discussed this same theory based on my book collection. Books don't judge. Humans do.

I knew an NT guy once who was absolutely obsessed with horse racing, odds, horse genealogy, and everything having to do with the horse racing community.

This obsession prevented him from finding work other than betting on horses LOL

He was lucky. He was virtually bankrupt at one time.

Then he took out a $50,000 loan with his father as co-signer.

He paid that off quite quickly with his winnings.

As far as I know, he still makes a living this way.

My mother had a boyfriend like that, too.

He had a special red phone which he used whenever his bookie called him.

Yep...quite a few! One of them being President!

I'm always obsessed about crafting. I even bring it during work, just so happens people around me got the attraction. (Currently, it's crocheting)
But crafting is a various topic other than just handicrafts. I don't "talk" about them without actually showing them something otherwise things will be jarring (I'm a huge visual thinker). Also I do my best not to bring it out, and separate my special interest thoughts from real time.

But if one brings me enough materials and ask me about it... I might spill. (Infodump)


And, I *did* sold my craft/'service' in few occasions.

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I've always had a special interest in 60s music and fashion. Mod fashion to be exact. Now that I have a decent TV set, I seem to have transitioned from Music World to TV Land. I watch Me TV a lot and my weekdays are not complete without an episode of Hogan's Heroes. Two episodes are better. I also like Happy Days, The Monkees, Mama's Family, Are You Being Served? and The Brady Bunch.

Yes. I do fear that I would lose the one thing that has helped me navigate through this chaotic battlefield called life.

Some of the subjects I've been interested in over the years weren't very socially appropriate. I probably wouldn't have developed those. But otherwise, yeah. I'd probably still like most of the things I'm into.