If you could keep only the positive effects

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Just vote in the poll
post a reply if you want
please don't say this will likely never happen it is purely theoretical

Who doesn't like the positives of anything? Who likes the negatives?

I would keep the positives and dispose of the negatives in a heartbeat, but that would really change who I am. The question worth asking is not whether you would keep the positives and not the negatives but 'would you change who you are'? Some people would, no doubt, but others (probably more balanced individuals) wouldn't.

What are the positives? What are the negatives?

The negative has made me stronger and more interesting as a person.

The positive has made me stronger and more interesting as a person.

I'll keep both.

Z

I would gladly get rid of my sensitivity to sound and clothing. Other stuff, I dunno; I think that's mainly it. *Shrugs* But I see no reason not to give those up. They're annoying as hell.

The positives are the heightened IQ and great talent in one's field of special interest that so many Aspies exhibit. The negatives are the lack of empathy, difficulty reading social cues, aversion to unfamiliar settings, sensory trouble, etc. that distinguish autistics from NTs.

In other words, if you could keep your talents and intelligence but get rid of all the social trouble, would you?

My answer is yes, and I know it wouldn't change who I am like some people, because my AS affects me so little that it wouldn't make a difference. I would gladly trade it all because the negatives of AS far outweigh the positives and I know it would transform my personality at all.

QFT

I would keep the positive aspects of AS that have helped me in my job, namely a broad general knowledge base and good reading skills. I would get rid of my nervousness before interviews, so I could advance and get a full time job at the library.

Positing positives, negating negatives topic

Jeepers, Selo, I did not get the high IQ but there is also a way to turn a frown upside down.

You could re-examine the negatives. Mine are dyspraxia, CAPD, and OCD. Being nonco-ordinated slows me down but helps me to be cautious so that I do not jump to conclusions. CAPD allows me to ask more questions and to reflect on what I have not understood. I can give a matter more thought. Having OCD means I can tend to a subject and focus on it very, very deeply. I can learn so much about something, I feel confident speaking about it. I know I have something worthwhile to contribute. Sensitivity means I can be tuned in to the world and be compassionate to people who may need some help. My IQ may be average but I can understand that learning is not a snap and help others, NTs and Aspies alike, with homework help.

As for the positives, well, I just told you about mine. etc.

I love my interests but I really do wish I could speak my mind. It's frustrating to have to struggle with words just to get a sentence out. Being less socially akward would help a lot, it just stresses me out at my job. I hate it when ppl assume that I'm being rude or cold to them.

Well, depending on your perspective the positives can be negatives or the negatives can be positives. Focus on a particular subject? Can be seen as good if it permits you to specialize and make the best possible use of your abilities to achieve a specific goal. Can be seen as bad if it causes you to neglect everything else. Depends on your perspective. Don't understand social cues? Is it bad because you will be unable to develop useful social connections, or good because you are loyal and unwilling to manipulate? Again, it all comes down to how you individually view it, which is why most researchers say that Asperger's should be considered a difference rather than a disorder. It's not possible to separate the good aspects of AS from the bad, because the good things are also the bad things, and vice versa.

I'd like to keep both, thank you.

I would love to get rid of my dyspraxia and poor physical coordination. I'm not as sure about the poor social skills.

I think that we don't lack empathy and we don't miss social cues. I think that the NTs use ASD people as mirrors for their negative traits. Most of my life NTs deliberately gave me false social cues, deliberately misdirected me, and their version of empathy is a sick joke.