AS in less developed societies

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I've just hit upon an idea to ask what you think about a situation of somebody with AS born in much less developed society - you know what I mean; in heart of black Africa or as a member of Piraha people. How are they perceived, have you ever wondered? As a kind of intelligent weirdos sent by gods themselves (something like Waris Dirie's little brother who as a small kid was asked for advice by adults not only of their tribe who thought him to be some kind of a superior being) or maybe rather they're rather laughingstocks, claimed to be possesed by evil demons?

We can only speculate how this issue looks like there, as same as we can't do anything more than only guessing how often AS happens there (and here's this old question whether autism is really caused by mercury and so on and what a role of a pure genetics itself is).

I believe that they would really set the cat amongst the pigeons. Save any group from an aspie. Quickest way to have a society throwing out all the old methods ( because ..."there are much more efficient ways of doing that" ..., and "why on earth do you bother doing that?" and sorting out and tidying up all the human muddle which surrounds most genuine human productivity), is feed them all wheat and see the aspies emerge from their inactive gene status!! !
Don't do it!!
Unless the group is strong and wise enough to realise that the aspie is just in severe need of reassurance and consistency and this is just their indirect way of expressing it. In other words ,not to let them boss the society about, just look after them and stop them causing too much destruction to the old ways.
Unfortunately NTs are astonishingly easily influenceable , and have believed aspies throughout history, whenever the aspies said, "this will save a lot of time/energy/resources"or "wouldn't this be a more logical way of doing things!!??".

Honestly, I think that even in some societies where religion is much more strict, including even the US, they have a hard time. When I took my son for an EEG, the religious nut that saw him gave us a speech about church and how there was nothing wrong with this child but that he needed some real parenting!! ! We almost freaked!

Please don't think I am putting down any specific religion, just this crazy guy...because we go to a hospital to get an EEG, not for someone to tell us how we're not doing our job and that's why our son is the way he is...

Anyway, I know that when I was little my mom's grandmother would tell me that it was the devil that was causing all these weird emotions, feelings, sightings, etc...in me...I was so ashamed for so long...I thought I was just a horrible person...And to this day I remember her telling me to get on my knees and pray that God would take over and get this demon out of me!! ! #$%#$%$#%

Yes, I know, crazy...but, honestly, I have a feeling it's more common than we think!

Does someone else have any other opinions?

The comparison between western culture and a tribal shaministic culture where ASD people fit in, I would tend to think they are not labeled as having a disorder for one, sure they are seen as being different in their social group, but are more then capable of contributing in unusual ways, such as a shaman or healer, where having a unique prospective is an advantage. Where as having ASD in western society where conformity is the norm, and being outside the box is strange or frowned upon, and needs to be cured. I should also think that being away from cities, and all the over stimulation, living the middle of the forest with absolutely no modern conveniences, having ASD would be a definite advantage.

Aspies in primitive societies are/were probably eccentric shamans, herbalists, or other revered specialists, with their specialized encyclopedic knowledge being thought of as mystical powers and their "odd" behavior being explained away as divine influence.

Its really just a cultural difference. In the Western society a girl with an extra set of arms and legs is considered deformed and in need or repair. In India, the same girl would be considered a god reincarnate. Schizophrenia in the West is chosen by the gods somewhere else.

Like Spudnik said, the west seems to be fixated on everything being the same, and fixing anything that isn't. Where as other cultures somewhat embrace those who are deviate from the norm.

Autism is probably a response to the crazed modern way of life with its unnatural raging of activity and whirl of sounds and sights and lights and other sensations that overwhelm.

Maybe in a primitive society.....there's no need for autism.

Perhaps people on the spectrum are regarding as shamans, witches, or just the crazy old cat lady in other cultures. I met a girl in Korea who I suspect was very HFA or AS and she was called a Korean witch. She came to our house and blessed our house and "cleansed" it of evil spirits before we brought our son home the first time. So, whose to say?

Our talents are unique and diverse. I'm sure our powers of ignorance of pesky stimuli and over observance of other stimuli might be an asset in a smaller and slower paced world.

Popular opinion seems to see anyone with a disability in terms of extremes. They are either "hopeless" or they are "Crystal Children." I don't subscribe to either extreme. Condemning a child to a hopeless existence, on the one hand, or excusing bad behavior, on the other, doesn't help people.

Look at it this way -
In western society, at least for a century or more, children are expected to do what their society as a whole expects them to do. In a western nation, a child is expected to go to a school, learn the same curriculum (at least for the first seven years or so) as every other child, which covers diverse topics - many having little to do with their immediate surroundings or personal life. Then as they age, they are expected to sort these out, make decisions for their future, and draw upon the knowledge they have accumulated to solve life's day-to-day problems. Even in college, except for the most basic technical certificate, a degree requires a student to "branch out" into other subjects while concentrating on their major, and so they have this complex databank of knowledge - some of which is stored and barely used; some that is lost from memory completely; and some of which we do end up using to an extent, but which is mostly just a base upon which new experiences build.

So compare that to an isolated, small society with limited outside contacts, limited resources, etc. They teach their children what they know, which is what they NEED to know to survive in their surroundings and within their society - beyond that, there's not much more to it. That same small society has a social structure that is very structured and permanent; has certain sets of rituals, eating habits, etc., probably a sense of humor that is common across the population, and a concept of "stability" - kind of a "we're all in this together" approach.

For a person with an ASD, it seems obvious how this second society would be to their benefit, and how, perhaps, over the course of their growth, a lot of the signs of their ASD might almost disappear, because the system of communication and everything else is so much simpler than it is for, say, a kid in suburban New Jersey with divorced parents, one living in Ohio. Make any sense?

As far as the ASD traits such as specialised interests, common talents (absolute pitch) etc. - these would provide them with benefits in a small society, if they had a way of utilising it in the society of the tribe as a benefit to the tribe.

As an adult with AS, I have often had fantasies about moving to a remote place, building my own little "castle" and living simply.........though it is almost impossible today to pursue such a thing, it still entices me to think about it from time to time. A week ago, I drove across country and stopped at a rest station in South Dakota, in an area of rolling hills and endless prairies; and I took a break from driving for an hour or so, during which I strolled off into the countryside (it was a beautiful day) until I was at a place where there were no signs of humanity, lay in the grass, and felt so peaceful - a feeling I RARELY get, even when I try to relax alone in my house.

This was also something that I thought about while listening to the audio version of "Into the Wild" - the book that was made into a movie by Sean Penn about Christopher McCandless, a highly intelligent guy who broke contact with his family and wandered into the Alaska wilderness, where he survived for a few months before dying of starvation. Anyway, I had seen theories on the internet before listening to the book about McCandless possibly being schizophrenic - but upon listening to the book, I had a strong sense, from the view of the author, of a guy on the spectrum - if you haven't seen the movie or read the book, I highly recommend either.

It seems to me that in some ancient/tribalistic societies that people with ASD or schizophrenia were highly respected as shamans or prophets. Many Bible scholars believe that Ezekiel was schizophrenic. In ancient Judea people who had visions or such were called prophets and were highly respected. OTOH, during the Dark Ages in Europe such people were burned as demon possessed witches. Nostradamus had to write his prophecies in code because he was afraid of being executed for sorcery if he didn't.

But it's not always true that Europe-derived cultures are all this way-in Brazil and Mexico sorcerers and witches and shamans are highly respected by the poor. In Mexico if you're having a run of "bad luck" and you're of the poor class your first move will likely to be to go to a sorcerer to identify and remove the "curse" that has been placed upon you. Belief in hexes and other aspects of witchcraft is very common in much of Latin America, and the witches and other practicioners seem to be on the spectrum. In Islamic Africa belief in witchcraft is everywhere, often layered on top of Islamic beliefs. South of the Islamic regions, they are Christians in name only.

So in short, having autism in a primitive society is usually much easier than in the modern West. The US especially seems to be heavily invested in the fear of witchcraft that gripped England around the time that the first settlers came to Virginia and Massachusetts. Only in Massachusetts did "witch fever" reach the level of irrational circular accusations that it did-Salems simply didn't happen in England. In the US neopagans often have to keep their beliefs secret for fear of being ostracized or attacked. It comes as no surprise that autism-rights movements are strongest in Europe and Australia and the US is obsessed with "curing the disease", a modern version of exorcism.