Old Timer

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I have had AS for many years but was diagnosed only a few years ago. I wondered painfully why I didn't fit in. I couldn't recognize people or remember their names if I didn't see them for a few days. I could, however, easily remember facts and do advanced math. I have 3 college degrees and belonged to the Mensa Society. I always said the wrong thing in conversations. I had no friends. I am a loner and my social deficiencies only bothered be sometimes.

I think that AS is an alternate way of human thinking and is not a handicap. There have been changes in human brain chemistry that caused humans to evolve. It may be that AS brains are superior and more evolved than "normal" brains.

I think it is difficult to say if Aspergers is "superior" or just "different" it depends very much on the perspective. While I feel we may have a better grasp of esoteric mathematical and scientific principles than many NT people, out social isolation and difficulties with other people could be viewed a negative evolutionary trait if it diminishes our chances of reproducing and passing on such differences to future generations. Evolution tends to favour those organisms that best survive and propagate the most successfully.

IMO aspergers is unique

Welcome old timer!

I never had trouble attracting girls and women. I have a number of kids. I have a daughter and grandson with AS.

I, too, have always been better with numbers than with names. Serving as an assistant teacher, I didn't always remember the students' names. But I could do math problems in my head quite often. Also, I could remember certain details of past experiences of my life than I could the name of the person I had just encountered or what I did recently. To me, the AS person's thinking is more focused on specific occurances than on general things.

Many women are attracted to smart men so I don't think AS people will disappear. University math and science departments are filled with AS people.

Welcome to WP!