Autism Supremacy

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Time travel is at most speculation, not technology.

Understanding metaphor is at the core of language, that makes it extremely complex. Society would have to make language less complex, to accommodate the impairments in understanding metaphor that many autistic individuals have.

Nonverbal communication is extremely important for most mammals in the animal kingdom; this isn't something specific to human societies. Up to 93% of communication is received through non-verbal communication in human beings. Difficulties in this area can be extremely disabling in understanding communication and socially interacting with other human beings.

Autism is a real, validated, potentially inherent disabling disorder. There is no scientific basis to refute this fact.

If one does not have the impairments they don't have autism. It's a human construct for an impairing disorder. If the human construct is not met one does not have autism.

Kind of subjective though. If autistics were the majority and wrote the definitions, they might say that NTs are signifigantly impaired in the areas where autistics are above-average (which would become the new average), and say something like "This doesn't mean that NTs can't be better than average in certain areas of social interaction or communication".

That being said, the overwhelming majority are NT, and it becomes a kind of a "when in Rome" question as to who's right.

So now that internet exists and aspies can find each others. Let's use it to create an sphere for aspies by aspies.

It also can be a measure of who actually lives in Rome.

There is every evidence, that in general, autistic individuals have as many or more problems when communicating with other autistic individuals, as opposed to those individuals that don't have autism. One need look no further than this internet site, for quick anecdotal evidence, if one does not want to pursue the research.

The entire 1 in 88 statistic for autism in the US, is based on individuals receiving support in classes for the developmentally disabled. The posters here with fairly good writing skills, is not indicative of the majority of individuals diagnosed with an ASD in the US.

About 20 to 40 people post here at any given time, and about 1500 are browsing through the forums.

On the second, understood most popular site for Autistic individuals, AFF, it is anywhere from 5 to 10 individuals actually online posting at any given time. And many of the individuals do not have an diagnosis or even a self diagnosis for an ASD.

There are dozens more of these sites scattered on the internet, with a handful of people actually posting.

If one did not attend classes for the developmentally delayed as an 8 year old, in a conversation in online autistic communities, it's highly unlikely they would have been included in the population wide statistics of 1 in 88.

The majority of the 1 in 88, are not going to be concerned about superior intellectual skills; their concern, as evidenced in government research, is going to be subsistence and survival, with a likely requirement for support from others, whether it is family or the government.

It's a harsh reality. But it is evidenced as reality.

It's not a subjective issue, as to whom has the impairments in everyday life functioning, for the majority of individuals measured with a diagnosis in the US, in issues as simple as self care, autistic verses non-autistic, per the scientific evidence as it exists.

The minority that can gain some level of independence in life are estimated at about 20%, and the minority that gains steady full time employement, is about 10%, as measured per current available statistics.

There are up to 30% of individuals in the general population with at least one autistic trait, that are not diagnosed with autism, and do function quite well in life.

Some of these folks are working in high tech areas, that are often referred to as having high percentages of autistic individuals, but it is not the parents working in the high tech jobs that are being measured as having autism, it is their children, with severe cases of autism disorder receiving support in classes for the developmentally delayed.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.12/aspergers_pr.html



Autistic traits are already valued in the general population, and lead the way in many fields of expertise, however many of these individuals don't have a label or a diagnosis, they are just a little different than others, leading fields of mathematics, science, engineering, IT, accounting, auto mechanics; any area where systemization skills are in demand.

Not to mention the artists, the muscians, the writers, the philosphers, and all those who become laser focused, and overpowered in life by a singular interest.

The human species as a civilized one can't do without Autistic traits, they have been present as long as civilization has existed. Human civilization would not be possible without human beings with good systemization skills and those that become engrossed in one life encompassing special interest.

These were the individuals in vital roles that made Rome possible, along with everyone else that had a role.

I hate a story without an eventual happy ending.

And finally, again, since research indicates that about 30% that many folks are referring to as "NT", have autistic traits; these individuals are far from having typical neurology, but not far from being the majority, of any group measured in the population, if not the actual quiet majority.

Those that are neurodiverse, that move far beyond the boundries of autistic traits, are already evidenced as the majority group in the population.

If one hasn't found them as the majority, they just aren't looking in the right places; they won't necessarily be found in the Mall or Walmart, and there is no way one can be confident that they can even identify a neurodiverse individual by external behavior or appearance alone.

Lot of food for thought there aghogday, thanks for taking the time to write it.

You're welcome.

Interesting article. Its like a checklist that describes me (techno-geek), my wife (techno-geek), our boy (Autie) and a timeline of how it played out (speaking at two, now no longer), and a bunch of other stuff ticks off the list too.

I'm not sure if you got the link to the research that linked overgrowth of the brain in male children that was specific to regressive autism, and not in early onset autism, or females with autism disorder.

There had been some speculation that it was a fairly common autistic associated trait, but the research seems to suggest that it is specific to regressive autism, although they don't offer any explanations, except to provide additional evidence that vaccines aren't the sole cause for regressive autism, because the overgrowth was determined to start at 4 to 6 months of age.

The second link suggests a genetic abnormality, as the cause, but is a pretty small study, and hasn't been replicated.

Considering a previous recent study that suggested, age can be a paternal factor in genetic mutations and autism, I have to wonder could it be that the "Techno Geeks" as a general "sub-culture" are starting families late in life..

Was certainly my case at age 37. And my Grandfather as well at age 37, as well his father with him at about age 40.

About a century ago, that was running close to the average life expectancy for a male.

Judging from the polls here on whether or not people are adverse to babies, and want to have kids, I tend to wonder if there is not an inherent issue involved there as well.

Potentially an overall lower propensity toward nurturing behavior, that wouldn't be surprising considering the different theories on autism associated with bonding issues in social situations.

Could play a role in whether or not someone puts off kids, but even if people don't particularly want children, it certainly happens, given enough years and chances.


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128152410.htm

http://www.communitycounselingservices.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=news&id=145093&cn=20

Yeah, I've read that, way more neurons in the brain, as in an average of 70% in the forefrontal cortex IIRC.
The "big-headed Autism boys" as I call them. My son is one of those, and even to a lay person that knows kids like this theres a somewhat defining set of characteristics. In fact theres even a recent study showing measurably distinctive similarities in facial structure. We also had him when I was 37. The nurturing factor I can discount.

I rarely had a nurturing bone in my body, from after puberty until I had a child. I have to imagine that the testosterone thing has something to do with that, although I didn't think about it at the time.

I lost it again fairly quick, but the actual physiological feeling of truly putting someone's life ahead as more important than my own, was something I never realized existed, although I would have like to have thought I was capable of it before that point. I'm glad I could experience that for a little while in my life, even though it was a hard experience.

Why was it a hard experience?

Neurotypicals use body language to control people. However autistics are beyond a neurotypicals ability to control. This drives neurotypicals crazy

@androbot2084, "This drives neurotypicals crazy"

I smell an expl0it ..

That or they really, genuinely actuallytruly DO NOT LIKE you.

51 days at Shand's Hospital, and no trip home.

Brain size alone does not determine intelligence. There are already creatures here on Earth with brains many times larger than ours.