Obsessive empathy for inanimate objects

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ooooooo NICE

My son (9 year old diagnosed Aspergers) used to collect drinking straws (used ones from his drinks cartons). This was a bit of a problem at school because the dinner ladies kept trying to throw them away. They were his 'Straw Family', called the 'Strawies'. Once this was fully understood he was allowed to keep them and all was well again! .

We didn't know he was an Aspie back then, just a little, erm....different!! .

I feel more connected to objects than I feel towards people.

i feel about same way, since with an aspie its hard to have human friends the hardware takes the palce of human friends since i dont have many human friends.

I think it has to do with the choice. With an object, you can play the way you want, and when you don't want to play with it, it'll always be there waiting for you. (Well, unless thoughtless parents throw it away, but that's not the point.) With a person, you have to cooperate and compromise, and given most aspies' low negotiating skills, they'll have to play the way the other person wants. Is it any surprise that most aspies choose objects over people?

Well I have not seen Chris feel for objects (considering that he decapitates and maims his beloved Star Wars figures-he usually repairs them). But I know I totally did it as a child! I would always feel sorry each time I got to buy a toy for all of the ones left behind. Especially stuffed animals. Who knows?!

Katherine

Interesting note,one of my girlfriend's cats had kittens, and we gave one away to a friend of hers. We were all sad because he'd be all lonely, so we gave one of it's sisters to them so they could have eachother.

My unprofessional opinion.
We are all very complicated beings. There are cultures that honor trees, cultures that honor the land, cultures that honer the spirits of the dead.....and so on.

There are things we do not do in this culture, but that doesn't mean the capacity isn't there.

What about people who truely believe a good luck charm brings them good luck...I mean truely believe it? Are they abnormal? I would say no. If drummer girl hugs her drums, if it makes her feel comfortable, what is the harm? It may continue for quite some time, and then, again, it might be replaced by a nice warm cuddly man someday. I feel sorry for my old car when it is time to get rid of it. I am having a major trauma over moving out of the house I grew up in, even though we're moving to a big beautiful house. I am an animist, I admit it, but is that so bad? I hear the voices of my dead parents on the wind when I need emotional comfort, is that pathology? I don't think so.

There will come a time when your kid adjusts his priorities, but don't rush it. He'll get there himself.
btdt

Would anybody else run back into a burning building to try and save their books?

*raises hand*

Me too. Here's an illustrated example. When I was a kid (in year 1989), I was watching TV with my parents, and I saw some movie or documentary about a sinking ship. People were panicking, and the captain ordered: "Throw everything overboard except water and lifesaving devices; we need to lighten the load." At that point, I thought to myself: "If I was there, I'd rather jump overboard myself with no life vest, than throw favorite books or toys into the ocean."

When I was about four years old, there was a coffee cup with a couple of siamese cats painted on it that sat in our kitchen cabinets. I decided I wanted to use it for a drink of juice since it was my favorite cup, so I climbed up onto the counter to retrieve it. Unfortunately, as soon as I was able to get a hold of it, I accidentally dropped it and it smashed all over the floor. I started crying and screaming because that was my favorite cup and I had destroyed it. My parents rushed over and saw that I had been badly cut. I seriously didn't even notice that pretty much my whole pinky had been sliced. I just missed that cup!

Now I'm seventeen years old and I am obsessed with the movie, Cars. I have a couple of the die-cast cars (a red Lightning McQueen and a blue Lightning McQueen, which is very rare). I had already owned the red one about a month before I bought the blue one. Ever since I got the blue one, I always felt as if I was neglecting the red one, which was making him become very depressed. I mean, I had even taken the blue one to the county fair, Skyline Chili, White Castle, and even the mall! The red one only got to sit in the car, or inside my house. I felt so bad for neglecting him like that and giving all my attention to the blue one. Now I play with them both equally, especially when I force them to race down the upstairs runway. They have yet to drive through the spindles, which are on both sides! But yeah, I treat those little Lightning McQueens better than my actual car! lol

These are just a couple of examples of how I've felt sorry for inanimate objects. Trust me, there are a lot more times than just these!

yea sad when something you like gets broken. hey you like that movie cars?? cool I WANT TO SEE IT!! !

i cant wait to get that movie larry the cable guy health inspector(hmmm birthday is in exactly a month) i think target has the movie on dvd (cant wait for cars to do same)

I've seen Cars ten times! The people at the theaters around here were always like, "Back to see Cars again?" lol Too bad it's not in theaters anymore. I guess I'll have to wait for the November 7th DVD release. In the meantime, I'll keep buying Cars merchandise. A couple of kids came over to our house last night (their parents came over to purchase a dining room table) and when the kids saw B-1 (my first of my two bedrooms), they couldn't believe all the Cars stuff I have. I'll try to take some pictures of it sometime. We need to get new batteries for the camera though, so yeah. Oh, and about Larry the Cable Guy, my friend, Sarah, has one of his DVDs of Blue Collar Comedy. I've only seen part of it, though. But she fills me in on everything!

cool lightning ill keep an eye out for the dvd in november, another movie i want is american pie presents:band camp. i seen this one on hbo a few times it was funny too. i just reread your post about lightning mcqueen from cars, hey just if your car was same model year as the red or blue lightning? i also figured this is were you also got your nickname from?? the cars movie?

i seen about how much care you give them more then your drivable gas drinker, do you wash and wax them too??

Yes, it is actually. Lightning McQueen is a 2005 custom-Pixar car while I have a 2005 Hyundai Accent. I do take good care of my car, but I don't really use it a lot since I only have a permit. I want to get my liscense in a month or two, though, since I'll have to get on the bus as early as 6:30 AM for school this year. But anyway, I don't wash the Lightning McQueens. I'm afraid the paint might wash off of them. I actually don't wash my own car either- my mom does! lol Anyway, yes, my screen name is from Cars. And 88 represents the year I was born- 1988.

cool i was just joking about the wash and waxing the mcqueens. i myself dont have a license or a vehicle even though its a good thing if i did but i dont need to become a victom to some cell phone gabbing, newspaper reading coffee drinking driver.

dont feel bad, when i was in first year of high school it was like 6 something HAVING TO BE IN CLASS! 6:30 or 6:45 i think it was.

i was 5 when u were born and i didnt even WALK yet. i didnt walk til i was 6 so i was REALLY REALLY close to getting put in either polio style braces(forrest gump metal hinged kind) or a wheelchair.