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An Autistic World

Ken

Ken

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
How would it be if we lived in an autistic world? A world where the vast majority of the population was autistic. A world where allistic people were the minority. A world that is shaped and controlled by the autistic majority.

I suspect it would be a much quieter world. Lighting would not be so bright. It would be more peaceful. It would be a world that does not require or expect everyone to be like everyone else. It would be a world that is tolerant and even celebratory of our differences. Perhaps allistic would be considered a disorder. Our power tools, lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, blenders, etc. would all include “quiet” as a design criteria. It would be a world where chaos and disruption is avoided instead of pursued.

Your thoughts?
 
I agree it would be much more sensory-friendly.

I think that is all I should say and I look forward to reading what others have to say.
 
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I forgot to mention in the original post that the post was in the spirit of imagination. Not about politics, competition, good or bad, etc.

I got the thought / idea when listening to the Beatles song, "Imagine". Indeed that song is for everyone regardless of neurotype. Just started thinking what if the world was dominated by autistic people. How would it be different - kind of from a "dreamy" perspective. So, not trying to change anyone's mind, but I do think it would be different.
 
I agree - and I agree in many ways it could be a lot better for everyone. I am sorry for my negativity...I might erase my first post...[done]
 
the_tortoise said:
I agree - and I agree in many ways it could be a lot better for everyone. I am sorry for my negativity...I might erase my first post...[done]
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Actually, I considered your pre deleted post to be factual instead of "negative". I did not consider it to be offensive.
 
Ken said:
Actually, I considered your pre deleted post to be factual instead of "negative". I did not consider it to be offensive.
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That is reassuring - thank you for saying so; helps me feel better.

I wasn't trying to be negative, but I also didn't want to stifle or derail the joyous thought experiment you hoped to embark upon...and I got the sense I had/was. So I deleted all but the first thing.
 
To elaborate (hope that is okay):

You didn't make me feel bad -- I made myself feel bad...

You know when you are the only person who doesn't register that someone is joking and you respond to them in complete seriousness and sincerity?

And then the tone changes for everyone from whatever it was to confusion or awkwardness or sadness or whatever?

I am the interrupter of tone far more than I would like... and when you clarified about the type of discussion you were hoping to have and I recognized my response was off the mark, it made me think maybe I had done something similar to ruining a joke (not that you were telling a joke -- it's not exactly the same thing) -- and I didn't want to do that. So I thought it best to withdraw my original comments that were not in keeping with the spirit of your thread. [so...tortoise tips his hat in respect and steps quietly to
the side to observe with better understanding and anticipation]
 
Ken said:
How would it be if we lived in an autistic world? A world where the vast majority of the population was autistic. A world where allistic people were the minority. A world that is shaped and controlled by the autistic majority.

I suspect it would be a much quieter world. Lighting would not be so bright. It would be more peaceful. It would be a world that does not require or expect everyone to be like everyone else. It would be a world that is tolerant and even celebratory of our differences. Perhaps allistic would be considered a disorder. Our power tools, lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, blenders, etc. would all include “quiet” as a design criteria. It would be a world where chaos and disruption is avoided instead of pursued.

Your thoughts?
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We would need a minority of neurotypicals, maybe 5% or so, just for balance. We could let some of them grow up thinking they were autistic, wondering why they could never fit in, then diagnose them as neurotypical later in life to explain why their lives were such a mess. We could play practical jokes on them, based on their idea that communication is not words, but mostly non verbal. They would not know how to interact with the autistic majority, so we could reject and shun them because they were different and never really understanding what was going on. The mental health professionals would not be taught how to recognize neurotypicality in adults, and not know how to treat or deal with them. Eventually, they might put together their own forum so they cold interact with other like them, and express themselves safely.

How many of you guessed that I am still a bit bitter about not having been diagnosed earlier and spending my life as an undiagnosed autistic?
 
All conversations would be closed captioned so you can understand them....and optional; everybody would rock, fidget, flap, pace, whatever....no need to be self conscious or suppress because everyone is doing it; people would be fascinated if you talked and talked about your most inspiring subjects; you would get paid for the weird things you focus on--the longer you are absorbed in it the more you get paid; restaurants would offer sensory friendly food and label it thus; clothing would lack all buttons and tags. Wool would be illegal.
 
@Shamar We shouldn't treat others in a manner that we disliked being treated ourselves. As a saying I learned in school goes "Right is always right and wrong is always wrong, but right is never wrong and wrong is never right." I would like to add that it doesn't matter who is doing it either, the fact stands.
 
It would be nightmarish as well. The entire population having random shutdowns or meltdowns at any random moment from the sound of something or being around too many people. Nonverbal adults, throngs of them unable to contribute to the economy. People constantly forgetting things, important things. People constantly arguing because they didn't understand each other's intent. It would be really really bad.
 
I've spent so long feeling different from the masses that I've become quite comfortable there. I reckon I might feel uncomfortable with always being part of the majority.

And I wouldn't want to see the NTs I know become something different than they are. I like them the way the are.

I suspect it would be a much quieter world. Lighting would not be so bright. It would be more peaceful. It would be a world that does not require or expect everyone to be like everyone else. It would be a world that is tolerant and even celebratory of our differences. Perhaps allistic would be considered a disorder. Our power tools, lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, blenders, etc. would all include “quiet” as a design criteria. It would be a world where chaos and disruption is avoided instead of pursued.
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I'm trying to create my own tiny world for myself in my own mind and with the choices I make for how to live. It's a nice idea and I am getting as close to it as I can in my own little personal ecosystem. I've turned my focus from how the world is to how my world is.
 
grommet said:
Like home.
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Thank you @grommet for that. Holy Krap!!! Such a perfect communication. Made me cry.

Everyday I suffer communication frustration. It feels like no one understands what I'm saying nor can I understand what anyone else is saying. It's a constant struggle. Most NT's communicate in fragmented and truncated sentences, I can never figure it out. My mind works serially. If I loose a single word I can't figure out what the sentence is or means. So, I have to keep re-asking them to repeat what they said, only they never repeat the sentence. They just say another sentence, confusing me even more. Anyway, That has been my life.

So when you said an Autistic World would be like home, that was the defining thought I have been searching for all my life.

Thank You.
 
Ken said:
How would it be if we lived in an autistic world? A world where the vast majority of the population was autistic. A world where allistic people were the minority. A world that is shaped and controlled by the autistic majority.

I suspect it would be a much quieter world. Lighting would not be so bright. It would be more peaceful. It would be a world that does not require or expect everyone to be like everyone else. It would be a world that is tolerant and even celebratory of our differences. Perhaps allistic would be considered a disorder. Our power tools, lawn mowers, vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, blenders, etc. would all include “quiet” as a design criteria. It would be a world where chaos and disruption is avoided instead of pursued.

Your thoughts?
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Well... if things keep on track... that might be a reality within a few generations. I don't know if it would be better or worse, but it would be different.
 
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