Do the people you admire have AS?

[Jeffmoz]

I was watching the film recently about Alan Turing, and it suddenly dawned on me that a lot of the people I have admired throughout my life have at one time or another been suggested as possible Aspies. Is this the same for most people?

 

[The Penguin]

Alan Turing is a good person. I did watched some documentaries on him. There no one comes to mind that I admire but thanks for sharing this post.

 

[Naturalist]

I was watching the film recently about Alan Turing, and it suddenly dawned on me that a lot of the people I have admired throughout my life have at one time or another been suggested as possible Aspies. Is this the same for most people?

Absolutely, for me! My first mentor is more stereotypically Aspie than I am. My present boss isn't, but has some similarities to a lesser degree.

Ditto on Turing, I've liked reading his work and HAD to see the film, because that sort of personality "makes sense" to me. Which is funny to say, because so many other people would say "what a weirdo!"

I don't generally speculate much on who might have been an Aspie historically, but I do gravitate toward figures who have quirks and habits to which I can generally relate, which might place them on the spectrum today. A lot of them were alive in the eighteenth century, perhaps because European society at the time was quite encouraging of obscure obsessions, preoccupation with minutiae, and was perhaps more tolerant of really interesting eccentricities, even if one was socially awkward. So I felt like I might fit in there...

 

[Pianoman908]

Well, I've admired Albert Einstein mainly for his theory of relativity, and it is said that he had Asperger's syndrome. I also admire Olivia Goudreault who has inspired me in my life journey with Asperger's syndrome. She too has Asperger's syndrome. She is the author of a book called "May I Be Excused, My Brain Is Full".

I also admire, perhaps to a lesser extent, David Eddings, who is the author of the book series, "Belgariad" and "Malloreon", which I really enjoyed reading.

 

[Madame Catfish]

Definitely. There are plenty of people I admire who are not autistic, of course, but my favourite historical personalities usually show more than a dash of autism in their character. I think this has less to do with me admiring the autistic qualities themselves and more with my ability to connect with their stories due to a similar neurological wiring. When reading about Faraday's theories, I can understand his thinking patterns that led to his conclusions in a way that I cannot with the more "neurotypical" scientists. it's as if by opening a history book or scientific enquiry written by one of these individuals, I can sit back and smile knowing that there have always been people like us out there: the misfits, the aspies in the corner, the awkward kid that never quite fit in.
As autistics, we are different whether we like it or not, but this difference sometimes expresses itself in beautiful electromagnetic theories or creations such as "The Bombe". Historical figures on the spectrum remind us of that. They remind us of both our weaknesses and our potential, as well as the fact that we have always been around.
Funny you should mention Turing; he's probably one of my favourite scientists ever. Do you think the movie was any good? Cumberbatch is usually an outstanding actor. Did they portray him as autistic as he seems from the historical sources on his personality?

 

[DarkAscent]

I think Alan Turing is a hero and what he did for Britain was incredible, but how the British government treated him afterwards was beyond cruel. I admire Turing a lot.

I admire my teaching assistant who may have Asperger's. She works so hard to support not just students with ASDs in my school but to those in the local borough too. She set up a club for autistic children and their parents where she offers support and understanding.

 

[deema]

Of course. Einstein, Tesla, Carrol, Edison, Ford, Mozart, Beethoven, Michaelangelo, Lincoln, Jefferson, Twain, Gates, Washington are the personification of history shapers, all responsible for advancing humanity on its evolutionary path, politically, scientifically, artistically, technologically, socially, conceptually. This is pretyy much the most important thing any person can do