Do You Ever Wonder...

[Galaxy Freeze]

Do you ever want to just switch brains with someone else, preferably a neurotypical? For like...a week or so, just to see what life is like outside the spectrum? I know I do.

It can be a negative or positive thing. With me, it's negative. In general, I think I'd rather not have Asperger's, it has caused me a lot more pain and trouble than it has conveniences. Everybody is different, but in my case there are more downsides than upsides. My only upside, I feel, is that I'm a skillful artist and animator for my age. That's all I can think of, everything else, like social issues, is frustrating to the point where I wish I would've been born a neurotypical. I just can't figure out how people socialize!

I just wish I had more social abilities so I'd feel less isolated, that's the main reason I want to see what life is like not having Asperger's. Would it be better or worse? I'll never know... Can you guys relate to this?

 

[King_Oni]

If I were to change my brain it's most likely changing my life for a short period.

I don't socialize partially cause I don't have a lot of interest to do so and my time is better spent on personal interests instead. I sometimes feel 24 hours a day is already short. So in a way it would mean giving up on things I like to do anyway. And besides that, there's more to it than going out there and being social. I for one think it's a full overload to make 10 friends in a week. And exchanging my brain doesn't come with established friendships, job experience and perhaps even physical awareness. Imagine being out of shape and having to adjust to a healthy mindset (or vice versa).

The idea itself is fun to toy around with, yet it raises so many questions and "problems".

It's similar to having someone else's life... What part of it is yours? How much do you give up? Does it come with pre-established factors?

 

[Cosmic Light]

This is a very interesting question, and certainly interesting to consider. To me though, wondering what my life might have been had I been born NT, is no different from wondering what my life would have been like if I had been male instead of female, or if I had been born in China or Peru. It's all just a case of wondering about what might have been had I been different in any way than I am now. It's interesting to considering how much any significant change at all would have caused me to become basically a different person than I am today.

As for wanting to actually be neurotypical, well I suppose at times when I've become exceptionally frustrated and had a worse day than many before the thought of wanting to "be like other people," has crossed my mind. Generally though not really. I don't consider AS to be a negative thing myself really. I can socialize to a point, even if I'm not great at it. I just don't like to do it as much as many seem to. There is certain great advantage I find it be able to be alone for a while and to actually enjoy it. Of course that's just my opinion.

 

[Soup]

I've wondered about this too. Being an Aspie is something I'd never wish away, seek a cure for or want to change about myself. The grass can seem greener on the NT side of the fence, but life is not all roses for them either. Many of them struggle with anxiety disorders, insomnia, depression, addiction & instability. Many of them suck at relationships & although they appear to be much more adept at socializing than we are, they are faking it too: wearing a social mask & a smile they do not feel. Some need a few drinks to 'loosen up' before they can socialize. Add to that the way they seem to be so readily influenced by any trend they see on tv or in a magazine or every dumb thing some celebrity does & seem so emotionally over-wrought all the time, entangled in insincerities & from my logical Aspie perspective, they seem to be the ones on a spectrum & truly suffering from a syndrome! Since this ailment is so pervasive, most aspects of society are designed for & by them. When we need something changed, it can look to them like we're getting accommodated.

Bogus! It's just that when they designed society, being in the majority, they selfishly considered only their own needs & tastes! They too are overwhelmed & in a pressure cooker because of the type of hyperstimulating hypersocial societies they've created. Trading places with them would be like changing one set of problems, strengths, limitations for another set.

Actually, I've often wondered more seriously what it would be like to trade places with a cat for a day or be a German Shepherd or other dog. I've wondered about being an owl, a crocodile, an orangutan, a dolphin & an ant (not all at the same time, though)

 

[Dragon's Tooth]

Sometimes I like the idea of being less intelligent and not over thinking things. Like being able to find american comedy in general funny. You know that how they show the idiots in TV shows who have a fun life because they don't over think things. Sometimes I think that would be nice for a little bit.

But at the end of the day I don't think I would really like to change things. I think that being "dumb" for a short time is just when my brain is in over drive.

I like the fact that I don't take things at face value in this world and I like that I am driven to see the truth. I like that I seek out more complex things in life than what Kim Kardashian wore yesterday and I like that I can understand science and technology.

I just dislike the extreme social phobias is all lol.

 

[Galaxy Freeze]

I see what you all mean. Yeah, I too think that being a neurotypical would have it's disadvantages as well, it'd just be cool to see how different it is.

Haha, I've wondered about what life would be like if I was a male or a different kind of animal too. Sometimes I wish I was an animal, life would be much simpler...

 

[smith2267]

The world is made for them. I sometimes wonder what it would be like to live in a world that was made for me. So yeah, it would be interesting to walk on the other side for awhile

 

[wyverary]

What Soup said. I think a lot of NT's are no happier than we are. I rather like who I am; I have the things I enjoy in life; I have my interests. I don't think being in an unfamiliar mind could be a remotely pleasant experience.

 

[alien girl]

just out of curiosity, i do. and sometimes i think i'd like to switch brains permanently, but then the thought kind of scares me, because then i won't be who i am. i won't be as smart and animals won't like me as much, and i'd lose the love for animals and nature.
but then, i have no one in my life at all, except for my nieces. no lover, no kids, no friends, nothing. i cant stand to be around people for too long, and i have ocd and general anxiety and depression, insomnia, stomach aches, and whatnot.
nts look calm and cheerful, i'm not.

 

[Flinty]

The problem is...someone else's brain won't have the exciting thoughts of mine.

And the other guy might off himself upon discovering what my mind is like. It would be unethical for me to switch.

 

[wyverary]

The problem is...someone else's brain won't have the exciting thoughts of mine.

And the other guy might off himself upon discovering what my mind is like. It would be unethical for me to switch.

HAHA! Word.

 

[Dusty285]

Being something or someone else takes me directly to sci-fi and fantasy stories I have read or seen on TV.

The first one was "Twilight Zone." Yeah, I'm that old; a show that never made the re-runs in which the prime character-- a man-- connects with some magical entity that gives him the chance to ask about alternate lives he may have led if certain events had worked differently. Not really a good show, but an interesting idea. He is shown that he might have been rich but the personal cost would have been very high. He might have married a different sweetheart but that would have ended in a nasty divorce and then a series of nasty divorces with subsequent wives. A few other alternates, each with its own problems. The way he did go in (his) reality was the best compromise. Standard propaganda, of course.

Were-creatures in a system where the persons who could change kept their physical mass the same. A 150 pound man would become a 150 pound whatever: wolf, badger; cougar or cheetah. A big man, did not matter if his 400+ pounds was all fat or all muscle, might become a bear or a tiger. When they changed they kept some slight memory and control from their human form but mostly became the wild creature of their alternate form. I do not remember any of the story line except that perhaps 30% to 70% of the human population could change; some voluntarily and some as an involuntary response when threatened or other cause.

I liked the changling theme best in stories where the persons who could, and only a very few could, were in complete control and could become many different kinds of creatures -- or -- is a tree a creature? --- quietly become a tree and sleep softly through the seasons. Wake and return to the world of men; maybe a few days later and maybe many years later. Need to have good night vision? Become a creature that can see in almost full dark. Travel a long way? Become a bird. For some reason I do not know, Ravens were the bird of usual choice in several books and short stories.

If I could do that kind of magic I prefer the version where I might become an ordinary looking creature of ordinary size but retain most of my human mind. Or I could become something of my own fantasy and imagination. I would like to become a big, long-winged bird and float through the sky like some of the far-ranging sea birds except not limited to flying only over the sea. Get tired or hungry and land in some wild place and become a fearsome armored demon that could spit fire like a laser beam and use that fire for defense or to hunt food. What!?!?!?!? LOL!!

 

[Cilantro]

I've thought about that, yeah. I definitely would have liked to grow up neurotypical because I that feel my core interests and desires in life would have been more accessible to me, but now that I'm older it's a matter of making the best out of what I have. I don't know how much it would change now, especially since my social skills have been vastly improving.

 

[Aalo]

Interesting question, I like making hypothesis.
Switching brains with just on NT-individual would have nothing adequate to offer in a light of statistics. If I wanted to know how others think, I'd have to have a good sampling of overall human population, lets say 8-20% (that would be up to ~1,400,000,000 brains). Of all living people, from vast different geographical locations and cultural environments, different kinds of socio economic backgrounds and health conditions. List ensues. I don't know how long my consciousness should linger in each being in order to be able to gain their worldview properly, so I can't even imagine how long that whole process would take. I don't know if there'd be returning back into my own being after that, so I'll just pass.
But thanks for asking.

 

[wyverary]

Interesting question, I like making hypothesis.
Switching brains with just on NT-individual would have nothing adequate to offer in a light of statistics. If I wanted to know how others think, I'd have to have a good sampling of overall human population, lets say 8-20% (that would be up to ~1,400,000,000 brains). Of all living people, from vast different geographical locations and cultural environments, different kinds of socio economic backgrounds and health conditions. List ensues. I don't know how long my consciousness should linger in each being in order to be able to gain their worldview properly, so I can't even imagine how long that whole process would take. I don't know if there'd be returning back into my own being after that, so I'll just pass.
But thanks for asking.

Ooh, my favorite answer so far! I share your desire to learn as much, and as systematically; and I also think it would be far too time-consuming and, I would imagine, quite maddening as well. How much we could learn!

 

[Nolan1971]

I would not want to be NT and give up the qualities & gifts that I love and everyone else loves about me.

 

[anne.bc]

Honestly, I would have loved that chance the last few years of college. I felt like I was never going to get out of here just because my brain has so many mental blocks and my neurotypical fiance "graduated on time". It took me 3 extra years. I felt like I would never pass those music theory classes because there were so many rules... now I just want to swap brains with him so I can get a job. I can't seem to get past interviews. I need money.

 

[total-recoil]

I think in a weird way I don't mind having aspergers although, yes, it did make my life hell in the past. If I were normal, then I'd probably be out with friends all the time, maybe married and most certainly not working with special interests. I'd be too distracted. Arnold Schwarzenegger once stated he was so busy with his plans to succeed in bodybuilding and later acting that he didn't have time for a regular girlfriend as he was so goal-driven.
I do now have limited friends who are neurotypical but still spend a lot of time on my own or with animals.
Another thing I like is the isolation has enabled me to think for myself rather than follow the group. I don't care about "fitting in" or trying to be a certain way.
Also I don't think it's hopeless so far as socialising. You can still have friends although that is sometimes a bit problematic.

Do you ever want to just switch brains with someone else, preferably a neurotypical? For like...a week or so, just to see what life is like outside the spectrum? I know I do.

It can be a negative or positive thing. With me, it's negative. In general, I think I'd rather not have Asperger's, it has caused me a lot more pain and trouble than it has conveniences. Everybody is different, but in my case there are more downsides than upsides. My only upside, I feel, is that I'm a skillful artist and animator for my age. That's all I can think of, everything else, like social issues, is frustrating to the point where I wish I would've been born a neurotypical. I just can't figure out how people socialize!

I just wish I had more social abilities so I'd feel less isolated, that's the main reason I want to see what life is like not having Asperger's. Would it be better or worse? I'll never know... Can you guys relate to this?

 

[NeverEnder]

I think about this sometimes. But, knowing I am who I am puts me in a position not to want to actually change it. In fact, it's generally impossible for the most part.

I do not relate to most Neurotypicals and in fact I shun them and their sorts of behavior. I relate better to animals and quiet, introverted people..

 

[Fox]

Although I've found myself wishing I was better at some things than I actually am (such as social interaction) and trying to force myself to live a life that I'm just not suited for (i.e. "the typical college experience") I've never had the desire to be anybody else, NT or otherwise. There's just never been any appeal to the thought.