Is it normal for people with autism not to have many interests compared to others?

[Ruby]

I don't have many interests, but what I am into is probably stronger than others sometimes. I don't love or dislike many things either. I find many things okay. I don't get how people are into so many things at a time. Isn't it to much? Wouldn't it be a lot of work and stress to have to keep up with so many television shows, celebrities ect.? How do they have the capacity to love so many stuff?

 

[King_Oni]

Re: Is it normal for people with autism not to have many interests compared to others

I don't have many interests, but what I am into is probably stronger than others sometimes. I don't love or dislike many things either. I find many things okay. I don't get how people are into so many things at a time. Isn't it to much? Wouldn't it be a lot of work and stress to have to keep up with so many television shows, celebrities ect.? How do they have the capacity to love so many stuff?

While I think there is something to be said about the "depth" one enjoys things, I don't think it's fair to assume everyone has the same... well, mental capabilities (for lack of a better term) to just enjoy a few things.

Also; the way I get along into my hobbies, to some people is considered a lot of work and stress already. The fact that I for instance don't think it's silly to go through 600+ issues of comics of a certain character makes some people cringe already. Or the fact that I don't mind watching a season of a certain tv show in a single day. I don't think that interests should come with no effort even. Enjoying things on auto-pilot is a tad lazy if you ask me. Sure, if it works for you (or whomever feels adressed with this), it just doesn't work for me.

A thing you should consider is that interest to some people doesn't go as far. I remember co-workers a few years back. I'd sometimes end up talking movies or tv shows I liked. Yet, they had no clue who the director was or did they bother with any other media tie-ins to enjoy the show to the fullest (anyone curious; Heroes even had a webcomic & a few webisodes that were related to the show). If I can't have that primary focus on what I'm doing, I'm not doing it, yet for a lot of people... and I don't know if it's just NT people, that just isn't the case. They're fine with what's being fed to them. The way they get all into something is, in my opinion, quite often more superficial so the entire notion of "liking" something isn't comparable to what I qualify as liking something.