Is life for Aspies actually getting harder now than it was in the past?

[Greatshield17]

I really should be working on my website but, I don’t know I just feel the urge to post this now, as it’s been on my mind for the past few days; is life actually getting harder for us Aspies?? It seems like the majority of older Aspies and autistic folk on here are married and have a family and job and such, while a lot of younger Aspies on here, myself included, are often struggling to attain the above, and often have a lot issues to deal with that hinder us from getting there. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure a lot of the older folks on here had to struggle a lot to achieve these things, and not all of them on here have been that successful. Is it true that we young Aspies are having harder time than the old folk? Or am I just imagining this based on my own struggles, and picking up on other young Aspies on here having similar struggles?

If it is true, what do you think are the causes of it? I can certainly think of many candidates for what might be contributing to it, big corporations, the loss of local culture, the emphasis of white-collar work over practical blue-collar work, and technology. Technology is an interesting one because, I remember people saying and talking about how us Aspies are going take advantage of this while NTs struggle over the decrease in social interaction; but on contrary it seems to have caused us to waste our time online, when we could’ve been out looking for a job and our future spouses and starting our adult lifes, or at least that’s how I see it contributing to my current situation. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying technology is all-bad, if it weren’t for technology I obviously wouldn’t be on here, talking to you about all this and learning from all of you.)

Of course Covid is playing a huge role in the current state of things, but I know for a fact with me, I wouldn’t be dealing with the situation I’m in now, if it weren’t for all the struggles I’m have been having in myself and in society; in the years and decades leading up to today.

What do you think? Is life getting harder for us?

 

[Fino]

Life is getting harder for all young people. Adolescence is extending. People are taking longer to move out on their own or get married or have a stable career. It's not just an aspie thing.

 

[Au Naturel]

Having lived in the past, life for most Aspies was much harder. Forums like this didn't exist. Heck, the diagnosis of Asperger's was a rare thing, reserved for the rich and urban. For 99% of us, all the shortcomings of Asperger's were considered voluntary choices to be antisocial. We didn't have a condition, we were just geeks and wimps and lazy and bad eggs. Or maybe retarded.

 

[Amy Stone]

I think it's all a wash. Before: less people, less competition for jobs, but no internet and harder to get an education. Now: easier to get an education, but globalization, and more competition for employment. I think the key is to use the Asperger's diagnosis as a tool to better understand how to succeed and not as a crutch. For me, Covid was a time to take online classes for a career change that would be better suited to a post-covid world.

 

[Aspychata]

Or if you were female, you hella learned fast to mask so you weren't considered lala, craycray, screaming yellow zonkers, total hysteria or all the other labels for those generations.

My brother and step-father actually built a computer but never thought about l may have an interest in this back about 40 ish years ago.

 

[ForestGumpett]

It’s a double edge sword - yes the world is more difficult, but the young people today seem to not be able to handle what their grandparents could handle. I’m wondering if this generation will make it to 60 lol.

Not sure if it was guilt or what, but with all the coddling the parents and grandparents have created kids that are not prepared for this world IMHO (you asked). It’s sad, but I don’t have any answers. Seems like the screw ups were started in the schools.

 

[mw2530]

Life is not easy for us aspies, but I don't know if it is easier or harder than in the past. The honest answer is probably that some things are harder and some things are easier.

 

[Nitro]

I really should be working on my website but, I don’t know I just feel the urge to post this now, as it’s been on my mind for the past few days; is life actually getting harder for us Aspies?? It seems like the majority of older Aspies and autistic folk on here are married and have a family and job and such, while a lot of younger Aspies on here, myself included, are often struggling to attain the above, and often have a lot issues to deal with that hinder us from getting there. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure a lot of the older folks on here had to struggle a lot to achieve these things, and not all of them on here have been that successful. Is it true that we young Aspies are having harder time than the old folk? Or am I just imagining this based on my own struggles, and picking up on other young Aspies on here having similar struggles?

If it is true, what do you think are the causes of it? I can certainly think of many candidates for what might be contributing to it, big corporations, big government, the loss of local culture, the emphasis of white-collar work over practical blue-collar work, and technology. Technology is an interesting one because, I remember people saying and talking about how us Aspies are going take advantage of this while NTs struggle over the decrease in social interaction; but on contrary it seems to have caused us to waste our time online, when we could’ve been out looking for a job and our future spouses and starting our adult lifes, or at least that’s how I see it contributing to my current situation. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying technology is all-bad, if it weren’t for technology I obviously wouldn’t be on here, talking to you about all this and learning from all of you.)

Of course Covid is playing a huge role in the current state of things, but I know for a fact with me, I wouldn’t be dealing with the situation I’m in now, if it weren’t for all the struggles I’m have been having in myself and in society; in the years and decades leading up to today.

What do you think? Is life getting harder for us?

Life isn't easy for any human being, but to add yet another neurological divide to that statement will only further complicate things. Quit looking for excuses, because the biggest thing holding you back is yourself.

My honest opinion is that in the past, we didn't get diagnosed with anything unless we really needed the help, which was generally reserved for lower functioning individuals.
We were just considered geeks, freaks, loners, eccentric, etc.
Technically, when asperger's was still a valid assessment, which fortunately it no longer is, I would not have made the cut because the parameters were different then.
What I really think is that the use of the labels has become more mainstream, and now that you are aware that your condition has a name, you like too many others use it as an excuse for failure instead of finding your strengths as those of us that went undiagnosed and found our own successes did in our past.

Do yourself a favor and drop the "I'm a failure because I'm aspie" thinking and focus on the "I'm yet another human being who is looking for my opportunity to arrive" mindset.
It will take you a whole lot further to develop a positive outlook instead of your present negative one and it's close association to a psych label.
Negativity is an excavator that can dig very deep holes that can and will entrap you if you let them. Positivity can be used as a ladder to escape them if you happen to end up down in one. Or, if you are sharp enough, avoid them altogether.

And on another note, as horrible as it sounds, covid-19 is not the end of the world unless you decide it is.
There are plenty of jobs to be had in the US for those willing to work because too many opted to ride a handout program.

 

[Greatshield17]

Life isn't easy for any human being, but to add yet another neurological divide to that statement will only further complicate things. Quit looking for excuses, because the biggest thing holding you back is yourself.

My honest opinion is that in the past, we didn't get diagnosed with anything unless we really needed the help, which was generally reserved for lower functioning individuals.
We were just considered geeks, freaks, loners, eccentric, etc.
Technically, when asperger's was still a valid assessment, which fortunately it no longer is, I would not have made the cut because the parameters were different then.
What I really think is that the use of the labels has become more mainstream, and now that you are aware that your condition has a name, you like too many others use it as an excuse for failure instead of finding your strengths as those of us that went undiagnosed and found our own successes did in our past.

Do yourself a favor and drop the "I'm a failure because I'm aspie" thinking and focus on the "I'm yet another human being who is looking for my opportunity to arrive" mindset.
It will take you a whole lot further to develop a positive outlook instead of your present negative one and it's close association to a psych label.
Negativity is an excavator that can dig very deep holes that can and will entrap you if you let them. Positivity can be used as a ladder to escape them if you happen to end up down in one. Or, if you are sharp enough, avoid them altogether.

And on another note, as horrible as it sounds, covid-19 is not the end of the world unless you decide it is.
There are plenty of jobs to be had in the US for those willing to work because too many opted to ride a handout program.

Sorry, I didn’t mean to trigger you.

It’s getting late, I’m going to bed now. I’ll be back tomorrow after I finish doing some more work on my website.

 

[Thinx]

Well I don't know your situation, but you don't appear to have to work to earn a wage? And recently you were talking about buying a property? So, you definitely seem to be better off than many? What is it specifically you are finding tough?

 

[Major Tom]

No, in the past you'd probably not have made it past being a toddler. It's perceptions making things seem more difficult. We have it so easy right now, there is literally nothing to complain about.

 

[Nitro]

Sorry, I didn’t mean to trigger you.

It’s getting late, I’m going to bed now. I’ll be back tomorrow after I finish doing some more work on my website.

You didn't trigger me, you asked a question and I answered it to the best of my ability.

I can say with certainty that I reached each of your goals simply because I wanted to.

 

[Thinx]

Tough things still happen to the older generations too of course, in any case. For example a couple of days ago I realised my pumpkin patch is actually a courgette patch!

And the worst of it was, trying to understand why I had ever thought I had pumpkin seeds, because when I saw the little courgette shapes at the base of the fruiting flowers, I remembered knowing that the seeds that were given to me were courgettes! I've even been singing a Pumpkin Patch song...

But the good news is, I actually like courgettes fried in butter, and apparently the flowers are edible too, of which I have plenty. But where I was going with that was, life can still be tough and be fine, in different ways, as we age.

 

[tree]

"Why is zucchini called courgette?

Zucchini were developed in Italy in the 19th century near Milan. Their name comes from a plural diminutive word for an Italian word for squash - 'zucca' Its other name - 'courgette' comes from the French word for this vegetable."

Zucchini History - Where Did Zucchini Come From?

 

[Gift2humanity]

I really should be working on my website but, I don’t know I just feel the urge to post this now, as it’s been on my mind for the past few days; is life actually getting harder for us Aspies?? It seems like the majority of older Aspies and autistic folk on here are married and have a family and job and such, while a lot of younger Aspies on here, myself included, are often struggling to attain the above, and often have a lot issues to deal with that hinder us from getting there. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure a lot of the older folks on here had to struggle a lot to achieve these things, and not all of them on here have been that successful. Is it true that we young Aspies are having harder time than the old folk? Or am I just imagining this based on my own struggles, and picking up on other young Aspies on here having similar struggles?

If it is true, what do you think are the causes of it? I can certainly think of many candidates for what might be contributing to it, big corporations, the loss of local culture, the emphasis of white-collar work over practical blue-collar work, and technology. Technology is an interesting one because, I remember people saying and talking about how us Aspies are going take advantage of this while NTs struggle over the decrease in social interaction; but on contrary it seems to have caused us to waste our time online, when we could’ve been out looking for a job and our future spouses and starting our adult lifes, or at least that’s how I see it contributing to my current situation. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying technology is all-bad, if it weren’t for technology I obviously wouldn’t be on here, talking to you about all this and learning from all of you.)

Of course Covid is playing a huge role in the current state of things, but I know for a fact with me, I wouldn’t be dealing with the situation I’m in now, if it weren’t for all the struggles I’m have been having in myself and in society; in the years and decades leading up to today.

What do you think? Is life getting harder for us?

I can't speak for young people.
I'm 54 and was a bit of a nightmare for teachers.
I struggled through unsuitable jobs, getting sacked for some, difficult interpersonal relationships.
I'm single with no kids or job but l have to make the best of it as I wouldn't exactly say by most people's standards I succeeded. Gotta stay positive though or life would be unbearable.

 

[Sabrina]

For me, it is, but then, I think it's the case of most humans

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I really should be working on my website but, I don’t know I just feel the urge to post this now, as it’s been on my mind for the past few days; is life actually getting harder for us Aspies?? It seems like the majority of older Aspies and autistic folk on here are married and have a family and job and such, while a lot of younger Aspies on here, myself included, are often struggling to attain the above, and often have a lot issues to deal with that hinder us from getting there. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure a lot of the older folks on here had to struggle a lot to achieve these things, and not all of them on here have been that successful. Is it true that we young Aspies are having harder time than the old folk? Or am I just imagining this based on my own struggles, and picking up on other young Aspies on here having similar struggles?

If it is true, what do you think are the causes of it? I can certainly think of many candidates for what might be contributing to it, big corporations, the loss of local culture, the emphasis of white-collar work over practical blue-collar work, and technology. Technology is an interesting one because, I remember people saying and talking about how us Aspies are going take advantage of this while NTs struggle over the decrease in social interaction; but on contrary it seems to have caused us to waste our time online, when we could’ve been out looking for a job and our future spouses and starting our adult lifes, or at least that’s how I see it contributing to my current situation. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying technology is all-bad, if it weren’t for technology I obviously wouldn’t be on here, talking to you about all this and learning from all of you.)

Of course Covid is playing a huge role in the current state of things, but I know for a fact with me, I wouldn’t be dealing with the situation I’m in now, if it weren’t for all the struggles I’m have been having in myself and in society; in the years and decades leading up to today.

What do you think? Is life getting harder for us?

Not harder, not easier,...but very different. The social dynamics have changed. I am 54, for reference here. There was no such thing as Asperger's condition until the 1990s. When we were kids, the only autism phenotype recognized was the more severe phenotypes. Most Aspergers phenotypes back then were lumped into the large pool of "nerds, dorks, geeks, and weirdos",...to coin some of the terms used back then,...it was a horrible childhood for many of us. Bullies had full reign over us and the other kids cheered them on. I got into athletics and weightlifting to counteract their behavior,...it worked for me,...but many others just suffered through their childhood and teenage years. There was no such thing as computers, no cable TV,...we had 3 TV channels, an antenna on the roof, and a fuzzy picture. You trusted the news. Politicians were civil with each other. It was considered poor social behavior to discuss politics and religion. We didn't know what was going on in the world. People were not offended or afraid of anything. People made binding agreements with a handshake. We had newspapers, magazines, and books. We had to ride our bikes everywhere because the family had one vehicle, and dad took it to work,...occasionally mom borrowed it to do errands after dropping off dad at work. We could be miles away from home doing God knows what,...parents practiced skillful neglect,...we had street smarts. We dealt with creepy guys in white panel vans enticing us with candy and puppies,...we knew better. Racism and discrimination was not hidden, it was posted on the walls, spoken openly, and it was considered just "everyday language",...and if you were part of a marginalized group, it totally sucked, but you just dealt with it because that was your world. We all worked and had our own money,...no allowances from our parents unless we worked extra around the house. We were expected to be working by the age of 16. We had no personal phones,...it was attached to the wall,...the phone was a place in the house,...zero private conversations and your parents limited the conversation to 10 minutes because it "ran up the phone bill" or they were expecting a call themselves. As a kid, if you wanted to see your friend, you went over to their house and knocked on the door. If you wanted to meet a potential boyfriend or girlfriend,...you had to walk up to them,...plain and simple,...and then risk the potential rejection face to face. It was a whole different world. For those of us with the so-called milder forms of autism,...it literally wasn't a diagnosis,...we just adapted and overcame as best we could,...or got lost in society,...or committed suicide way too early in life.

 

[Greatshield17]

Well I don't know your situation, but you don't appear to have to work to earn a wage? And recently you were talking about buying a property? So, you definitely seem to be better off than many? What is it specifically you are finding tough?

Et tu @Thinx?

And I NEVER said, that I could afford to buy property.

 

[Greatshield17]

No, in the past you'd probably not have made it past being a toddler. It's perceptions making things seem more difficult. We have it so easy right now, there is literally nothing to complain about.

Funny considering you’re on here complaining about something you’re implying is present in my original post but in reality isn’t. I guess what you mean by this is “there is literally nothing to complain about except the imaginary complaints we will accuse others of making!”

 

[Greatshield17]

You didn't trigger me, you asked a question and I answered it to the best of my ability.

I can say with certainty that I reached each of your goals simply because I wanted to.

Yes, clearly you did answer the question that I clearly asked.

And no, clearly I don’t, after all, as @Thinx said, I am looking at future properties, and according to his implications I can easily afford them and according to you I can’t because I just don’t want them and am whining and complaining about them in this thread and that’s what this thread is about.

You two are both right.