some thoughts (pesky things won't leave me alone) on Asperger's

[smith2267]

Most of humanity are highly social animals. Like the herd of buffalo that follow their leader to water, They depend on hierarchy, communication, and their ability to act as a single unit (in other words, social skills) to allow the knowledge of an individual to save the herd.
In humans, because we read and write, the collective body of knowledge is vast. So, a neurotypical faced with a problem consults the collective knowledge of the group, either by asking a leader, consulting google, or just doing what everyone else seems to be doing. Independent problem solving is rare, but things generally get solved.

The aspie is not a social animal. Social skills are foreign to him. Because he isn't part of the social unit, he has to figure out his own solutions. In my buffalo example, the aspie buffalo gets left behind because he doesn't know where everyone else is going. But out of necessity he learns to dig down to the water table.

Both have their advantages. Without aspies, nothing new would ever get invented. And without neurotypicals and their social structure, everyone on the planet would be inventing 6 billion variations on the wheel.

 

[Soup]

that's interesting, Smith2267! I share your belief that both NTs & Aspies are essential to humanity's well being & development. I think that us lone Aspies have discovered, in the technologies our kind have played critical roles in conceiving & creating, our own social structures we can consult allowing us to balance our solitary tendencies, our need to access the collective knowledge of 'the herd' AND share & exchange with both NTs & our own culture.

The advent & accessibility of the internet will prove to be a life altering tool for Aspies. For NTs, it is a tool enabling to do what they were already doing-only more quickly & efficiently. For Aspies, it is enabling us to do what we were never previously able to do with any meaningful efficiency. As we define, contribute to & construct our culture together, we also, for the 1st time, establish its legitimacy & right to exist outside of the realm of psychology & so-called abnormality, deficiency & defect. While there certainly are Aspies affected by mental illnesses & addictions, there are a great many NTs also affected by these same conditions. Much of the stress & anxiety Aspies experience is due to having to force ourselves, on a daily basis to function in a world whose structures, cultures & systems were designed by & for others.

As we associate & exchange more with each other, we will be better positioned to define & describe our culture, its values & advocate for its legitimacy.

 

[Christian T]

I certainly like the idea of an aspie society that still works with the neurotypical society to give the world balance.