Spotting The Aspie in Social Media -- THOUGHTS?

[Jordan]

Inspired by this thread:
https://www.aspiescentral.com/threa...evere-aspie-stare-as-a-kid.13132/#post-250752

Few posts down, me and Moccu had a discussion (Page 1, scroll down) about social media and self-image. I'm moving it to this thread so you can discuss it and that the inspired thread doesn't go Off-Topic. Vent away what you think here!

There was a discussion in this thread and it touched on the subject of Aspies in social media. This discussed whether we aspies would pretend on purpose and act out an online persona to make people believe that you aren't an aspie!

What are your opinions on the subject? I'm really curious to find out if aspies tend to have online personas and hide your true aspie-self through photos, images, gaming streams, etc, so that people don't find out you have Aspergers and judge you for it.

 

[King_Oni]

I guess I have a bigger issue with the fact that people actually judge you on it, rather than the notion that you might hide it.

Granted, I don't yell "I'm an aspie" on social media. It's not something that's relevant for those whom I interact with on social media. I guess, just being here, says something about me being on the spectrum and that's where I discuss it.

I have no interest to hide it specifically, hence I don't do pictures for different social media I'm on. The pictures that end on, say.. Facebook, are the same ones that go on here.

I guess in my life I made it a thing to be "myself" and with that comes someone who might be blunt, has no interest to interact a lot with others and might have a bit of a stare in his pictures... but then again, I don't even do anything special in terms of being online... weird as it might sound, I tend to have just one mode, rather than a diversity of different roles I play (which means I'm the same with friends, be it online or offline, or even if I'm out in a store or at a job).

 

[Jordan]

I guess I have a bigger issue with the fact that people actually judge you on it, rather than the notion that you might hide it.

Granted, I don't yell "I'm an aspie" on social media. It's not something that's relevant for those whom I interact with on social media. I guess, just being here, says something about me being on the spectrum and that's where I discuss it.

I have no interest to hide it specifically, hence I don't do pictures for different social media I'm on. The pictures that end on, say.. Facebook, are the same ones that go on here.

I guess in my life I made it a thing to be "myself" and with that comes someone who might be blunt, has no interest to interact a lot with others and might have a bit of a stare in his pictures... but then again, I don't even do anything special in terms of being online... weird as it might sound, I tend to have just one mode, rather than a diversity of different roles I play (which means I'm the same with friends, be it online or offline, or even if I'm out in a store or at a job).

Well for me I've got a pretty big following on Twitter. If I'm doing something, or tweeting out something, then you are going to get judged and ridiculed in media anyway. --- But what I'm trying to discuss is if you did do social media as I do it to help my Aspergers, what would you do? --- I have an online persona, but I tend to be really quiet if I'm doing a little 30 minute stream on Twitch. (Twitch is used to help me out socially)

Twitch(Gaming streams) would drain me, and that's on video too --- People see that I'm a bit distant from camera and start questioning the whole "Why do you look shy?", "Please smile", "Why do you look so tired" etc, / And this causes the thoughts that I have to go into overload because I'm now thinking they are shunning me for my aspergers, (when they aren't, I just think they are), so I can quickly turn to online persona mode, and I would be pretty energetic for a short period of time and get completely drained.

Though the discussion here is about whether you would create that online persona if you was one with the crowd of social media fans to hide aspergers? As you don't want people knowing, unless you went back out of that persona and you're true aspie-self would show. -- Also I don't yell "I'm an aspie" on Twitter either, I'm quite controlled with that. There are friends on Twitter that know me really well, so those would be the only people that I would say about it to, if I had problems. And they would message me personally in a PM about it. And normally, they are long-term friends I've had for years.

Good stuff though King_Oni!

EDIT: I do know a lot of people on Twitter/Twitch that have Aspergers too. They have the complete same views as me and they don't publicly announce it either. So it's pretty common for aspies to use Twitter and Twitch as a platform to help out social skills, and still be quite "online persona" about it. --- They actually noticed it, and messaged me about it, saying they have aspergers / autism too. (in private conversation after a while of knowing each other well)

 

[King_Oni]

It's not like I don't have a clue about being "public", in a different way though, but I've been a bit of a familiar face in the local music scene in the past. You're more on top of it there I guess, since there's no 30 minute stream that drains... it means you actually end up at clubs and venues for the entire evening until the late hours (sometimes just because you're hanging out because you're good friends with another band that is playing). Not that streaming can't be exhausting though.

But I kinda resolved that in the way I described earlier. To some people I'm probably a rude a-hole, to some I'm totally weird and to others... I'm quite fascinating to talk to. What probably helps is that I never did it to please others, which might be different on Twitch or Twitter, where you garner a following by being nice, fun and friendly and most likely not for being yourself (unless it appeals to many people). In a way, online streaming, for some is the ultimate enabler for a facade, for fake behaviour. Great if it works for you, it just wouldn't be me. But hey... people often think I'm weird without me having said anything or whatever, my appearance usually does some of the talking already, lol. Perhaps that's a standard I unconsciously hold up.

As for people ridiculing you... I think I've lost my shame years ago, hence I don't really care about whatever anyone says anymore. Sure, people can find things that trigger you in a way, but I have my thoughts about individuals who actively try to find that one button... there's a special place in hell for them, lol. Ridiculing and bullying in a way is what you make of it and how thick your skin in; If I were to get upset every time I hear someone post something negatively about aspies... quite sure I'd be perptually enraged.

 

[Jordan]

I'm true to myself over streaming. I just have an online persona if you will like, my real personality shows in streaming; where I am weird, but funny and nice to people that join. But it'd only be a really short stream because of the fact I wouldn't be able to stay on there for more than 30 minutes.

My attention span is like a goldfish... So even if I planned out a stream, and it was the most thought out stream with thought out layouts, then it would still be about 15 minutes before I start to give up and leave.

As for ridiculing, I don't really care for what people actually say to me, it's the actions they take. But really, venting to you now about this issue is actually awesome and I thank you for the support King_Oni. My condolences go out to anyone that gets bullied and ridiculed!

Thanks for the response. I guess we could continue on why Aspies do this type of persona, but it'd be a long debate and much ado about nothing, people wouldn't agree and I can't say any more on this matter.

Everyone feel free to continue the discussion! It's an interesting little topic and I'd be interested if you have the same experiences. Thank you.

 

[AsheSkyler]

I don't really hide it but I'm not open about it either. I get judged harshly by plenty of other things so people don't notice if I have some autistic traits.