Aside from the ridiculousness where people claim "I do that" one can actually wonder what causes an increase in people on the spectrum in general. Evergrowing demands society has would be a good starting point. Where the focus lies on being a team player, etc. Still that doesn't mean everyone who has the slightest signs of "I do that as well" to be on the spectrum. There's a broad variety of factors.
That being said; whilst I"m not from the UK, I am diagnosed as an adult and according to a few psychologists, my diagnosis was a valid explanation why my life turned out the way it was. And if anything, in this day and age, we want an explanation to dump these "responsibilities".
I always find it baffling to hear from people that claim AS, but have no actual medical records to back it up, that they're thinking getting diagnosed is easy and you just have to meet a few basic requirements. I know for one, that for my diagnosis, there actually was an interview with my parents to see how I held up as a child, since that's important as well. I also think that because information is so easily avaiable; you can find the criteria according to the DSM on wikipedia, people are more inclined to fit a certain disorder easily, since it comes down to (over)acting a lot more.
The problem in general with mental disorders as such still remains that you can't see it and even experts have, in a lot of cases, just have to take your word on it (and use that information with test results). You can't x-ray most disorders like that; though looking at that video with Temple Grandin a while ago, apparently the autistic brain can be seen from scans. Perhaps that's the next thing they should do... it would surely put all these people that claim they're a bit weird and therefore have AS in their place... unless they're really stubborn, but by then it's like claiming you have a broken leg, while an x-ray shows no fractures what so ever. That kind of ignorance is better ignored
