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What's your autism "elevator pitch"?

Nervous Rex

High-functioning autistic
V.I.P Member
Because I don't think verbally on-the-fly very well, I like to have short, precise answers to anticipated questions prepared in advance. They are kind of like elevator pitches - a succinct sales pitch that could be delivered while riding the elevator with someone.

It hasn't come up yet (because I am trying to be reserved about who I tell), but I want an answer for "Oh, you're autistic ... what does that mean?"

Here's my first draft answer:

"It means that my brain is wired differently. I am good at some things that most people aren't - like math - and terrible at others things that everyone else does naturally - like social interactions and relationships."

Does anyone else have a canned answer for questions like this? If you have an autism elevator pitch, I'd love to hear it.
 
Because I don't think verbally on-the-fly very well

Me neither. With this audience, take a number! :p

Then factor in difficulties in spontaneous exchanges in real time. And if that isn't enough, factor in that for every ten words a Neurotypical might use to elaborate on something, the likelihood of your using no less than fifty.

All kidding aside, I honestly don't think any of those considerations matter. Because of the fundamental inability of one person to instantly comprehend the thought process of another. In the simplest sense, IMO it's asking too much of anyone to figure this particular equation "on the fly". ;)
 
"Oh, you're autistic ... what does that mean?"

So far, in real life with people I know well: ^ ͟ʖ^

"No, not like rain man."
"How much do you know about neurology?"
"How much time do you have?"
"Do you want a synopsis?"
"There's no quick answer to that."
 
A few times I've said something like that. "My brain is wired differently, for example the left and right hemispheres are more than usually separated. So I can reason with relatively little interference from emotions, but I can't really reason with emotions, that doesn't even make sense to me. I can't read emotions consistently and others can't read mine consistently either, but some people think they can. That can get me into trouble sometimes."

Still something I'm working on. I think what should be my main goal is to get across how the problem manifests itself so that the person can help avoid the problem with me, and to get them to see that it's part of a feature that is both good and bad (given that I have to get along with NTs, but don't mention that!) and it's NOT that I don't have emotions, or that they are essentially different emotions from what NTs experience.

I'm assuming that once the subject is broached our purpose is to avoid the problems that it may cause, otherwise why bring it up? Of course different people will have different concerns and will require different canned responses.

I was so curious as to how your metaphorical aircraft and tail surfaces would apply to autism; although I appreciate the thread's intent I am slightly disappointed to not find such a metaphor. Aircraft are cool. Metaphors, too.
 
This is why I created this thread. That answer never would have occurred to me.

It's why I categorize non-autistic people in three tiers:

* Those who want to understand and succeed
* Those who want to understand and fail
* The vast majority who are indifferent and default to a sense that it is we who must conform to their thought processes

Even under the best circumstances and outcome that it is likely a time-consuming process. In my own case learning that I am on the spectrum of autism took a long time as well. A long "journey" of sorts.

So from my own perspective there are simply no "quick fixes" when it comes to explaining autism in a meaningful and understandable way.

-But I wish there were. ;)
 
I think what should be my main goal is to get across how the problem manifests itself so that the person can help avoid the problem with me...

Actually, this makes me think that I should have different answers based on context.

If we're talking about how I do my work, it'll be "I'm better at these things, and I don't task-switch well."

If we're talking about emotions, it's "my emotions are much more muted and difficult even for me to discern sometimes."

If we're talking about images/text/faces, it's "I do text really well, but I have no visual memory and a really difficult time with faces."

If we're talking about socializing, it's, "I do best with one-on-one interactions. Large groups either stress me out or drain me."

Breaking it up by context means that I don't have to try to cram everything about autism or about me into one short answer, which is impossible.
 
"How much time do you have?"

For other topics (math, programming, and other boring things), I've often told people, "It will take [5,10,...] minutes to explain that." Then I wait to see if they express interest in hearing more. They never do. Afterward, I am a) glad that I gave them an easy way out, and b) sad that nobody wants to hear me monologue about my favorite things.
 
I've always said that you can't say disability without using the word ability. I also think people should focus more on what we can do than what we can't do.
 
Then I think of my NT brother, who in a three hour conversation not only figured "it" out, but he figured me out as well, relative to my autism. Very cool. :cool:

While my cousin, with some 20 years of medical knowledge in the health insurance industry either doesn't understand, or doesn't want to understand. Yet after many hours of discussion it's more or less a taboo subject I no longer attempt to bring up any more. :(

Yet another consideration of my own perspective of what makes this a daunting proposition at the very least. Perhaps a "cornerstone" of my "need-to-know" basis only regarding discussing one's autism.

That if they really don't need to know, don't even think about going there.
 
"I'm neurologically disabled."

That usually suffices. Often NT's will interpret that as mental illness, and they'll say "hey, you're not crazy!" Then I respond that that's what the medication is for. That usually ends the discussion.
 
I don't, because as a rule I do not tell anyone besides family and with those I played it by ear. The response would also I think depend upon the person's existing knowledge level autism. My sister for instance has a son with it, and my inlaws a brother, so they already have a good ammount of understanding/experience.

If people suspect, thats fine. They will not know, and I think it better to keep it an open question then be tied to a negative label/stereotype many have.
 
"It means, Amazingly Unique. Totally Interesting. Sometimes Magnificent. Can you tell your friends and family to please spread the word, as this acronym has been around awhile now and you NTs still are not listening."
 
"How much do you know about neurology?"
"How much time do you have?"
"Do you want a synopsis?"
"There's no quick answer to that."

Accurate.

If we're talking about how I do my work, it'll be "I'm better at these things, and I don't task-switch well."

A weird combination of intense focus and scatterbrains. I'm intensely focused on something until it's done, then I can't get my focus back.

If we're talking about emotions, it's "my emotions are much more muted and difficult even for me to discern sometimes."

I have no idea what I'm feeling most of the time, although I can generally tell "good" and "bad" if they are particularly intense emotions.

If we're talking about images/text/faces, it's "I do text really well, but I have no visual memory and a really difficult time with faces."

I'm in the bottom half a percent for facial recognition. Can't recognize celebrities, even if they're super famous. I can usually tell what race or gender someone is, but not always.

If we're talking about socializing, it's, "I do best with one-on-one interactions. Large groups either stress me out or drain me."

Even one-on-one interactions drain me. I'm definitely an introvert.

I don't, because as a rule I do not tell anyone besides family and with those I played it by ear.

I was diagnosed young, before I was verbal, so I didn't have to tell my family. When it's strangers, usually they will notice I'm autistic and ask me about it.

Amazingly Unique. Totally Interesting. Sometimes Magnificent

I like:
As Usual, This Is Sometimes Mystifying

Or:
Accurately Understanding This Is Seldom Managed

:D
 
Because I don't think verbally on-the-fly very well, I like to have short, precise answers to anticipated questions prepared in advance. They are kind of like elevator pitches - a succinct sales pitch that could be delivered while riding the elevator with someone.

It hasn't come up yet (because I am trying to be reserved about who I tell), but I want an answer for "Oh, you're autistic ... what does that mean?"

Here's my first draft answer:

"It means that my brain is wired differently. I am good at some things that most people aren't - like math - and terrible at others things that everyone else does naturally - like social interactions and relationships."

Does anyone else have a canned answer for questions like this? If you have an autism elevator pitch, I'd love to hear it.
Actually, this makes me think that I should have different answers based on context.

If we're talking about how I do my work, it'll be "I'm better at these things, and I don't task-switch well."

If we're talking about emotions, it's "my emotions are much more muted and difficult even for me to discern sometimes."

If we're talking about images/text/faces, it's "I do text really well, but I have no visual memory and a really difficult time with faces."

If we're talking about socializing, it's, "I do best with one-on-one interactions. Large groups either stress me out or drain me."

Breaking it up by context means that I don't have to try to cram everything about autism or about me into one short answer, which is impossible.

I think for the general public at large inquisitiveness, I’d just say, “It means i’m a super genius at some things and not so hot at others.”

I’m generally an average person and dont want them prejudging me to the retarded or idiot category which superficial NT’s or any human is inclined to do. The only other specific info anyone would get is just to work toward clarification to be able to collaborate together.

But I doubt i’d really tell anyone I think I may be autistic except a close few. Sometimes I joke about the online test. People don't take me serious because they think things like that are flawed anyway and most people have a quirk here and there. None of my friends think I am. But when they describe others they met with it it seems their description is way different than what I experience. But then, I do everything within my power to appear as NT a super possible because I didnt even know the word aspergers till a couple years ago and all these years I’ve just been trying to keep up. I wish aspergers did not involve so much hard work!
 
I think for the general public at large inquisitiveness, I’d just say, “It means i’m a super genius at some things and not so hot at others.”

Except that most of us are not at the super genius level at anything.

I have absolute pitch and an eidetic memory. Most autistic people don't have these abilities, but they are far more common in autistics than in the general population. Also, although being able to read from a sheet of paper I'm no longer looking at is a cool party trick, it doesn't put me in the "super genius" category.

I can also see music and hear color, but nobody believes me when I say that.

I do often say that I'm far more impaired than I look. If IQ was measured on a purely social level, I would be unaware I was being tested.
 
Except that most of us are not at the super genius level at anything.
Neither am I a genius, but do NT’s need to know? Helps to even the score on the ruler they go around measuring individuals with that they like to label as stupid, retarded, or slow, none of which most of us are either. When in doubt baffle them with BS.
 
why bother telling someone unless they need to know or you believe they would understand?
I had a lady who though I was a little different and
i get weird responses from people at times. So I did ask my best friends who I know care about me but they didn’t think I’m aspie to start with. But I’m not sure they are educated on the subject. I’m assuming and hoping they understand.
 
I had a lady who though I was a little different and
i get weird responses from people at times. So I did ask my best friends who I know care about me but they didn’t think I’m aspie to start with. But I’m not sure they are educated on the subject. I’m assuming and hoping they understand.

Best friends is okay. I was thinking more like general public.
 

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