Why does society view autistic people as mentally incompetent?

[Jonn]

I need to stop how they say 'doomscrolling' in youtube, so many negative stuff.

I just skip over the crap as soon as I encounter any relevant keywords.
Personal power at work here.

 

[NB79]

I just skip over the crap as soon as I encounter any relevant keywords.
Personal power at work here.

But the headlines are enough to disturb me sometimes

 

[Jonn]

But the headlines are enough to disturb me sometimes

"If thine eye offends thee, pluck it out."

 

[thejuice]

Yeah why don’t some understand is therefore I am bullied for being autistic?

Tormentors understanding autism would likely make it worse. Without empathy there is no bullying, you need to understand what hurts someone to target that weakness.

 

[Jonn]

Tormentors understanding autism would likely make it worse. Without empathy there is no bullying, you need to understand what hurts someone to target that weakness.

Trolls always run away from me. lol
I never give them the emotional response that they want.

 

[thejuice]

You can be a saint, as autistic and people would still says things about you based on their 'alarms' in their social sense.

Yes and studies show that the alarm is triggered by neurological difference, not antisocial personality. Antisocial personalities are attractive as they mimic confidence and competence. They have an uncanny ability to climb the greasy pole, they do an outsized amount of damage in relation to their actual number.

As you probably know, being a saint might actually get you more bullied. If you're not conforming to the unwritten code of dishonesty in a particular group, it holds a mirror up to everyone else, and they dont like the reflection. In extreme cases, say in a whistleblower situation, it can be deadly.

 

[thejuice]

Why is that?

My thoughts:
1) Unfortunately as a tribal, social animal, difference is like a big neon sign saying 'Bully Me'. 'Do not trust this person.' The bullies bond and reinforce their status as 'in' and not 'out', increasing feelings of safety
2) if you are the one bullying, you are not the one being bullied
3) Staying neutral might be interpreted as being silently judgemental of the bully so its safer to side with the strong

 

[Judge]

Why is that?

Sadly some humans have predatory instincts and easily act upon them. Others have more self control in comparison. Something I have observed over the years from public school to places of work. It's why in the absence of really knowing someone or a group of people why it can be necessary to keep your autism to yourself.

To be highly selective over who you decide to tell to limit the harm some may exhibit towards you..

 

[arithmetic]

I need to stop how they say 'doomscrolling' in youtube, so many negative stuff.

I think YouTube is the most awful ****.
Why not just get away from it

 

[NB79]

I think YouTube is the most awful ****.
Why not just get away from it

I have found interesting things, there of everything in there.

 

[Jonn]

Why is that?

Psychologically speaking, some are inclined to bully.
"Nature of the beast."

FYI:
Generally speaking, those on the spectrum tend to sympathise with the underdog rather than having a desire to bully.

Do autistic people bully less?​

In general, autistic people are less likely to bully others intentionally, but they are more likely to be bullied.

This comes from multiple studies showing that autistic individuals often:

• have high empathy in a deep, cognitive way, even if they struggle with reading social cues
• dislike social power games
• prefer fairness, predictability, and honesty
• avoid behaviours that feel manipulative or socially aggressive

These traits don’t lend themselves to bullying.

The payoff with bullying is usually a chemical reaction in the brain.

1. The brain can “reward” aggressive behaviour​

When someone acts aggressively or asserts dominance, the brain may release dopamine, the neurotransmitter linked to reward and pleasure.

For some individuals:

• dominating someone
• getting a reaction
• feeling powerful

can trigger a small dopamine boost. This can make the behaviour feel reinforcing, even if it’s harmful.

 

[NB79]

Psychologically speaking, some are inclined to bully.
"Nature of the beast."

FYI:
Generally speaking, those on the spectrum tend to sympathise with the underdog rather than having a desire to bully.


The payoff with bullying is usually a chemical reaction in the brain.

A good intended person, does not feel gratification when mistreating others, it may feel pain or regret.

 

[Jonn]

Your best bet under the circumstances is to use such experiences to come to one conclusion. One I have posted many times in this forum over the years:

Keep your autism on a need-to-know basis only. Let people accept you as you are, but without any neurological explanations on your part. You don't owe anyone anything in this regard.

Hang in there...

For most, this might be the best advice.
For me personally, I never hid who (or what lol) I am.
I enjoyed being different.

 

[Crossbreed]

FYI:
Generally speaking, those on the spectrum tend to sympathise with the underdog rather than having a desire to bully.

I need to split hairs on this one.

1. An "underdog" is the lesser-powered of two deliberate opponents.
2. An "unjust victim" is someone who is deliberately harmed through no fault of their own.

An unjust victim is always "right."
Being an underdog does not automatically validate one's position.

 

[arithmetic]

I only recently discovered that I'm autistic, although I'm nearly an old man.
People have poked fun at me all my life but not many people think I'm stupid. They certainly don't think that way for long if they try to get one over me anyway

Yet it is as though I newly see myself from another's point of view; at last I understand.
People of a certain mentality poke fun at others simply because they are different - not the same as themselves. That's because those careless fun pokers are themselves not very bright... and all they're looking for in a term of abuse is that it should hurt the one it is flung at.
Some people get fun out of hating others.

Some people call others "stupid" and many other nasty things - not because they really think the ones they hate are stupid but because they hate them.
Then, the same people believe their own term of abuse - and challenge the one they're abusing.
By this stage we are talking about stupid, abusive cowardly behaviour.
Why hate autistic people? Because they're powerless... it's so easy. Some people think that hating is fun. Wow, but true.

I'm better off to let the people know, now that I can explain that I'm autistic... now I can explain why I sometimes seem rude although I'm so compassionate and such a good healer; explain why I'm never easy with a crowd of people around the table. Autism explains the social difficulties that so easily arise with me, and my people deserve the explanation.

 

[the_tortoise]

Tormentors understanding autism would likely make it worse. Without empathy there is no bullying, you need to understand what hurts someone to target that weakness.

Empathy without sympathy or compassion can be a very dangerous thing...

(Sympathy/compassion can be emotional or intellectual - not everyone viscerally feels such things but many who do not viscerally feel them still value them in a rational/intellectual and ethical way)

 

[Steelbookcollector217]

yeah reminds me of a black autistic guy i'm in contact with, i can't help but feel sorry for him, i know he is more severe than i am, special needs person no doubt, him being born premature as a baby also i'm sure no doubt contributed to his overall being as a person.

 

[dancerxoxo123]

yeah reminds me of a black autistic guy i'm in contact with, i can't help but feel sorry for him, i know he is more severe than i am, special needs person no doubt, him being born premature as a baby also i'm sure no doubt contributed to his overall being as a person.

How so? What happened with him?

 

[Steelbookcollector217]

How so? What happened with him?

well when i have interacted with him, i have noticed he has mental and cognitive difficulties, slow when it comes to understanding what people are saying or doesn't know the meaning of lots of words, also, this bad experience happend to him when he was in college and likely it was due to his poor understanding of how to socialize and connect with people, poor social skills, he told me that a girl filed a restraining order on him and he was expelled from the college and everyone at the college labeled him a stalker.

Since i was not there and did not witness that incident, that means i can't really judge or say what he did wrong and plus i'm not a social expert either.