Are Aspies and NTs natural opposites?

[Wireless]

I apologize for generalizing and some stereotyping in this post.
When looking at most lists of Aspie traits and NT traits it seems that these two neurological groups have complimentary traits. For example:
Aspies focus on detail, NTs see the whole picture.
Aspies excel at logic and systematizing, while NTs excel at "social logic"
There may be more examples, but at the moment the two examples above are the most obvious to me.

What do you think about this?
Thanks.

 

[SameStars]

I think that Autism is a spectrum, and that some NTs could very well recognize them in some of the Aspie symptoms, just as persons with ASD can have traits that resemble neurotypical ones. The severity and hindrance of those traits in daily life are what make the difference in the end.

 

[Lena_C]

I think most of us aspies are perfectionist
We focus on detail becoz we want to make the "whole picture" much more better
but, personally, I can not only focus on detail ,but also see the whole picture
just depends on what I want at that moment

 

[King_Oni]

I'm a bit on the same page as SameStars. It's a spectrum and NT's might very well find some ASD qualities and vice versa.

However, to make matters more complicated; The implication that it's either this or that, and thus each group excels in something... it doesn't really sit well with me. There are probably some things I, as an aspie fail in in terms of ASD traits, but I might not pass the "NT-test" either.

I suppose it falls in line with the idea of "I don't know where you fit in, but for lack of a better understanding, I'll clump you in with this group"... which on some areas was a topic of discussion during my diagnosis.

I often read how aspies, while they're not being overly drawn towards other people, tend to like and enjoy the company of animals more. I don't like animals, and I'm not particularly fond of people either. And that's where this "if it's not X, then it must be Y" idea goes on and on. (and I know that preference for either one isn't conclusive, but still... if we're looking at traits/stereotypes, in a perhaps, exaggerated fashion, I might just as well mention it).

 

[Suzanne]

I'm a bit on the same page as SameStars. It's a spectrum and NT's might very well find some ASD qualities and vice versa.

However, to make matters more complicated; The implication that it's either this or that, and thus each group excels in something... it doesn't really sit well with me. There are probably some things I, as an aspie fail in in terms of ASD traits, but I might not pass the "NT-test" either.

I suppose it falls in line with the idea of "I don't know where you fit in, but for lack of a better understanding, I'll clump you in with this group"... which on some areas was a topic of discussion during my diagnosis.

I often read how aspies, while they're not being overly drawn towards other people, tend to like and enjoy the company of animals more. I don't like animals, and I'm not particularly fond of people either. And that's where this "if it's not X, then it must be Y" idea goes on and on. (and I know that preference for either one isn't conclusive, but still... if we're looking at traits/stereotypes, in a perhaps, exaggerated fashion, I might just as well mention it).

I am not an animal love either, King_Oni; I do not hate them and the ones we have ( because my husband is the animal lover), I can enjoy them for a short while but they tend to bore me quickly and I hate the mess. I am like some people but those who are open and funny and kind!

 

[Suzanne]

I am married to an nt and we see marked differences in each other, which makes open communication very difficult.

My best friend is an aspie ( discovered this recently) and strangely enough, it was on finding out that we fell out a couple of times and I recognised we were being very aspie like and was able to get passed; for when you live with an nt, you learn things; I still misunderstand my husband but to be fair and honest, even nt's are not sure when he is teasing or serious and have to ask me and because I know him, I say: he is teasing; but still occasionally he has to say: hey I was teasing.

I am terribly ignorant here because I have no idea what "getting the bigger picture" means? I know that my husband has complained that he needs to say every thing in one go, for me to understand and said it is quite impossible and so, I do try to wait out, but also say that if he did not start his sentence with a negative comment, I would wait it out!

Also I do not have a monotone voice and have a very expressive face, but can go into stare mode pretty easily and thus, need to shake myself out of it.

It is when ones get to know me, they see aspie traits in me.

 

[King_Oni]

I am not an animal love either, King_Oni; I do not hate them and the ones we have ( because my husband is the animal lover), I can enjoy them for a short while but they tend to bore me quickly and I hate the mess. I am like some people but those who are open and funny and kind!

Yeah, I don't hate animals, I'm just not one to have pets or anything. I mean, my friend has a cat and I don't try to scare her away whenever she comes closer (despite my allergy).

 

[King_Oni]

I am terribly ignorant here because I have no idea what "getting the bigger picture" means?

Getting the bigger picture; as in understanding the actual thing that's going on, rather than focusing on a minor detail. I suppose an example would be to understand a character in a book. Being able to read between the lines, and see and understand intentions. Aspies in general focus a lot more on little specifics, little details and miss what someone is about in that regard.

I remember a test I had during my assessment where they showed me an actual illustration. It had all kinds of things happening and the question was "what's going on here?". The first thing I commented on is that the perspective of the drawing was terrible (since I'm a bit of an illustrator myself) and thus critized the medium. As it turns out, what I should've pointed out was the car crash and emergency services helping the victims on the image.

When I was told what I should've seen here, I went on the debate that the assumptions of all kinds of "clues" that should give away what was going on are faulty and no one should just assume that because for example, an old man, stands in front of a dented old car, it was his... however, this is something that apparently most NT's will see and assume, or so I was told.

That's how I tend to focus on details and miss the bigger picture. And my example is quite literal at that

 

[Ylva]

Yeah, I don't hate animals, I'm just not one to have pets or anything. I mean, my friend has a cat and I don't try to scare her away whenever she comes closer (despite my allergy).

That sounds quite loving. Most allergic people would shoo her away. So for someone who is allergic, you are an animal person.

Getting the bigger picture; as in understanding the actual thing that's going on, rather than focusing on a minor detail. I suppose an example would be to understand a character in a book. Being able to read between the lines, and see and understand intentions. Aspies in general focus a lot more on little specifics, little details and miss what someone is about in that regard.

I remember a test I had during my assessment where they showed me an actual illustration. It had all kinds of things happening and the question was "what's going on here?". The first thing I commented on is that the perspective of the drawing was terrible (since I'm a bit of an illustrator myself) and thus critized the medium. As it turns out, what I should've pointed out was the car crash and emergency services helping the victims on the image.

When I was told what I should've seen here, I went on the debate that the assumptions of all kinds of "clues" that should give away what was going on are faulty and no one should just assume that because for example, an old man, stands in front of a dented old car, it was his... however, this is something that apparently most NT's will see and assume, or so I was told.

That's how I tend to focus on details and miss the bigger picture. And my example is quite literal at that

Mostly, during emergiencies, there is screaming and howling to alert you to it; unless it pertains to an autistic, then I suppose eerie silence would be the first clue…

Well, when I read that story, I just thought, "how was that scenario not just another detail in the picture?".

It must be nice to have automatic filters.

When I start reading a book or watching a movie, all the information about the characters and sceneries are just disjointed factoids to me, like what I probably sound like to NTs when I talk. Given more processing time and context, a "picture" unfolds, but it only feels like I'm reading or watching the middle and the end.

 

[Datura]

NTs and aspies probably seem like opposites because they are often defined in terms of contrasting characteristics. It is much like how people might consider dogs and cats to be opposites, despite there being more similarities between the two than differences.

 

[Progster]

It's a shame we can't see the picture that King_Oni describes above. If I saw such a picture, and it was obviously badly drawn, I'd have picked up on that first. But when I look at a picture I tend to home in on one detail and elaborate on it a lot and miss the general theme, for example, if I saw a man next to a car, I'd say "there's a man next to a car, he is wearing x clothing" He is looking at it. The car is x colour, it is old. It's dented and broken. The windscreen is smashed. There's an ambulance next to it..." etc, etc. I'd do exactly what I was told to do, describe what is going on. I suspect that most NTs would focus more on the emotional aspect of the picture and the horror of the accident rather than the details of the picture.

 

[Judge]

I'd be reticent to use such terms like a "natural opposite" when one of the groups of people being compared is neurologically defined based on a spectrum of traits and behaviors.

Some of us may indeed be quite the opposite of NTs in many ways, while others only in degrees.

 

[Ste11aeres]

NTs and aspies probably seem like opposites because they are often defined in terms of contrasting characteristics. It is much like how people might consider dogs and cats to be opposites, despite there being more similarities between the two than differences.

Yes. As human beings, we have more in common than we have differences. But when people talk about Aspieness, they talk about what distinguishes it from Nt-ness. and vice versa. Without emphasizing those differences, we'd just be talking about human-ness. Which is also worth talking about in its own right.

 

[AsheSkyler]

Aye, that's what I think. Some of our stuff may be like night and day, but like night and day they compliment each other well. And indeed, we still have a lot in common. The allistic one can go out and find the customers, charm them, and win them over, the Aspie can perform all the technical stuff with surgical precision, and then the two can celebrate closing the deal and finishing the job together with pizza.

 

[Wireless]

Thanks for all of your awesome replies!
I didn't phrase my post very well, but I meant to ask why NTs and Aspies defined as being opposite because it's obviously not so clear cut. Your answers answered that...I apologize for poor wording in my sentences...

 

[Wireless]

Aye, that's what I think. Some of our stuff may be like night and day, but like night and day they compliment each other well. And indeed, we still have a lot in common. The allistic one can go out and find the customers, charm them, and win them over, the Aspie can perform all the technical stuff with surgical precision, and then the two can celebrate closing the deal and finishing the job together with pizza.

Will there be ice cream too?

 

[DonRojo]

I apologize for generalizing and some stereotyping in this post.
When looking at most lists of Aspie traits and NT traits it seems that these two neurological groups have complimentary traits. For example:
Aspies focus on detail, NTs see the whole picture.
Aspies excel at logic and systematizing, while NTs excel at "social logic"
There may be more examples, but at the moment the two examples above are the most obvious to me.

What do you think about this?
Thanks.

You are wrong. You are very very wrong. Not necassery about what you wanted to talk. aBut you set the wrong assumptions. That might get the wrong negative reaction that might explain some of the reactions. You used to way logical. Aspie vs NT. Us vs them. Why would them be one group. There are no other mental different groups. Why would the NT be everything and all. Yes you and I are aspie. That is our focus. But misdiagnosis teached me, there others in the same situation. There are many groups. Really if you want to ask that philosophical question, it seems to be better to ask, minority vs majority. But how ironic, all minorities togher seembigger than the minority. I heard this topic before. So not to judge, but to learn. How did they answered that? About your real question, i leave that up to the others. That doesnt need a philosper, and i am procastrinating.

 

[Wireless]

You are wrong. You are very very wrong. Not necassery about what you wanted to talk. aBut you set the wrong assumptions. That might get the wrong negative reaction that might explain some of the reactions. You used to way logical. Aspie vs NT. Us vs them. Why would them be one group. There are no other mental different groups. Why would the NT be everything and all. Yes you and I are aspie. That is our focus. But misdiagnosis teached me, there others in the same situation. There are many groups. Really if you want to ask that philosophical question, it seems to be better to ask, minority vs majority. But how ironic, all minorities togher seembigger than the minority. I heard this topic before. So not to judge, but to learn. How did they answered that? About your real question, i leave that up to the others. That doesnt need a philosper, and i am procastrinating.

I take your point. I didn't mean to pose an Us vs Them attitude. I apologize for that.

 

[DonRojo]

I take your point. I didn't mean to pose an Us vs Them attitude. I apologize for that.

I love it that you apologize. Very proud of that, since your aspie. But I am on your side . I have seen movies scenes like that, I remember.. I kade you look bad, but more as a 'lawyer' that is defemding you. . I know what you are trying to say, but this little confusion tend to make people disagree for the wrong reason. Though if you take it a bit further, not all ASD people are the same either. But still, without testing it, but thinking about it, yeah lot of it makes. Maybe not opposites, but definitely different. You know whom i worry about using without admitting the word opposite. The majority, the ruling part, the NTs! I mean that is how I(sic) feel I am threated. I am not a danger, but somehow I feel treated as if I am somekind of treat. But deep down I just want to contribute my difference to the whole. But they take one 'look' and go, nah we don't like you, you are not one of us. The chance they gave me was our way or no way. That is not a chance, that is trying to control me, or something different. Luckily, not all NTs are the same.

 

[Wireless]

I need to apologize again...I am NT. It's in my signature, but doesn't stand out much.
Still I feel complimented at being called aspie because of the good things it means The world needs aspies.
Anyway, sorry for being unintentionally misleading. I'm grateful for your insightful posts.