Are We Disproportionately Whistleblowers?

[SweetHoney]

I just saw a video referring to "High Affective Empathy." And it hit me, based on my strong sense of justice and empathy for victims, I have led a very whistleblowing prone life. Are others identifying like I am with this? I beat myself up and told myself that the only time I should continue to whistleblow because in doing do has destroyed alot of opportunities and shortened valued experiences...that I should only do it if basically there is a person tied up and laying on railroad tracks when a train was coming. I thought this was all about my feelings from my childhood with codependency learning with an alcoholic father and my "moral compass of rights and wrong. Now I am understanding it differently.

 

[Cryptid]

Are we? I don't know. What I do know is that trying to directly defend myself was pointless.

It was either "Blow a Whistle" or act covertly against my detractors and enemies. Sometime both were necessary.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I just saw a video referring to "High Affective Empathy." And it hit me, based on my strong sense of justice and empathy for victims, I have led a very whistleblowing prone life. Are others identifying like I am with this?

A quick Google search revealed several articles on the topic, but to summarize, it would be the consensus, that in general, people with an ASD and/or ADHD condition are more likely to have these sensitivities.

"Many on the autism spectrum have a strong sense of social justice and high ideals. It can be a challenge for autistics to advocate for their ideals, especially when some restraint is needed." What Those Not on the Autism Spectrum Should Know: Articles: Indiana Resource Center for Autism: Indiana University Bloomington.

Justice Sensitivity Is Plaguing Autistic and ADHD Individuals—Here's What to Know.

The ADHD Company | ADHD and Justice Sensitivity

 

[Mary Terry]

I think children, NT and ND, who were abused or hurt in some way tend to develop a strong sense of justice because they were denied it as children. That's what happened to me. Most of my childhood was awful due to my father's narcissistic personality disorder and his constant gaslighting and obsession with me. He was a liar and my mother wouldn't do anything to rein him in. The unfairness of it led me to become an attorney.

As an attorney, I could and did expose liars, abusers and wrongdoers in court where they could not escape the consequences of their actions. I guess I developed an enhanced sense of justice and a determination and the education to "fix" things that are wrong, because of my childhood pain.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I'm not familiar with the term "whistleblowing" and had to look it up. Wikipedia's definition is: " the activity of a person, often an employee, revealing information about activity within a private or public organization that is deemed illegal, immoral, illicit, unsafe or fraudulent." (Whistleblowing - Wikipedia)

To be honest, I hope that we are. It's one of the things that makes me proud to be autistic. Many of us have a strong sense of justice and passionately defend it. For example, I can be vicious about animal cruelty, and if someone I knew mistreated an animal, I couldn't stay quiet. I know that that trait can lead to issues, but I find it admirable in others.

 

[Crossbreed]

Are We Disproportionately Whistleblowers?

We tend to be.
...And curve-busters!

 

[Roisin]

I seem to do this unintentionally through social consensus slip-ups and when I'm fired up about something, it is intentional.

Both I feel are are social rule related.
-I forget not to say something that a more socially minded person would never say.
-I care more about doing the ethical thing than I do about the social consequences of my actions.

 

[Mr. Stevens]

I think children, NT and ND, who were abused or hurt in some way tend to develop a strong sense of justice because they were denied it as children. That's what happened to me. Most of my childhood was awful due to my father's narcissistic personality disorder and his constant gaslighting and obsession with me. He was a liar and my mother wouldn't do anything to rein him in. The unfairness of it led me to become an attorney.

As an attorney, I could and did expose liars, abusers and wrongdoers in court where they could not escape the consequences of their actions. I guess I developed an enhanced sense of justice and a determination and the education to "fix" things that are wrong, because of my childhood pain.

Excellent post, Mary

 

[Roisin]

I think children, NT and ND, who were abused or hurt in some way tend to develop a strong sense of justice because they were denied it as children. That's what happened to me. Most of my childhood was awful due to my father's narcissistic personality disorder and his constant gaslighting and obsession with me. He was a liar and my mother wouldn't do anything to rein him in. The unfairness of it led me to become an attorney.

As an attorney, I could and did expose liars, abusers and wrongdoers in court where they could not escape the consequences of their actions. I guess I developed an enhanced sense of justice and a determination and the education to "fix" things that are wrong, because of my childhood pain.

@Mr. Stevens I was thinking the same thing!
I can relate to this sense of injustice, in short I feel that abusive childhoods interfere with the naturally developing moral sense and how cognitive dissonance can be resolved.

 

[Jonn]

Are We Disproportionately Whistleblowers?​

We seem to have a greater tendency towards valuing fair-mindedness, if you consider the autistic bell-curve mean.
I saw a survey many years ago supporting this.

 

[Jonn]

-I care more about doing the ethical thing than I do about the social consequences of my actions.

We seem to have a greater tendency towards valuing fair-mindedness ethical/honest behaviour, if you consider the autistic bell-curve mean.

It takes a toll on friendships, however, and as a consequence, it can mitigate this tendency in a personal context.

 

[Roisin]

We seem to have a greater tendency towards valuing fair-mindedness ethical/honest behaviour, if you consider the autistic bell-curve mean.

It takes a toll on friendships, however, and as a consequence, it can mitigate this tendency in a personal context.

It can be complicated by the people and the circumstances, though I prefer friendships where I dont need to alter my way of being.

 

[SweetHoney]

D

@Mr. Stevens I was thinking the same thing!
I can relate to this sense of injustice, in short I feel that abusive childhoods interfere with the naturally developing moral sense and how cognitive dissonance can be resolved.

Ditto, abused for, now I see, being autistic and not "normal".

 

[Shevek]

I've done a couple, and often agitate for whistleblowers to be given promotions and/or rewards. Unfortunately, most of society seems to be in a condition of stable mutual blackmail, and is willing to protect the big crimes of others to keep their own secrets safe. They don't even need to be shameful secrets - people protect others from the truth all the time. That's why about 80% of drivers think their abilities are above average, and women's appearance is always praised.

 

[Magna]

I don't know the answer to the topic/question, but I think it's certainly likely. In addition to the empathy and a strong sense of justice, autistics are known to generally regard rules differently than NTs generally do.

It's my own personal experience that it seems fairly common for many NTs to consider rules to be mere suggestions that can be excepted if you ask the right question or talk to the right person to circumvent the rule to their own benefit. Whereas in general, autistics assume rules are rules and we assume they're supposed to apply to everyone equally.