Are we vital to society?

[Greatshield17]

Several people have said it, even Hans Asperger, though he also said something along the lines of “though unfortunately, the ills outweigh the benefits,” whatever that means.

Is our existence important for society’s wellbeing? I do not doubt that we can contribute a lot to society, and probably even more if we were treated better by society; but I also believe that NTs can be incredibly talented and gifted, even if such talent is rare, so I hesitate to believe that society would collapse or become dysfunctional without us. I also of course realize that NTs can often put unrealistic expectations on us, expect us to be super-smart and the like.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Gerontius]

I think that every human life is important in society and that society should exist to serve the people, especially families, rather than the other way round where we can all be cogs in a machine.

Autistic people are here, and here to stay. We're responsible for a lot of modern progress, technologically and culturally and in many other ways as well.

I hesitate to use terms like "vital to society" but we do sure help move it along!

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

I have rarely thought about that. If I ruminate on it, I recognize that ASD is part of a spectrum of human cognition, and were ASD truly maladapted for fitness, including cultural innovation, those genes would have been removed from the population unless they provided a positive benefit within the population as a whole. So, without the genes that have made us, it is likely that human cognition would not have developed. We are those which chance bestowed multiple ASD related genes, and tipped us to one end of the cognition spectrum.

 

[Unclewolverine]

Although we may not be vital per se, since a lot of achievements in very narrow areas of expertise come from aspies I would say that we may be vital to the advancement of civilization.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Many of the great thinkers of the past have been neurodiverse. You read stories about the reclusive scientists and ascetic monks who spent years obsessively poring over knowledge, infodumping into great tomes, enlightening and carrying civilization into the future. They were imprisoned as lunatics, or even burned as witches. All of society owes them a great debt.

 

[Sherlock77]

I believe everyone is vital in their own way, we need everything from astrophysicists to automotive mechanics

Each person plays a role in the story of humanity, despite the chaos that seems to rampant, most are humble participants, a few people become famous along the way but not very many, but each person contributes something

 

[Aspychata]

Of course l am always riding the opposite wave asking is society vital to us? That in it self might answer the first question. What is stopping all of us to just leave with our ND talents and rule our utopia? A world of only us?

Would NT's miss our quirkiness? Are NT's vital to society? Perhaps we coexist for a reason. If we served no function, we would have died out many years ago. I would like to know how much of the US population is on the spectrum.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

This is a bit of an individualized philosophical question. I know that sometimes we can get down and depressed, perhaps our sensory issues get the better of us, perhaps some are even on disability,...so I can see where someone in this situation may question their role in society. You can look at some of the great minds of the sciences and the arts,...and it would be likely that a high percentage were on the spectrum. Elon Musk being one that comes to mind right now. However, one could say that these are exceptional individuals. If you are looking for more of a generalized answer, then, as others have noted, even without being "exceptional" in terms of their contributions to humanity, many are loved ones, are giving love, are parents, teachers, healthcare workers, volunteers,...the list goes on and on. Yes, I believe most of us would fall into the "vital" category in the sense that, because many of us have the ability to focus upon the smallest of details, often noting how things work rather than that they work, (I am generalizing) we are likely to interact and perform in a different way that makes us valuable to the collective. An old saying, "It takes a village..." is apt in this context. Sometimes I find myself saying, "Am I the only one who does this?" or "If I don't do it, it doesn't get done." or "How do you NOT see this?"

As much as some individuals act out in a negative manner towards someone different, societies would eventually collapse if everyone behaved the same. Tasks get done, but innovation and problem solving would eventually stop. You need neurodiversity,...people who think differently. So, again, yes, in many cases, an autistic mind is a beautiful one and is vital to the collective.

I remember watching a lecture on autism on YouTube,...the specifics escape me right now,...but paraphrasing, humorously, he said that if it were not for autism, humans would still be talking to each other in caves. It was probably some autistic caveman/woman who had the idea for making fire and the wheel,...who knows.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

if it were not for autism, humans would still be talking to each other in caves.

My thesis exactly, that genes that act to create ASD are nonetheless beneficial in general, and like sickle cell in regions of malaria, are retained even in the face of acute symptoms.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

British society survived the second world war because, of the contributions their Aspie community made to the war effort.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

British society survived the second world war because, of the contributions their Aspie community made to the war effort.

Hence the term, "Weaponized autism"

When one of my sons got married last year, we were at the reception and a group of his friends were together talking about computers and engineering and the dark web,...yes,...all of them a bunch of nerds. . So, they were talking about how a noted criminal had posted a "selfie" on the dark web,...and how, within less than 24 hours, the authorities were able to apprehend him because a group of computer nerds were able to look at the time stamp of the photo, what was in the photo, including a jet flying overhead, shadow angles,...all sorts of information, and somehow be able to come up with GPS coordinates. They were all laughing about "not messing around with weaponized autism". The first time I had heard the term,...I thought it was kind of funny,...but from what you said above,...perhaps it is a thing.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

The brits revel in thier Aspie's,

 

[Crossbreed]

What is stopping all of us to just leave with our ND talents and rule our utopia? A world of only us?

To form a competing society, we would have to

1. congregate &
2. speak in front of crowds...

I have always been more in my element as a consultant or advisor than an actual leader.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

two separate continuums would be a disaster, stuff we need would be missing and stuff they need would be missing to form a complete continuum, not just to two partially formed one's.

 

[Raggamuffin]

We excel in certain areas. The struggles can often be internalised. Asking for help can be difficult, and masking is to try and "keep the peace" with the NT world. As such, I think we benefit more than we hinder society.

I'm thankful to be alive now, and not in an era where I might've been put in an asylum.

Ed

 

[Suzette]

To form a competing society, we would have to

1. congregate &
2. speak in front of crowds...

I have always been more in my element as a consultant or advisor than an actual leader.

Lemmings have leaders. Being the guy everyone is willing to follow is charisma, not leadership. Lets not forget such stellar examples of "leader" include Hitler, Joseph McCarthy, Osama bin Ladin, Mousillini...this could be a very ugly list! I haven't even noted the modern era...

Even the leaders the western world holds in deep regard were not imune to twisting power to serve their agenda at the expense of others. I am not sure the best model for new world order actually lies with more leaders. Maybe autistic minds will shatter that paradigm but you can't discount yourself from the start.

 

[Ronald Zeeman]

Einstein was a leader in the scientific community.

 

[Pieceofmind]

We are as vital as anyone else despite what walls we encounter. Not everyone has to do the same things and we may excel in areas where NT's often do not. Many people with ASD may do better for society in the background doing work behind the scenes that everyone see's the result of but not everyone knows the team of people behind this thing they take for granted. Because of bias too towards people with ASD these efforts can also be more thankless or have unreasonable further expectations.

"I also of course realize that NTs can often put unrealistic expectations on us, expect us to be super-smart and the like."

This is something always creates issues along with the term "smart" since it can be so loaded. Smart as in how? Street smart? Math? Reading comprehension? It can mean anything. But I don't fault NT's for this if they been misinformed and haven't spent a lot of time around various individuals with ASD. Sometimes the way people describe us on the spectrum is very degrading as well as sometimes untrue, taken out of context, and blown out of proportion. Like people often stay stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason but you don't really know with individuals how they will function until you meet them and really get to know them.

 

[Jordy]

No.