Would you take a magic pill to permanently transform into an NT?

[Lichi]

lol why do so many autistic people imagine themselves to be at some great intellectual advantage over NT's? The vast majority of Autists I have come across (and this would be a great many because of my special ed schooling, and my hobbies have often lead me to be around a lot of people with autism - gaming, chat rooms, sci fi stuff etc etc) are not smarter than anyone else. Often their belief that they were, made them much dumber in fact.

it's like this defense mechanism some of us put up to feel better about being disabled.
Autism is a disability, not an advantage.
smh

I strongly disagree with you. My AS is not disabling. The co-morbid anxiety on the other hand is a disability.

I don’t see myself to intellectually be that much above the average person. I would say that my lack of emotional intelligence make me better equipped to take some practical decisions. I would say that’s a pretty huge advantage.

 

[Veruca Salt]

I would like to respectfully disagree with you. I have made a good living all of my life because I can do things that others can not. Sure there are disadvantages to being on the spectrum, but in my mind, the advantages out weight the disadvantages by a long shot. I can do what I can do because of autism.

As far as disability is concerned, I am not disabled in any way. I have never even been on unemployment, much less gotten help from anyone. In fact, a lot of people come to me for help. I like being a Aspie.

I'm not taking a potshot when I point out that you have made several grammatical mistakes my NT teenager would not have made.
I'm pointing this out ONLY to illustrate that while you may be a specialist in ONE specific field, due to the obsessive nature of our disorder it limits you/us in others.

I too, have been able to achieve some pretty fantastic things because I was driven to put a narrow focus on some activity and perfect it but it came at the cost of childhood friendships, a normal sex life or social life for vast lengths of time, among other things. That is a huge hindrance to quality of life.

Perhaps YOU have not needed help but the vast majority of us do, and there is no shame in that but we are not BETTER than NT's. That is a ridiculous notion. People get disability checks for this diagnosis without question!

 

[Veruca Salt]

I strongly disagree with you. My AS is not disabling. The co-morbid anxiety on the other hand is a disability.

I don’t see myself to intellectually be that much above the average person. I would say that my lack of emotional intelligence make me better equipped to take some practical decisions. I would say that’s a pretty huge advantage.

But you wouldn't have the anxiety if you weren't coping with how overwhelming autism is, do you see the correlation there?
anxiety IS crippling! or can be, it has been for me in the past.
How on earth are we better than anyone?

 

[AO1501]

lol why do so many autistic people imagine themselves to be at some great intellectual advantage over NT's? The vast majority of Autists I have come across (and this would be a great many because of my special ed schooling, and my hobbies have often lead me to be around a lot of people with autism - gaming, chat rooms, sci fi stuff etc etc) are not smarter than anyone else. Often their belief that they were, made them much dumber in fact.

it's like this defense mechanism some of us put up to feel better about being disabled.
Autism is a disability, not an advantage.
smh

Personally, I don't think it is anything to do with intellect or intelligence, it's the ability to apply what intellect we have, to focus better and use special interests to engage better with a subject or the job being done. It is also, I think, the ability to take advantage of unusual processing skills, often of a very analytical nature, to demonstrate a superior capability in certain areas.

And given that in terms of what I do and the skills I have, being on the spectrum is certainly not a disability to me, but is indeed and advantage, your sweeping generalisation doesn't really hold true, however much it may well to some others.

 

[Veruca Salt]

Personally, I don't think it is anything to do with intellect or intelligence, it's the ability to apply what intellect we have, to focus better and use special interests to engage better with a subject or the job being done. It is also, I think, the ability to take advantage of unusual processing skills, often of a very analytical nature, to demonstrate a superior capability in certain areas.

And given that in terms of what I do and the skills I have, being on the spectrum is certainly not a disability to me, but is indeed and advantage, your sweeping generalisation doesn't really hold true, however much it may well to some others.

MY sweeping generalization? LOL You mean the one where I said you cannot claim to be more intelligent than NT's?
riiiight

nice gaslighting though lol

is this a forum of trolls or something? smh

 

[AO1501]

MY sweeping generalization? LOL You mean the one where I said you cannot claim to be more intelligent than NT's?
riiiight

nice gaslighting though lol

is this a forum of trolls or something? smh

Except that is not at all what I said, is it.

Pointless babble much?

 

[Veruca Salt]

Except that is not at all what I said, is it.

Pointless babble much?

*eye roll* my comment that you have taken an issue with was a direct reply to someone who had. That is evident by the reply containing the original content I replied to.

lol condescending to someone whilst actually making an ass of yourself. How typical of the autist who fancies oneself more intelligent than they actually are.

so basic

 

[tree]

Rather than pick at each other, let's get back to the topic.

The topic is:
Would you take a magic pill to permanently transform into an NT?

 

[Nitro]

 

[kay]

I would love to have fewer sensory problems but as for social skills, well, haven't seen too much from most NTs to make me want to be an NT. There are exceptions, of course, but mostly it doesn't interest me. Just wish more people shared my style of conversation, entertainment, etc...

 

[HidinginPlainSight]

I answered yes and don't mind expanding on why. Along with my autism, or likely as a result of it, I do have certain skills that other, more successful, people don't. I am not writing that as an ego thing, this is completely anonymous anyways. Being able to place in the 99th percentile of a certain test or being able to perform math in my head hasn't gotten me anywhere. I have a fundamental inability to relate to other people around me on any level. I've made efforts and failed in every respect; often in spectacular fashion. When I say that people don't like me, it's not a construct of my head; they really don't like me. This is not their fault, I am a rather miserable person.

Most people define their happiness by their relationships and connections. I have none. I define depression by the way I feel and I have lots of that every day. I can see the easy way in which the people around me can interact, become friends and build relationships. This happens at places I go, and fail, to do the same.

If I could trade all the useless knowledge, I have about all sorts of things, that I have no ability to relate to people for the ability to relate all the nonsense that I can't bring myself to care about? Sure I would take it. Life has been hard enough already, if a pill could make it easier? Yep.

 

[Veruca Salt]

I answered yes and don't mind expanding on why. Along with my autism, or likely as a result of it, I do have certain skills that other, more successful, people don't. I am not writing that as an ego thing, this is completely anonymous anyways. Being able to place in the 99th percentile of a certain test or being able to perform math in my head hasn't gotten me anywhere. I have a fundamental inability to relate to other people around me on any level. I've made efforts and failed in every respect; often in spectacular fashion. When I say that people don't like me, it's not a construct of my head; they really don't like me. This is not their fault, I am a rather miserable person.

Most people define their happiness by their relationships and connections. I have none. I define depression by the way I feel and I have lots of that every day. I can see the easy way in which the people around me can interact, become friends and build relationships. This happens at places I go, and fail, to do the same.

If I could trade all the useless knowledge, I have about all sorts of things, that I have no ability to relate to people for the ability to relate all the nonsense that I can't bring myself to care about? Sure I would take it. Life has been hard enough already, if a pill could make it easier? Yep.

That was difficult to read. I mean painful/reminds me of myself.
Have you ever thought to study how to be liked the same way you would study for a test?
I learned how to be personable. how to react in situations, how to be positive how to make eye contact how to be social all the little lies and b.s. NT's want. It's all fake and rather exhausting nonsense but I was quite popular. a lot of it has to do with stoicism and never letting on that we are miserable, People don't wanna know, and trust me NT's are all miserable too.

It seems to be a competition between them over who can hide it the best. That's the coolest guy. lol

anyway I point this out to other asps all the time
This stuff can literally be learned and rehearsed, few books on confidence, and how to project yourself etc and a whole lotta moxy to go out there and try it and fail a buncha times til you get it. You can even find people who share common interests with you. it is rewarding on some level.

I know how to make tons of friends now I'm trying to figure out the bf / dating thing
it aint easy
in fact its embarrassing frequently, but its better than having no one.

 

[HidinginPlainSight]

Have you ever thought to study how to be liked the same way you would study for a test?

I was careful to use the word, "relate", as opposed to the alternative, "interact". The word you used "exhausting" comes to mind. I've had times when I would have been considered somewhat popular in social settings, but the relationships were, at the core, superficial in nature and not maintainable.
It's more the easy nature and beneficial interactions that I wish I was capable of. There are also very ugly parts of the social world that it helps you if you have more than logic to navigate with.

Having autism makes you particularly vulnerable to being used. People are capable to act with extreme duplicity and often will. Being able to instinctively pick this up is essential and logic does not work quickly enough in real time. People can be brutal to one another. Certain people, if they sense weakness, they will move in to exploit it. He or she may say that the love you, they may act a certain way to your face, but in reality they are doing an instinctual calculation that leaves themselves on the weighted part of the scale. This sort of emotional bean counting seems accepted as part of being social. I am not talking exclusively about romantic relationships here, non-romantic situations can be just as deceptive. For me, participating at this level is extremely difficult because I'm not trying to get things in that sense from people and I'm not able to see them as a means to an end. I really just want to talk about stuff like what time Jupiter will be at the meridian in the night......amazingly very few people care about this btw.........

Autism is a weakness that leaves one at an extreme disadvantage in this arena. Their ends may seem completely trivial, but as long as they're winning they will keep playing the game. In the end, your left with less than nobody.