NationStates Jolt Archive

I have Asperger Syndrome. I'm just curious, does anyone else here have it? Or know anybody who has it?

I have Asperger Syndrome. I'm just curious, does anyone else here have it? Or know anybody who has it?
What is it?

Its the greatest kind of person ever. ;)

Yes! Glad to know there are other "aspies in the hizzie."

What is it?
part of the autism spectrum...tends to be a lower grade.
DSM-IV-TR entry (http://www.behavenet.com/capsules/disorders/asperger.htm)

What is it?

I'm not a good explainer, but wikipedia is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_Syndrome

Aren't people with Asperger's supposed to be really talented in one area, such as math, but have trouble developing social skills?

Please tell me if I'm wrong; I tend to be most of the time.

Aren't people with Asperger's supposed to be really talented in one area, such as math, but have trouble developing social skills?

Please tell me if I'm wrong; I tend to be most of the time.

That's correct. Asperger's patients usually have very narrow interests. They tend to be interested in one thing at a time, and they tend to be very obsessive over it. And they have very poor social skills.

I have mild symptoms, don't think a doctor would diagnose me, though.

I have difficulty engaging in social situations, rather reserved except around certain people, was an underacheiver in school, picking up on subjects at whim even though I tried otherwise, I am very sensitive to sounds and lights, and do not like being touched.

Aren't people with Asperger's supposed to be really talented in one area, such as math, but have trouble developing social skills?

Please tell me if I'm wrong; I tend to be most of the time.

I went to a small boarding school, and lived with three people who had Asperger's Syndrome over the course of three years--and let me tell you this. They were by far the most annoying people I've ever had the misfortune of meeting.

They had absolutely no grasp of social cues or graces. They didn't bathe. They would stand extremely close to you. They didn't understand why people would get offended at the horrible things they said. And you couldn't teach them how to behave properly, because they didn't understand why what they were saying was wrong.

I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to strangle one of the three that I knew.

That's correct. Asperger's patients usually have very narrow interests. They tend to be interested in one thing at a time, and they tend to be very obsessive over it. And they have very poor social skills.
So what is your intrest you nerd?

That's correct. Asperger's patients usually have very narrow interests. They tend to be interested in one thing at a time, and they tend to be very obsessive over it. And they have very poor social skills.
In elementary school, I spent about three years on an obsession with civilian nuclear power. I'd check out armfuls of books from the library on the subject. I spent weeks learning about controlled fission, breeder reactors, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, etc., and then one day I suddenly dropped it and never had the remotest interest in it ever again. I think it was the Three Mile Island accident that scared me away from it.

Then, up until my sophomore year of high school, I was obsessed with commercial aviation. I knew the airport codes of practically every major international airport on the planet, I could identify which type of engines a particular aircraft used, and I knew the "v-speeds" of a number of jetliners.

And then, once again, my interest totally faltered and I never picked it up again.

It's weird thinking about how much time I wasted on those things when I really should have been much broader. :|

I went to a small boarding school, and lived with three people who had Asperger's Syndrome over the course of three years--and let me tell you this. They were by far the most annoying people I've ever had the misfortune of meeting.

They had absolutely no grasp of social cues or graces. They didn't bathe. They would stand extremely close to you. They didn't understand why people would get offended at the horrible things they said. And you couldn't teach them how to behave properly, because they didn't understand why what they were saying was wrong.

I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to strangle one of the three that I knew.

What a load of bullshit. Asperger syndrome people tend to stay away from other people. Most are just as conscious of hygiene as other people. Next time, think before you open your mouth.

So what is your intrest you nerd?

It's not being insulted, that's for sure.

What a load of bullshit. Asperger syndrome people tend to stay away from other people. Most are just as conscious of hygiene as other people. Next time, think before you open your mouth.

I'm telling you what I experienced, jackass. I have absolutely no reason to lie. When people talked to them, they wouldn't understand that people need a bubble of space to feel comfortable. They constantly invaded it, and stood much too close when they talked.

Next time, think, before opening YOUR mouth.

I'm telling you what I experienced, jackass. I have absolutely no reason to lie. When people talked to them, they wouldn't understand that people need a bubble of space to feel comfortable. They constantly invaded it, and stood much too close when they talked.

Next time, think, before opening YOUR mouth.

Yeah, I shouldn't have gotten so touchy, but no reason to flame, my good man.

It's not being insulted, that's for sure.
I don’t think he meant it as an insult…

Yeah, I shouldn't have gotten so touchy, but no reason to flame, my good man.

You flamed me. I responded to your hostile stupidity. Nothing more. And I am not a "man."

It's not being insulted, that's for sure.
That was meant in a jokingly tone. While it is technically an insult, I did not mean to insult you with it.


BOT, what is your area of interest?

That was meant in a jokingly tone. While it is an insult, I did not mean to insult you with it.
And thus we stumble upon one of the biggest social conundrums of having Asperger's.

And thus we stumble upon one of the biggest social conundrums of having Asperger's.

Oh, the irony.

Originally posted by Notaxia"Its the greatest kind of person ever. ;)"
QFT :cool:

Yep, I'm one of those great people too. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have the usual computer skills (or Rain Man abilities (first stereotype)). Instead I focus on Chemistry, poker, Magic The Gathering, and other fun games. I have the mild form, so I can get used to bright lights, loud sounds, certain people touching me, etc; but it took me far too many years of therapy to get there.

Unfortunately, most people were receptive to my differences as our good-mannered and considerate friend Ashliana [/sarcasm]. More unfortunately, aforementioned fucking assholes made me be anti-social for 18 years of my life; and I still have a misanthropic approach because of it. :mad: At least there's people with intelligent thoughts here. (Esp Magdha :D )

Society tends to dwell on the negative aspects of Asperger's Syndrome, and other 'Autistic Spectrum Disorders' because it's easier to uphold prejudices and imagined superiority than to actually learn and think. Hence the hostilities by 'normal' people (and I use the term very loosely) and the fierce resentment by those unfortunate to be treated in such a manner.

However, there is still hope. In New Zealand (where I live), the prejudice dies when you get to university. But this isn't the case in America. It seems every kind of up-themself fuckwit wanker is weary/suspicious/jealous, .: the abuse towards us, and the ones who gave up as a result of this.

I just hope every person is not like Ashliana, otherwise society is fucked.

QFT :cool:

Yep, I'm one of those great people too. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have the usual computer skills (or Rain Man abilities (first stereotype)). Instead I focus on Chemistry, poker, Magic The Gathering, and other fun games. I have the mild form, so I can get used to bright lights, loud sounds, certain people touching me, etc; but it took me far too many years of therapy to get there.

Unfortunately, most people were receptive to my differences as our good-mannered and considerate friend Ashliana [/sarcasm]. More unfortunately, aforementioned fucking assholes made me be anti-social for 18 years of my life; and I still have a misanthropic approach because of it. :mad: At least there's people with intelligent thoughts here. (Esp Magdha :D )

Society tends to dwell on the negative aspects of Asperger's Syndrome, and other 'Autistic Spectrum Disorders' because it's easier to uphold prejudices and imagined superiority than to actually learn and think. Hence the hostilities by 'normal' people (and I use the term very loosely) and the fierce resentment by those unfortunate to be treated in such a manner.

However, there is still hope. In New Zealand (where I live), the prejudice dies when you get to university. But this isn't the case in America. It seems every kind of up-themself fuckwit wanker is weary/suspicious/jealous, .: the abuse towards us, and the ones who gave up as a result of this.

I just hope every person is not like Ashliana, otherwise society is fucked.

Wow. Just wow. I posted my personal experiences and was ambushed for it by a flaming troll, only to have a second troll join up. And "I'm" the one leading to "the fucking of society"? Yeah.

Did I say I was rude to the people I was forced to deal with in high school? No, I didn't. I said they were frustrating and sometimes I wanted to strangle one of them. Does that make me a bad person? No, it doesn't. Because I understood and accepted that they couldn't control it, but it didn't make it any less annoying.

How about NOT jumping to irrational conclusions and making unjustifiable assumptions about people? Thanks. The world could do with a little less of that, troll.

Originally posted by Ashliana:
Wow. Just wow. I posted my personal experiences and was ambushed for it by a flaming troll, only to have a second troll join up. And "I'm" the one leading to "the fucking of society"? Yeah.

Did I say I was rude to the people I was forced to deal with in high school? No, I didn't. I said they were frustrating and sometimes I wanted to strangle one of them. Does that make me a bad person? No, it doesn't. Because I understood and accepted that they couldn't control it, but it didn't make it any less annoying.

How about NOT jumping to irrational conclusions and making unjustifiable assumptions about people? Thanks. The world could do with a little less of that, troll.

Lol, you're the one who started the trolling. I don't think you actually understand our mode of thinking if you say "I wanted to strangle one of them." You fail to understand that the whole anti-social behaviour thrust upon us is caused by people with the misconception that they are omniscient. Your manner to all the people with A.S. is excessively condescending, rude, and can be seen as flaming troll comments.

If you want to have a decent conversation without trolling or prejudices, then I'm happy to talk. But if you're going to uphold your arrogant attitude, I'd rather that you win a Darwin award.

Lol, you're the one who started the trolling. I don't think you actually understand our mode of thinking if you say "I wanted to strangle one of them." You fail to understand that the whole anti-social behaviour thrust upon us is caused by people with the misconception that they are omniscient. Your manner to all the people with A.S. is excessively condescending, rude, and can be seen as flaming troll comments.

If you want to have a decent conversation without trolling or prejudices, then I'm happy to talk. But if you're going to uphold your arrogant attitude, I'd rather that you win a Darwin award.

Have you even read what you wrote? It's ridiculous. I posted my own experiences, saying that dealing with people who have the syndrome on a daily basis was personally frustrating for me.

That isn't a flame. There's no point in discussing something if you only want a sugar-coated half-discussion.

What happened when I posted my experiences? Magdha attacked me. I responded, and then YOU attacked me. End of story. The arrogant attitude was yours.

Have you even read what you wrote? It's ridiculous. I posted my own experiences, saying that dealing with people who have the syndrome on a daily basis was personally frustrating for me.

That isn't a flame. There's no point in discussing something if you only want a sugar-coated half-discussion.

What happened when I posted my experiences? Magdha attacked me. I responded, and then YOU attacked me. End of story. The arrogant attitude was yours.
My 11 year old son has AS. So Im kinda experienced with dealing with him.

I went to a small boarding school, and lived with three people who had Asperger's Syndrome over the course of three years--and let me tell you this. They were by far the most annoying people I've ever had the misfortune of meeting.
While you might not understand this, but you are basically saying people with AS are the most annoying people you have ever met. Pretty insulting to someone with AS.

They had absolutely no grasp of social cues or graces. They didn't bathe. They would stand extremely close to you. They didn't understand why people would get offended at the horrible things they said. And you couldn't teach them how to behave properly, because they didn't understand why what they were saying was wrong.

I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to strangle one of the three that I knew.

You have no tolerance for someone with AS. You might not like to hear this, but it was you that started the attacks and the trolling.

I'm sorry if you can't see my viewpoint when I say that "I went to a small boarding school, and lived with three people who had Asperger's Syndrome over the course of three years--and let me tell you this. They were by far the most annoying people I've ever had the misfortune of meeting." cannot be seen in any other manner but a personal attack. We're just defending ourselves from the same shit people like you give us day-to-day.

I know what I write, as I have already thought about what I say, and write accordingly. And if by "sugar-coated half-discussion" you mean intelligent thought, then sure. I'm here trying to get a discusson without getting attacked for what I have by people who've never considered my viewpoint.

Please get over yourself. That way I don't have to waste my time talking to someone who doesn't care for my viewpoint.

I'm sorry if you can't see my viewpoint when I say that "I went to a small boarding school, and lived with three people who had Asperger's Syndrome over the course of three years--and let me tell you this. They were by far the most annoying people I've ever had the misfortune of meeting." cannot be seen in any other manner but a personal attack. We're just defending ourselves from the same shit people like you give us day-to-day.

I know what I write, as I have already thought about what I say, and write accordingly. And if by "sugar-coated half-discussion" you mean intelligent thought, then sure. I'm here trying to get a discusson without getting attacked for what I have by people who've never considered my viewpoint.

Please get over yourself. That way I don't have to waste my time talking to someone who doesn't care for my viewpoint.

"Defending yourself"? I was talking about people I knew personally, not about some stranger on the Internet or a group of people I've never met.

If you think that only "people that completely agree with me" are "intelligent thought," then I hope you enjoy being in the minority the majority of the time. Disagreement is a part of life, and there are two sides to every issue. People who disagree with you aren't automatically "stupid," "evil," "wrong," or "ignorant."

The only people who did any attacking were you and Magdha.

Your last statement is just laughable--

Please get over yourself. That way I don't have to waste my time talking to someone who doesn't care for my viewpoint.

If you don't want to encounter people with opinions that differ from yours, I suggest you sit in an enclosed box, buried fifteen meters beneath the surface of the Earth. You aren't going to achieve that by any other means.

"Defending yourself"? I was talking about people I knew personally, not about some stranger on the Internet or a group of people I've never met.

If you think that only "people that completely agree with me" are "intelligent thought," then I hope you enjoy being in the minority the majority of the time. Disagreement is a part of life, and there are two sides to every issue. People who disagree with you aren't automatically "stupid," "evil," "wrong," or "ignorant."

The only people who did any attacking were you and Magdha.
No
People with AS are the most annoying people I've ever had the misfortune of meeting

That's an insult. You were called on it. Being called on it is not an attack.

Please read into what you're saying. By calling every Asperger's Syndrome person "the most annoying person you've ever had the misfortune to meet", you've started the flame war.

That's an insult. You were called on it. Being called on it is not an attack.

Please read into what you're saying. By calling every Asperger's Syndrome person "the most annoying person you've ever had the misfortune to meet", you've started the flame war.


The words I used were:

"... lived with three people who had Asperger's Syndrome over the course of three years--and let me tell you this. They were by far the most annoying ... "

That is CLEARLY referring to the THREE people I lived with, not a generalization of every person with the syndrome.

You are reading what you want to be there, not what IS there.

Aren't people with Asperger's supposed to be really talented in one area, such as math, but have trouble developing social skills?

Please tell me if I'm wrong; I tend to be most of the time.


Well, that's sometimes the case and I guess you're thinking of the rainman type of person (although he arguably was a more severe case of autism than the high-functioning Asperger) that's not always the case. Special interests is common but that doesn't automaticly grant the person a supreme talent in that area. About the social skills, yes, they generally have a hard time when it comes to that area, but they learn and work through it in most but the severe cases. It's important to know that Asperger's syndrome is just another way to say 'Low-level autism', because that's exactly what it is. I work at a small school with about 15 kids with Asperger's syndrome and some other handicaps such as ADD and ADHD, just so you know where I'm coming from. The kids are wonderful :)

I don't have it... but a guy in my college class does.
He's a good kid... he does have some troubles socialising and tends to get violent at times... you've just got to be patient with him and be careful what you say to him. He takes offense to things very easily.

Well, this whole discussion is typical of people talking about "Asperger".
- Everyone has his own definition of what it is and how it presents itself.
- People tend to use extreme generalizations, as if people with AS are some kind of industrial product, built to a certain set of specifications.
- Examples are being interpreted as if they were meant as a description of the whole group.
- People who give examples tend to focus on some extreme behaviour they encountered, and they tend to see that as "typical behaviour".

My opinion:
- The different subdiagnoses in the autism spectrum are based on behavioral differences, with no scientific proof that these come from different "disorders", so they can also be just differences in personality or personal skills.
- "Asperger" or "PDD-NOS" are by no means "autism light".
- Any, and I mean EVERY, "symptom" of autism that is being described is NOT necessarily present in every person with autism. Especially, the "narrow interests" and the "lack of empathy" are NOT true in most high IQ autistics. I do tend to see a pretty high percentage of either lack of social skills, or lack of interest in social stuff.
- People that show symptoms from the "check list" do not necessarily have autism.

This all makes autism / Asperger's a pretty difficult area to describe in a few short remarks.

BTW, I have an ASD too, unofficial diagnosis Asperger's, and I love bathing, I don't ever stand very close to people, and I'm very social, if I choose to be. :p

Kievan-Prussia says he's got it.

I don't think I do...the reason I'm usually not particularly popular is not a disease, just that I have weird and incomprehensible interests (like philosophy, economics and politics).

I used to go to school with a guy who had it. He was a nice enough guy if you ingored the smell

I knew a guy in school with Asperger's. He is a very nice guy, he works at Hecht's now.

I've never really heard of this before, but after reading up on it, I think there's an extremely good chance that I could have it.

QFT :cool:

Yep, I'm one of those great people too. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have the usual computer skills (or Rain Man abilities (first stereotype)). Instead I focus on Chemistry, poker, Magic The Gathering, and other fun games. I have the mild form, so I can get used to bright lights, loud sounds, certain people touching me, etc; but it took me far too many years of therapy to get there.

Unfortunately, most people were receptive to my differences as our good-mannered and considerate friend Ashliana [/sarcasm]. More unfortunately, aforementioned fucking assholes made me be anti-social for 18 years of my life; and I still have a misanthropic approach because of it. :mad: At least there's people with intelligent thoughts here. (Esp Magdha :D )

Society tends to dwell on the negative aspects of Asperger's Syndrome, and other 'Autistic Spectrum Disorders' because it's easier to uphold prejudices and imagined superiority than to actually learn and think. Hence the hostilities by 'normal' people (and I use the term very loosely) and the fierce resentment by those unfortunate to be treated in such a manner.

However, there is still hope. In New Zealand (where I live), the prejudice dies when you get to university. But this isn't the case in America. It seems every kind of up-themself fuckwit wanker is weary/suspicious/jealous, .: the abuse towards us, and the ones who gave up as a result of this.

I just hope every person is not like Ashliana, otherwise society is fucked.

I find it interesting that a person who makes comments about three people he knew is a pariah in the thread, but a person who makes generalized statements about society, 'normal' people, and America gets nothing.

I think you'll find you get what you put out. If you expect to be treated badly because of AS, then you're more likely to notice only when you're treated badly. Case in point, there are questions in this thread and attempts at discussion and all you've replied to is a person you think attack you personally and the only thing you've added to the thread is an attack on just about everyone.

I think you'll find that just about everyone you encounter has suffered in some way in their lives. You're not special. You're just like everyone of us. The only thing that's normal in this world is having to deal with hardship. Where you can set yourself apart is by either rising above the fray and deciding to be more than someone angry at the world because you have AS or you can decide to wallow in it and yell at everyone you perceive to be attacking you whether they are or not.

I've never really heard of this before, but after reading up on it, I think there's an extremely good chance that I could have it.

The problem with the symptoms on the entire spectrum of autism is that they are present in degrees in just about everyone. If you genuinely have a concern go and see a doctor. If you're not having trouble functioning, don't worry about it.

I went to a small boarding school, and lived with three people who had Asperger's Syndrome over the course of three years--and let me tell you this. They were by far the most annoying people I've ever had the misfortune of meeting.

They had absolutely no grasp of social cues or graces. They didn't bathe. They would stand extremely close to you. They didn't understand why people would get offended at the horrible things they said. And you couldn't teach them how to behave properly, because they didn't understand why what they were saying was wrong.

I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to strangle one of the three that I knew.

Since this has been the crux of the whole thread. Let's point out a couple of things.

Read the bold. Every time the word they is used it refers to them. Notice that everything is written in the past tense. People didn't use to have AS, they have it. If she was referring to all people with AS or even most it would use present tense, e.g. "I knew a few black people as kid. They ARE the most annoying people you'd ever want to meet." See the difference. She continually refers back to the people she knew.

Look at the wrap up - "I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to strangle one of the three that I knew."

There is nothing unclear about this post. I think it's insensitive, but that's her prerogative. It DOES NOT make generalizations about people with AS. It only discusses the three she knew of.

Lol, you're the one who started the trolling. I don't think you actually understand our mode of thinking if you say "I wanted to strangle one of them." You fail to understand that the whole anti-social behaviour thrust upon us is caused by people with the misconception that they are omniscient. Your manner to all the people with A.S. is excessively condescending, rude, and can be seen as flaming troll comments.

If you want to have a decent conversation without trolling or prejudices, then I'm happy to talk. But if you're going to uphold your arrogant attitude, I'd rather that you win a Darwin award.

"All the people with AS"?

I'm maybe reading something different to you, but I saw an account of one person explaining their personal experiences with three specific persons... as requested in the original post...

I was diagnosed with AS when I was 15. Up until that point my life had been absolutely shitty. My parents thought I was scum, my school "colleagues" thought I was a toy for their twisted amusement.

Ya know what? I didn't set out wanting to be victimised. I thought that everyone was nice underneath. I believed all that bullshit about just being yourself and people liking you for who you are. And really, it's fucking twaddle. You can't just set out with a positive attitude and say "oh, I may be a bit fucked up but I don't have to care about it." It ain't me that gives a crap, it's everyone else picking up on every tiny slip and laughing at you for one whole decade of your life. Whats worse, I didn't even know that I was the fucking joke. I thought people actually liked me.

So please excuse me, and people like me, for getting a bit touchy over the years. We are NEVER sure of human motives - you normals have half a thousand instinctive cues that you take for granted, so don't come up with some shit "well no-one ever knows what someone else is thinking". We DO have harder lives and it's people who assume that we could "just stop being so aspergers" that make it fucking impossible.

Kievan-Prussia says he's got it.

I almost definitely do. I've never been diagnosed, but my cousin has it, and my grandmother's brother's daughter has it. I display a lot of the same symptoms as my cousin, although milder. So... yeah.

I was diagnosed with AS when I was 15. Up until that point my life had been absolutely shitty. My parents thought I was scum, my school "colleagues" thought I was a toy for their twisted amusement.

Ya know what? I didn't set out wanting to be victimised. I thought that everyone was nice underneath. I believed all that bullshit about just being yourself and people liking you for who you are. And really, it's fucking twaddle. You can't just set out with a positive attitude and say "oh, I may be a bit fucked up but I don't have to care about it." It ain't me that gives a crap, it's everyone else picking up on every tiny slip and laughing at you for one whole decade of your life. Whats worse, I didn't even know that I was the fucking joke. I thought people actually liked me.

So please excuse me, and people like me, for getting a bit touchy over the years. We are NEVER sure of human motives - you normals have half a thousand instinctive cues that you take for granted, so don't come up with some shit "well no-one ever knows what someone else is thinking". We DO have harder lives and it's people who assume that we could "just stop being so aspergers" that make it fucking impossible.

You know what? I don't have AS. And my parents thought I was scum, my school "colleagues" thought I was a toy for their twisted amusement. I was molested by my babysitter. I have scars on my face, hands and knees from the violence. I had to move out of my home to be safe from harm at 13. I was homeless for periods at 15 and 16. And I had to join the military to find any sort of stability at 17.

It's easy to blame the bad things in our lives on some 'thing', any 'thing' we can find, because if we just learn to deal with that 'thing', we'll be fine. The truth is that it's far more complicated. All of us have some aspects of our lives that suck. Some more than others. Compared to my father's childhood, mine was a trip to the amusement park.

You can walking around blaming everyone or you can simply own these experiences and realize they are what made you the person you are today. You and your experiences cannot be seperated. Own them. Relish them. Because when you finally become the person you are to become. When you finally find health and happiness, you'll be glad for your strength born of hardship. You'll be glad that you relish the good times so much more than so many who have never experienced those hardships.

AS is not an excuse to freak out at people whenever you feel like it. Your behavior is yours. Your syndrome and the way you were treated are not an excuse for mistreating people on this board.

You know what? I don't have AS. And my parents thought I was scum, my school "colleagues" thought I was a toy for their twisted amusement. I was molested by my babysitter. I have scars on my face, hands and knees from the violence. I had to move out of my home to be safe from harm at 13. I was homeless for periods at 15 and 16. And I had to join the military to find any sort of stability at 17.

It's easy to blame the bad things in our lives on some 'thing', any 'thing' we can find, because if we just learn to deal with that 'thing', we'll be fine. The truth is that it's far more complicated. All of us have some aspects of our lives that suck. Some more than others. Compared to my father's childhood, mine was a trip to the amusement park.

You can walking around blaming everyone or you can simply own these experiences and realize they are what made you the person you are today. You and your experiences cannot be seperated. Own them. Relish them. Because when you finally become the person you are to become. When you finally find health and happiness, you'll be glad for your strength born of hardship. You'll be glad that you relish the good times so much more than so many who have never experienced those hardships.

AS is not an excuse to freak out at people whenever you feel like it. Your behavior is yours. Your syndrome and the way you were treated are not an excuse for mistreating people on this board.

And responses like these make you know that Asperger's will never be taken seriously.

You know what? I don't have AS. And my parents thought I was scum, my school "colleagues" thought I was a toy for their twisted amusement. I was molested by my babysitter. I have scars on my face, hands and knees from the violence. I had to move out of my home to be safe from harm at 13. I was homeless for periods at 15 and 16. And I had to join the military to find any sort of stability at 17.

I am sorry to hear you had a hard life and I would have probably reacted with slightly less vitriol if I had known.

It's easy to blame the bad things in our lives on some 'thing', any 'thing' we can find, because if we just learn to deal with that 'thing', we'll be fine. The truth is that it's far more complicated.

After I was fifteen, I changed. Once you know what something is, you can fight it. You can say, everyday, I do not have to be this way. This is not who I am, this is what my head-disease wants me to be. Picking out one 'thing' and working to utterly destroy it actually turns out fairly well.

You can walking around blaming everyone or you can simply own these experiences and realize they are what made you the person you are today. You and your experiences cannot be seperated. Own them. Relish them. Because when you finally become the person you are to become. When you finally find health and happiness, you'll be glad for your strength born of hardship. You'll be glad that you relish the good times so much more than so many who have never experienced those hardships. [QUOTE]

I don't blame anyone, apart from maybe God, but him and me are quits now. And as to owning these experiences... that person way back when wasn't me. He was a puppet to his own uncontrolled impulses and stupid naivety. I'm not going to be him again. He can keep his own goddamn history, I've got my own to forge.

[QUOTE=Jocabia]AS is not an excuse to freak out at people whenever you feel like it. Your behavior is yours. Your syndrome and the way you were treated are not an excuse for mistreating people on this board.

I wasn't attempting to mistreat anyone. I acted without thought against what I saw as insensitivity. I had no idea of your own history and should have attempted empathy (a skill which gives me a headache, being as alien as wings on a rabbit). Others on here had full awareness of other peoples problems and yet still did not ameliorate their otherwise perfectly valid statements with at least a certain degree of politeness.

I was diagnosed with AS when I was 15. Up until that point my life had been absolutely shitty. My parents thought I was scum, my school "colleagues" thought I was a toy for their twisted amusement.

Ya know what? I didn't set out wanting to be victimised. I thought that everyone was nice underneath. I believed all that bullshit about just being yourself and people liking you for who you are. And really, it's fucking twaddle. You can't just set out with a positive attitude and say "oh, I may be a bit fucked up but I don't have to care about it." It ain't me that gives a crap, it's everyone else picking up on every tiny slip and laughing at you for one whole decade of your life. Whats worse, I didn't even know that I was the fucking joke. I thought people actually liked me.

So please excuse me, and people like me, for getting a bit touchy over the years. We are NEVER sure of human motives - you normals have half a thousand instinctive cues that you take for granted, so don't come up with some shit "well no-one ever knows what someone else is thinking". We DO have harder lives and it's people who assume that we could "just stop being so aspergers" that make it fucking impossible.

Just as a voice of reason, or whatever..

My experiences as a child and young man were very similar to what you describe - although my conflict at home was only really with my father.

Talking to my mother late last year, or early this year, the subject came up that the 'voluntary autism' which my childhood doctors had described, was probably Aspergers... just not formally diagnosed... as happens so frequently.

And yet, as an 'A.S. sufferer', I did NOT read what everyone else seems to have read into the post. The post that inflamed all the responses was VERY clear about being a personal account of how SPECIFIC people made one person feel - which is what the topic is about.

So. Yes, I got beat up every day at school. Yes, I had problems interacting that others just didn't have... ways it felt like I was 'broken'.

But, I had enough of the pity party. One of the things about AS is that it has the seeds of it's 'cure' built-in to it. That obsessive nature, that sharp focus. The physician CAN 'heal himself'.

So - now I'm a successful 30-something. Not fantastically wealthy, which would be nice... but successful in other ways... job security, wife, kids, and a sideline as an unpublished (yet) writer.

My 'condition' is a blessing and a curse. My writing suffers from a need for perfection which means I'm still unpublished, but my writing is also so much better than it was, because of that same obsession.

I know more than most people you would meet about a wide range of topics... angels, fairytales, various aspects of science. I've read Christian scripture in the native tongues. I'm currently learning two modern languages.

AS is NOT a disability. It's a DIFFERENT ability.

And responses like these make you know that Asperger's will never be taken seriously.

Considering you have used Aspergers as an excuse for your racist rantings, I hardly think you've any room to talk...

After I was fifteen, I changed. Once you know what something is, you can fight it. You can say, everyday, I do not have to be this way. This is not who I am, this is what my head-disease wants me to be. Picking out one 'thing' and working to utterly destroy it actually turns out fairly well.


Ah. Good.

This is exactly what I was saying...

And responses like these make you know that Asperger's will never be taken seriously.

Who's not taking it seriously? It will never be treated as anything other than it is. Nothing more. People in this thread have used as an excuse to mistreat people. I treat people as equals, whether they have AS or not. Would you rather I didn't?

Considering you have used Aspergers as an excuse for your racist rantings, I hardly think you've any room to talk...

Everyone is racist. My AS just makes me more likely to show it.

Who's not taking it seriously? It will never be treated as anything other than it is. Nothing more. People in this thread have used as an excuse to mistreat people. I treat people as equals, whether they have AS or not. Would you rather I didn't?

Yes, I would. Would you treat a mentally insane killer like a normal greed murderer? Of course not. You've got to understand that people with AS tend to be social awkward; we will often do something wrong, or offend someone, and not even know what we've done wrong. I imagine that many Aspies would, like me, be extremely blunt. If we see a fat dude, we won't call him an "obese individual," we'll call him a fat dude. We say things like they are. And we're sorry if we offend, but that's just how we act.

I am sorry to hear you had a hard life and I would have probably reacted with slightly less vitriol if I had known.

Why should my past change anything? You should simply respond. That's the point. We all have these kinds of things. AS or my past are no excuse for bad behavior (well, technically some 'bad' behavior in terms of a person with AS can't be helped, but I think you know what I mean).

After I was fifteen, I changed. Once you know what something is, you can fight it. You can say, everyday, I do not have to be this way. This is not who I am, this is what my head-disease wants me to be. Picking out one 'thing' and working to utterly destroy it actually turns out fairly well.

You owned who you are and took responsibility for your actions. That's exactly my point and good for you.

I don't blame anyone, apart from maybe God, but him and me are quits now. And as to owning these experiences... that person way back when wasn't me. He was a puppet to his own uncontrolled impulses and stupid naivety. I'm not going to be him again. He can keep his own goddamn history, I've got my own to forge.

They may not be who you are now, but those experiences ARE a part of who you are now. You can't lose what you've learn. Regrets are a funny thing. Don't wish away your past because in doing so, you wish away who you are now. His history is yours. You aren't the same person you were yesterday let alone however many years ago. You are the person who will always be better because they learned the lessons that child afforded them.

I wasn't attempting to mistreat anyone. I acted without thought against what I saw as insensitivity. I had no idea of your own history and should have attempted empathy (a skill which gives me a headache, being as alien as wings on a rabbit). Others on here had full awareness of other peoples problems and yet still did not ameliorate their otherwise perfectly valid statements with at least a certain degree of politeness.
See, I think you would do better to assume that people's comments ARE coming from a good place rather than assuming the opposite. Sure, sometimes you'll get taken for a ride, but the alternative is misunderstandings and anger and vitriol. I'm not special because there were some hardships in my life. I'm Eric because of what I chose to make of those hardships. Whoever you are, you are because of what you chose to make of your experiences. Not in spite of them, but because of them.

It's funny, I get someone every so often who says how amazing I am because I didn't get lost in what happened to me as a child. I find that amusing. See, what I find amazing is that it took me so long to realize how lucky I was to have experienced that. Everything that I am, every bit of steel in me, was forged in that fire. The hotter the fire the stronger the steel. I have a great life. I'm sure you will too. Don't be so anxious to pull at the loose threads in the tapestry of what makes you, you.

A great example is this thread. Look at how this part of the conversation started. We could wish we had all just started out buddy-buddy, but that would take away the very thing that made us all have the understanding we do now. It's a path and no matter what if you change the start point or any of the turns you made, you end up in a different place (don't stretch this analogy to thin, it's flawed).

Everyone is racist. My AS just makes me more likely to show it.

Uh-huh. Something you often claim because it makes you sleep better at night, but something you've utterly failed to prove or even remotely evidence.

Who's not taking it seriously? It will never be treated as anything other than it is. Nothing more. People in this thread have used as an excuse to mistreat people. I treat people as equals, whether they have AS or not. Would you rather I didn't?


Quick question, with nothing whatsoever meant by it, but when you say you treat people as equals do you mean you treat them all the same? Regardless of say, different levels of self-esteem, opinions that may be coloured by a limited degree of rational paranoia and a lack of understanding regarding sarcasm or metaphor?

A kalahari tribesman may be able to find grub in a desert, but the intricacies of the US voting system will require explanation in clear, simple terms. You see?

The point is, were not normal. And while we're quite happy to learn to adapt to the regular world insofar as we are able (hell, a lot of us would LOVE to be normal) we are starting from a penalised position in certain areas and great advantages in others. It'd be nice if the world afforded us some sort of consideration, even if only early on; Equality starts with understanding.


EDIT: Personally, I enjoy being different. You alternative people out there? Ooh... nice clothes, so individual. Me? Totally different neural arrangement, natch.:D Now that's non-conformist.

Uh-huh. Something you often claim because it makes you sleep better at night, but something you've utterly failed to prove or even remotely evidence.

Everyone is a little bit racist. Ever heard the song? Even subconsciously, people will judge races and nationalities on stereotypes and such.

I'm not really as racist as I seem. I am racist, just like everybody else. But I usually seem more racist because I use stupid arguments when I'm losing.

Everyone is racist. My AS just makes me more likely to show it.

Rubbish, on two points.

First - I don't accept your assertion that everyone is racist. A lot of people are, many more than others. But I consider my own life an example that the same cannot be said for EVERYONE.

That's the problem with generalisations - it only takes one domino to knock the house of cards down. Checkmate.

Second - As an AS 'sufferer' who has, for example, a fear of heights, my AS makes me no more likely to show it than otherwise. Perhaps less, even.

Everyone is racist. My AS just makes me more likely to show it.


Dude, my best mate, the guy who saved my soul and pulled me back from suicide is a Sikh. When he found out I had AS he said that he was going to "beat God" and give me a real life. I would not be here now if it wasn't for him.

And hell, before that point, I classed people as "hostile" and "not quite so hostile". Skin colour never came into it.

I think quite a lot of the problem is that the main perceptions of Aspergers are either "Fuck it they can work it out for themselves treat em like everyone else" or "Oh the poor spazzes make everything easier for them"

Well, you get the gist of it anyway.

I had to go to a group thereapy whatsit for Aspergers at 14. everyone else in the group was about 8-10. I dont think I have ever been quite so patronised in my life, which is actually quite impressive on reflection.


A fair bit of it (in my experience) is just lack of organisation. for example, unless someone with AS gets into a routine of having say, a shower in the morning, often they will forget. Hence the three that Ashliana found smelt all the time. It does not help that they were at a boarding school as when at home routine is usually enforced by Parents until it becomes habit.

Unfortunately a lot of people tend not to try and get people with AS to understand that giving abuse, albeit unintentionally is just not on, shrugging it off with a "Oh its not their fault, they just have Aspergers" Someone with AS is capable of not insulting everyone they speak to, they just need to be taught it whereas most people pick it up automatically.

Everyone is a little bit racist. Ever heard the song? Even subconsciously, people will judge races and nationalities on stereotypes and such.

Thats not an excuse though, it is still nice to try and overcome that instinct and not be blatant about it though.

Dude, my best mate, the guy who saved my soul and pulled me back from suicide is a Sikh. When he found out I had AS he said that he was going to "beat God" and give me a real life. I would not be here now if it wasn't for him.

And hell, before that point, I classed people as "hostile" and "not quite so hostile". Skin colour never came into it.

Well that's because you know him. But I do not believe that there is a person on this Earth that does not have racist thoughts; even the slightest ones.

Aspie here.

Everyone is racist. My AS just makes me more likely to show it.

But AS doesn't make it impossible to learn social cues. It just makes it harder because social cues don't make any sense. No one's able to explain them to us logically (which, I would argue, means they don't understand them either).

The words I used were:

"... lived with three people who had Asperger's Syndrome over the course of three years--and let me tell you this. They were by far the most annoying ... "

That is CLEARLY referring to the THREE people I lived with, not a generalization of every person with the syndrome.

You are reading what you want to be there, not what IS there.

I find this quite funny. What Ashliana did here is exactly the sort of thing that Aspies do all the time. We'll make a true statement, and other people will interpret in a non-logical way that applies what we've said far more broadly than we intended.

It's just like my Implication thread. Universal generalisations are irrational.

Well that's because you know him. But I do not believe that there is a person on this Earth that does not have racist thoughts; even the slightest ones.

I knew you'd say that. Hence the second mini-paragraph.

Thats not an excuse though, it is still nice to try and overcome that instinct and not be blatant about it though.

Yes, society likes us to overcome that instinct. The same way society often jails us for invoking our self-defence mechanism.

I knew you'd say that. Hence the second mini-paragraph.

You classify people as "hostile" and "non-hostile"? Just how Aspergian are you? See, I classify people as "like me" and "not like me."

It's easy enough for us to learn that people don't like racist comments.

The hard part is identifying which of our comments other people will think are racist.

Everyone is a little bit racist. Ever heard the song? Even subconsciously, people will judge races and nationalities on stereotypes and such.

I'm not really as racist as I seem. I am racist, just like everybody else. But I usually seem more racist because I use stupid arguments when I'm losing.

Again, here is an assertion you've never evidenced or proven, but just keeping stating as if true. Noticing races is not racist any more than noticing blue eyes. Being aware of stereotypes is just being educated. Even prejudice isn't necessarily racism. For example, if it's late at night and I'm walking down the street and I see a guy in a trenchcoat who looks suspicious and nervous and a guy in a police officer's uniform who doesn't, my prejudice makes me more careful of the guy in the trenchcoat when the police officer may be more dangerous. We prejudge all the time by all kinds of factors that include things that have to do with appearance. Racism requires me to treat race as a factor unequally and to ignore evidence to the contrary of my prejudices.

You classify people as "hostile" and "non-hostile"? Just how Aspergian are you? See, I classify people as "like me" and "not like me."

No True Scotsman fallacy on Aisle 12...

Quick question, with nothing whatsoever meant by it, but when you say you treat people as equals do you mean you treat them all the same? Regardless of say, different levels of self-esteem, opinions that may be coloured by a limited degree of rational paranoia and a lack of understanding regarding sarcasm or metaphor?

A kalahari tribesman may be able to find grub in a desert, but the intricacies of the US voting system will require explanation in clear, simple terms. You see?

The point is, were not normal. And while we're quite happy to learn to adapt to the regular world insofar as we are able (hell, a lot of us would LOVE to be normal) we are starting from a penalised position in certain areas and great advantages in others. It'd be nice if the world afforded us some sort of consideration, even if only early on; Equality starts with understanding.


EDIT: Personally, I enjoy being different. You alternative people out there? Ooh... nice clothes, so individual. Me? Totally different neural arrangement, natch.:D Now that's non-conformist.

Equal is not the same. I start from a place of equality, and as I gain more information (verbal cues, visual cues, biographical information, thoughts, ideas, dreams, etc.) my treatment becomes more appropriate to them as individuals. AS is just one piece of information, but it's not everything or the most important piece.

Well that's because you know him. But I do not believe that there is a person on this Earth that does not have racist thoughts; even the slightest ones.

It doesn't really matter, on a cosmic scale, what you believe, my friend.

The universe is just going to wobble merrily along it's path, no matter WHAT you believe.

That's the good thing about reality. It is remarkably resilient in the face of protestations of it's non-existence.

Again, here is an assertion you've never evidenced or proven, but just keeping stating as if true. Noticing races is not racist any more than noticing blue eyes. Being aware of stereotypes is just being educated. Even prejudice isn't necessarily racism. For example, if it's late at night and I'm walking down the street and I see a guy in a trenchcoat who looks suspicious and nervous and a guy in a police officer's uniform who doesn't, my prejudice makes me more careful of the guy in the trenchcoat when the police officer may be more dangerous. We prejudge all the time by all kinds of factors that include things that have to do with appearance. Racism requires me to treat race as a factor unequally and to ignore evidence to the contrary of my prejudices.

Well, when I walk around at night and I see a black guy and a white guy, I'm automatically suspicious of the black guy. What does that make me?

Well, when I walk around at night and I see a black guy and a white guy, I' automatically suspicious of the black guy. What does that make me?

Are you also automatically suspicious of the white guy?

Well, when I walk around at night and I see a black guy and a white guy, I' automatically suspicious of the black guy. What does that make me?

Irrational?

No True Scotsman fallacy on Aisle 12...

Which would be a problem if we weren't on Aisle 8.

Which would be a problem if we weren't on Aisle 8.

No no no... we WERE on Aisle 8, but you jumped to so many conclusions we ended up on Aisle 12...

Irrational?

Which is interesting, because a lot of people that I've spoken with agree with me. Are we a nation of racists?

*Waves hand*

I'm an Aspie too... though I'm afraid I don't have much ability in or love of maths or science. History and film are my first loves!

Which is interesting, because a lot of people that I've spoken with agree with me. Are we a nation of racists?

That rather depends on whether you spoke to the whole nation...

I have a friend (Megan) from Melbourne, Australia. She's not (noticably) racist. Maybe it's just 'down-your-way'?

Of course - that doesn't make it 'okay'.


Of course - the amusing thing is - oyu will argue that your Aspergers is the reason for this kind of behaviour, and THEN try to argue that it's not just you that feels this way.

Do you live in an Asperger's Treatment Colony?

*Waves hand*

I'm an Aspie too... though I'm afraid I don't have much ability in or love of maths or science. History and film are my first loves!

Congratulations on your first post!

Of course - the amusing thing is - oyu will argue that your Aspergers is the reason for this kind of behaviour, and THEN try to argue that it's not just you that feels this way.

Do you live in an Asperger's Treatment Colony?

My Asperger's isn't the reason I have these beliefs. It's the reason I'm willing to state them.

My Asperger's isn't the reason I have these beliefs. It's the reason I'm willing to state them.

I'd argue that THAT conflicts with what you've said before...

However - even if that should be the case, surely all these other people you were just talking about... MUST have 'stated' their beliefs also...

Which once again leaves us in an Aspergers Commune.

Well, when I walk around at night and I see a black guy and a white guy, I'm automatically suspicious of the black guy. What does that make me?

Again, if you give unequal credence to skin color alone without weighing other cues, a racist. Skin color is just one of dozens of visual cues that we receive before we have more information. It's completely reasonable to take all of those cues into account when deciding a course of action. However, it is not reasonable to take one of those cues and place them above all others simply because you don't like or fear a certain race. To do so is racism.

Which is interesting, because a lot of people that I've spoken with agree with me. Are we a nation of racists?

Wow, you've talked to a couple of people who agree with you. Ye gads, that must mean everyone. Quite the rationale for your behavior you're building there. Let me know how that works out for you. Try not to let reality get in your way. Ha, look who I'm talking to. As if THAT'S gonna happen.

My Asperger's isn't the reason I have these beliefs. It's the reason I'm willing to state them.

Sadly doesn't make them correct. My AS means that I can quite cheerfully rant for ages about my deepseated hatred of hippies, but I also rationally understand that there is no reason for my intense, focused dislike.

Other than the fact that they are goddamn hippies.

AS allows you to identify (from the outside as it were) the myriad delusions that encompass normal human life. It also allows you to choose to ignore them.

However - even if that should be the case, surely all these other people you were just talking about... MUST have 'stated' their beliefs also...

When they felt that it was socially acceptable to do so. Which is almost never. Whereas I would just bust it out whenever I feel that it's relevant.

Asperger's have normal or above average intellectual capacity, with atypical or poorly developed social skills often with emotional/social development or integration happening later than usual as a result.
Minus the above average intellectual capacity I would say most everyone on NS general exhibits Asperger symptoms. I als osubmit that the development and integration is greatly retarded in the NS-Asperger symptoms.

When they felt that it was socially acceptable to do so. Which is almost never. Whereas I would just bust it out whenever I feel that it's relevant.

So - stating those beliefs is not (as you claimed) a symptom of the 'disease'.

I am curious though, how thoroughly these 'lots of people' you claim agree with you... one assumes, from the context in which you made THAT statement, that they all are more suspicious of black men than of white men... and apparently, don't mind admitting it... yes?

My Asperger's isn't the reason I have these beliefs. It's the reason I'm willing to state them.
Yes Asperger's makes you willing to state them, the reason you have them is because you are simple minded.

Point-

See, I classify people as "like me" and "not like me."

This is a clear example of simple minded thinking,
typical of about age 5.

I . . . lived with three people who had Asperger's Syndrome over the course of three years--and let me tell you this. They were by far the most annoying people I've ever had the misfortune of meeting.

They had absolutely no grasp of social cues or graces. . . . They would stand extremely close to you. They didn't understand why people would get offended at the horrible things they said. And you couldn't teach them how to behave properly, because they didn't understand why what they were saying was wrong.

I cannot tell you how many times I wanted to strangle one of the three that I knew.

I can sympathize, to some extent. One of my "dearest" friends has Asperger's. While she is extremely loyal and candid, she's also bull-headed, condescending, and honest to the point of being offensive. She says hurtful things with no conception of how hurtful they are. She has the annoying habit of telling me what I'm thinking, and then, when I explain what I actually meant, will contradict me.

I'm glad that I know she has Asperger's, and I try to make allowances for it and be tolerant. Otherwise I would've written her off as an offensive ranting bitch long ago.

That's the problem with generalisations - it only takes one domino to knock the house of cards down. Checkmate.

Kif: *deep sigh*

Kif: *deep sigh*

Hey, if you've got to steal, steal from the best, no?

Dont listen to that racist twaddle. Aspergers is MUCH more likely to make you NON-racist. Of my family, everyone shows some racist characteristics, but me least of all(if i have any)

I was sitting in a local "cowboy" night club, with my friend Maryann, and I commented on how I felt out of place. She turned to me, slowly, with the strangest look on her face, and said..."At least you are WHITE. I must be the only brown girl in here!". It never even occured to me that she was any different from the rest of the crowd.

But in one sense, at least, It may lead to the perception of racism, simply because skin color is a easily definable trait; and a person not capable of picking up body language would use that information to apply a 'reaction rule', and react based on stereotypes.

See, thats what an aspergerian does, as often as possible. Once we learn the proper response in a given situation, we apply that rule, sometimes as a blanket response to similar situations. Some of us are terrible at generalizing.

Thats often where the teasing/bullying starts. But enough of that.

Stinky issues. Some dont make hygene part of their habit/routine. Its learned behavoir, even for neurotypicals. Some Aspers go on a obsession bender and just dont think to do it.

Standing too close. People who are closely bonded DO stand closer together.
Hostility signals(and these include "please move away"), might go over the heads of an ASer. Neurotypicals are typically unaware of these signals too, but they react unconsciously, automatically. An aspergerian doesnt read this the same way. If they are not conscious of the motions/tone, they dont react.

Again, Aspies vary greatly in their abilities. Some are almost normal, like me, and some are way out there.

Where we really excel is where we are deficient. For example, I cant always respond correctly, but because my brain isnt fussing over hidden signals, I have the presence of mind to take note of motions, body language. I might need time or research to learn the meaning, but I'll be one up, because I can then evoke a concise(often terse) practical statement on the meaning of a given action.

An aspergerian sees things much more literally. My mom and dad marvel over how I can analize the workings of mechanical and electrical systems.

Like I said, Its the greatest type of person of all.

Aspergerians, and anyone else, go get some books on body language. Smarten up. You ARE responsible for making yourself understood, and you are doubly responsible to make sure you learn to understand others. It would be nice if society would be more accomodating, but face it, its you that is bucking the trend.

I'll give you a web community of AS spectrum people...

www.wrongplanet.net

two awesome books to read...
"animals in translation" by Temple Grandin
its about the neurological differences between humans and animals, or the difference between autistics and normal people. You be the judge. At the least, you'll understand your pet better.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0156031442/qid=1147585942/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/103-9262608-5095862?v=glance&s=books

"the book of tells" by Peter collett
All about body language. To simple of a description. Everyone should read it.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0553814591/qid=1147585988/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/103-9262608-5095862?v=glance&s=books

...and a firm wishing of good luck understanding your fellow man, be you autist/aspergerian, neurotypical, or some other variant of human being.

I dont have a very good impression of people with asbergers. I was at my friends bar-mitsavah (sp) and someones son was there who had it. In the middle he started talking loudly about the holocaust and saying it was a good thing.
But im sure not everyone who has i ist like that; i try to keep and open mind, but thats the only time ive ever met someone with asbergers.

Anybody else ever read the short story, "Null-0" by Philip K. Dick? 'Cause that's what I'm flashing on with these asparagus people.

In the middle he started talking loudly about the holocaust and saying it was a good thing.

/me cringes...

Oh, and by the way, its asPergers. Only Fass gets to talk about ass-burgers.

I have a 9 year old son with Aspergers, who is also bi polar, and has mild Cerebal Palsey and I have always feared for his future. Thanks for the links posted, I intend to read them thoroughly.

I too have Aspergers. I'm from New Zealand, as well, i belive someone else in the thread said they were.

the things i've always noticed about it, mostly, are these:

you're average "normal" kid can easyly pick out that a kid with Aspergers is different. generaly can't tell why, but they notice it.

kids pick on people who are different untill they learn better.

thus people with Aspergers often have crappy experiances with childhood educational institutes. so far as i can tell, anyway.

actuall things about people with aspergers, well, i can only really list about me, but a lot of them are apparantly quite common:

social cues: as some people have said, we just don't Get them. we can learn them but i, at least, have to be activly looking for them to pick up on them.

a tendancey towards boarderline [or even outright] obsession with a particular thing. what, exactly, will vary and change. but it's common.

also fairly common seem to be great skill in one area [generaly the more logical ones such as mathmatics or music but not always] and great deficiancy in another [for example, i have major problems with spelling. i've learnt, finaly, how to get most of it right most of the time. but it was haveing to be legibal in chatrooms rather than school clases that did the job. same with typeing]

a tendancy towards takeing things far too litteraly compaired to the speakers meaning seems comen

often light/sound/touch sensitivitys are mixed in there to varying degrees.

and apparantly people with Aspergers are more prone to also haveing a whole bunch of other neurological problems.



the post that seems to be a major point of contention earlier seems to go like this: if read litteraly, word for word, as it is said, i can see the point of view of the poster. it is an example of past experiance. no more, no less. and as such perfectly valid and not troleing or anything else

takeing into account the Learnt social cues and so on however, the Tone of the message is the kind of thing that I, at least, would react highly negitivly to if such a thing were said to me. it is highly agressive/confrountational/whatever, and anyone with Aspergers [and plenty of other people too, i suspect] who have learnt to pick up on the social cues in this enviroment will automaticly react to it as an attack. the data it's self gets lost in transmision.

the text equivilant of "verbal static" i guess.

heh. the greatest "up" side of my aspergers seems to be the ability to see the many different meanings of any one statement, so long as i am not emotionaly involved in the situation. [when people start useing metephores and euphimisems, or i just missed something, however, it can lead to me just standing there looking silly as i try and process the information and elliminate the inccorect meanings. i still often have to ask for clarification]

so, does any of that help anyone at all? i aim to please *le bow*

EDIT: Personally, I enjoy being different. You alternative people out there? Ooh... nice clothes, so individual. Me? Totally different neural arrangement, natch.:D Now that's non-conformist.

very cool
i think i want this syndrome

incidentally craig nicholls of the vines has it
he writes awesome music
they diagnosed it after he kicked out at a photographer at a gig, i beleive.
sounds like it was tricky for him, because of the huge crowds and pressure of the hype around their albums

What a load of bullshit. Asperger syndrome people tend to stay away from other people. Most are just as conscious of hygiene as other people. Next time, think before you open your mouth.

I know of one person with Aperger's. His hygiene was appalling. He had no concept of personal space and was completely socially inept, yet he continued to try to socialize. He would obsess about one subject to the exclusion of others, which made college life very difficult for him. Understand please, that one can have Asperger's and not display all of the symptoms and that some symptoms are more common than others. You can have several sufferers of Asperger's in the same family and they will all show different symptoms.

very cool
i think i want this syndrome

Trust me, you don't. You know how much I would give to be normal?

very cool
i think i want this syndrome


it has it's good points and it's bad points. i don't exactly wish i was normal. just wish people would learn to live with the fact that i'm me.

still, if you don't have it? i'd recomend not wishing that you did.

such wishes have a tendancy to backfire horrendously if they ever come true.

not that this one could without some drastic bending of the laws of reality, of course. it's one of those "from birth" things.

it has it's good points and it's bad points. i don't exactly wish i was normal. just wish people would learn to live with the fact that i'm me.

still, if you don't have it? i'd recomend not wishing that you did.

such wishes have a tendancy to backfire horrendously if they ever come true.

not that this one could without some drastic bending of the laws of reality, of course. it's one of those "from birth" things.


yeah i dont think i really want to...
i like that u dont have to try so hard to be individual though (not like me, greatest try-hard on planet), - esp. if you have a cool obsession. lol
having said that, i dont mean to trivialise it, i know it can be tricky.

I have Asperger Syndrome. I'm just curious, does anyone else here have it? Or know anybody who has it?

My brother has it. Any advice for me? He's 14 and has a hard time understanding a lot of things

My brother has it. Any advice for me? He's 14 and has a hard time understanding a lot of things


first one: stay calm.

hypocracy of the highest order, comeing from me, but still. it helps imensly if you can manage it.

I like to pronounce it with a hard G so it sounds like ass burgers. I dont really know anything about it, although I read a good book called "the curious incident of the dog in the night time" written in first person where the main character has AS (the author did not have it). has anyone read this book? how accurate a depiction is it?

I like to pronounce it with a hard G so it sounds like ass burgers. I dont really know anything about it, although I read a good book called "the curious incident of the dog in the night time" written in first person where the main character has AS (the author did not have it). has anyone read this book? how accurate a depiction is it?

a) The pronunciation with the hard G is correct. Dr Asperger was Austrian, after all. Try "US-pair-gurr(s)" and you're as close as English can get. Close to "asparagus" also. I'm allowed to joke, because I live with an Asperger woman and her Asperger son of 10. She thinks I have it, too. I think I'm an excellent driver. :p

b) I've read "the curious incident of the dog in the night time" and I think it doesn't give a bad description of the way some Asperger minds work. But there's such a large bandwidth of Asperger related behaviour and and different individual Asperger mindsets that the book only describes one specific case of Asperger's syndrome. It can't be read it as a description of all Asperger people. Only a few Aspies have a memory of details like the boy in the book, and many suck at maths.

Thanks for the links Notaxia.