I'll defer on you to genetics, but I think you are unfairly dismissing the larger point raised, ie. that different societies have historically had different int

I'll defer on you to genetics, but I think you are unfairly dismissing the larger point raised, ie. that different societies have historically had different interpretations of, degrees of acceptance of and methods of utilizing the different qualities of autistic people, some potentially more enlightened than ourselves. FWIW I found the reindeer herder story quite convincing. I have personally met and spoken to some fascinating people who could be ascribed a similar position, eg. a Himalayan Naxi hermit who endures near total isolation 9 months per year (his daughter and grand daughter took me with them on a rare visit, which was at the treeline a whole (predawn to nightfall) day's return walk above the nearest settlement). Approaching his position, we were overtaken by an animal skin clad mountain Yi vagabond who could double our pace at altitude. (My guides explained he would summit and descend the snow-capped mountain range for the safety of the next valley before nightfall.) A friend of mine from a young age is heavily autistic, to the point where only the extreme devotion of his father allowed him to begin to speak. He now runs a video store with his encyclopedic knowledge of film.