3 ms·
The Opposite Of Autism
- PaulHoule 5y agoPart of neurotypical privilege is being able to decide what "normal" is. That is, neurtoypicals make the same mistakes neurotypicals make. Neurodiverse people are weird because they make different mistakes.
- rapjr9 5y agoThe article assumes there are only two poles of the cognitive spectrum, autistic and hyperempathic. Multiple poles might make more sense. Psychopaths running businesses and governments might be considered another pole. They are definitely not hyperempathic but they can fake it, and yet they are not often autistic either. They can be systemblind or not. Just like the autism spectrum, these other poles may have spectrums as well. Trying to define "poles" at all may be a lost cause. The world is made up of more than jocks and nerds and "poles" seems like an oversimplification. That some people have cognitive differences that are impairing in society depends in part on the society, and in a different society those who are hyperempathic or psychopathic would be less successful and viewed as damaged. Lily Tomlin in "Grace and Frankie" seems like a portrayal of someone hyperempathic, as does Jennifer Saunders portrayal of Edina Monsoon in "Absolutely Fabulous". That actors can portray both autistic and hyperempathic characters suggests some part of these is not genetic and is learned, perhaps a neuroticism developed at an early age. Interventions at an early age can definitely alter the course of autism.