5 ms·

I've jokingly referred to Wikipedia moderators as autistic for, for example, diligently reversing changes to articles even when done by experts in that field. I

I've jokingly referred to Wikipedia moderators as autistic for, for example, diligently reversing changes to articles even when done by experts in that field. I guess I'll try to come up with something else...

mahouse 11y ago
If you spent some time editing Wikipedia in a serious way, you would notice how a high % of the regular editors/admins are more than obviously affected by a wide spectrum of mental problems. Although I guess this topic is a taboo because of how the society has been trying lately to “normalise” mental illnesses.
- anc84 11y ago
  It is the same in many other contribution run online communities. It can be a fantastic content & quality fuel to have people obsessed with a topic. I hope that does not sound exploitative though.
- DanBC 11y ago
  It's a little bit frustrating that you describe behaviour you don't like as either mental illness or neuro-diversity. Sometimes an asshole is just an asshole.
  - rangibaby 11y ago
    I agree with you, but after the whole retard business yesterday, calling people assholes doesn't seem right. It's kind of like saying "sometimes people are just retarded".
  - mahouse 11y ago
    "Neuro-diversity" just means "mental illness". And I don't believe there are many assholes around. Most people that act like assholes regularly are just affected by some illness, even if it's only a depression. Nobody wants to be an asshole, believe me.
    - DanBC 11y ago
      Hang on: Autism is not a mental illness! > And I don't believe there are many assholes around. okay, I don't have any research so I'll accept this for a moment. > Most people that act like assholes regularly are just affected by some illness, even if it's only a depression. Neither of us have any research, so I wonder how strongly you feel that? And maybe if you swap "depression" for "stress" I guess I'll agree. > Nobody wants to be an asshole, believe me Wait what? Plenty of people who don't have anything like a diagnosable mental illness enjoy being assholes just because. I guess we're disagreeing about definitions of asshole and mental illness here though.
      - mahouse 11y ago
        > Hang on: Autism is not a mental illness! "A serious developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and interact." Would you not call that an illness? > Neither of us have any research, so I wonder how strongly you feel that? I feel it very strongly, as someone who has been affected by it. > And maybe if you swap "depression" for "stress" I guess I'll agree. I agree on that too. > Wait what? Plenty of people who don't have anything like a diagnosable mental illness enjoy being assholes just because. I guess we're disagreeing about definitions of asshole and mental illness here though. I don't believe in that. Someone who is a chronical asshole is probably depressed, stressed, an autist, a psychopath, etc.
        DanBC 11y ago
        I'd call it an illness, but it's not a mental illness. It's a developmental disorder.
        pmelendez 11y ago
        >"A serious developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and interact." Would you not call that an illness? First that is not an appropiated definition that would cover the whole spectrum. It is not "serious" for people with High Functional Autism (Umbrella term that covers deprecated labels as Aspergers, PDDNOS, etc). Second, "Illness" is not the preferred term in this case: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disease#Concepts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disease#Concepts "(Medical condition) As it is more value-neutral than terms like disease, the term medical condition is sometimes preferred by people with health issues that they do not consider deleterious. On the other hand, by emphasizing the medical nature of the condition, this term is sometimes rejected, such as by proponents of the autism rights movement."

mahouse 11y ago

If you spent some time editing Wikipedia in a serious way, you would notice how a high % of the regular editors/admins are more than obviously affected by a wide spectrum of mental problems. Although I guess this topic is a taboo because of how the society has been trying lately to “normalise” mental illnesses.

anc84 11y ago
It is the same in many other contribution run online communities. It can be a fantastic content & quality fuel to have people obsessed with a topic. I hope that does not sound exploitative though.
DanBC 11y ago
It's a little bit frustrating that you describe behaviour you don't like as either mental illness or neuro-diversity. Sometimes an asshole is just an asshole.
- rangibaby 11y ago
  I agree with you, but after the whole retard business yesterday, calling people assholes doesn't seem right. It's kind of like saying "sometimes people are just retarded".
- mahouse 11y ago
  "Neuro-diversity" just means "mental illness". And I don't believe there are many assholes around. Most people that act like assholes regularly are just affected by some illness, even if it's only a depression. Nobody wants to be an asshole, believe me.
  - DanBC 11y ago
    Hang on: Autism is not a mental illness! > And I don't believe there are many assholes around. okay, I don't have any research so I'll accept this for a moment. > Most people that act like assholes regularly are just affected by some illness, even if it's only a depression. Neither of us have any research, so I wonder how strongly you feel that? And maybe if you swap "depression" for "stress" I guess I'll agree. > Nobody wants to be an asshole, believe me Wait what? Plenty of people who don't have anything like a diagnosable mental illness enjoy being assholes just because. I guess we're disagreeing about definitions of asshole and mental illness here though.
    - mahouse 11y ago
      > Hang on: Autism is not a mental illness! "A serious developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and interact." Would you not call that an illness? > Neither of us have any research, so I wonder how strongly you feel that? I feel it very strongly, as someone who has been affected by it. > And maybe if you swap "depression" for "stress" I guess I'll agree. I agree on that too. > Wait what? Plenty of people who don't have anything like a diagnosable mental illness enjoy being assholes just because. I guess we're disagreeing about definitions of asshole and mental illness here though. I don't believe in that. Someone who is a chronical asshole is probably depressed, stressed, an autist, a psychopath, etc.
      - DanBC 11y ago
        I'd call it an illness, but it's not a mental illness. It's a developmental disorder.
      - pmelendez 11y ago
        >"A serious developmental disorder that impairs the ability to communicate and interact." Would you not call that an illness? First that is not an appropiated definition that would cover the whole spectrum. It is not "serious" for people with High Functional Autism (Umbrella term that covers deprecated labels as Aspergers, PDDNOS, etc). Second, "Illness" is not the preferred term in this case: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disease#Concepts https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disease#Concepts "(Medical condition) As it is more value-neutral than terms like disease, the term medical condition is sometimes preferred by people with health issues that they do not consider deleterious. On the other hand, by emphasizing the medical nature of the condition, this term is sometimes rejected, such as by proponents of the autism rights movement."