[Rod_Cloutier]

Hello,

I have Asperger's syndrome, a rare neurological condition of the brain which gives me a different outlook on life than neurotypical 'NT' adults. Asperger's is essentially high functioning autism.

I have been a member of peakoil.com since 2004 and I would like to participate in an Aspie's only discussion of peak oil awareness, and related issues such as catastrophic climate change and so forth.

All Aspie's out there are welcome to post to this thread about our unique way of viewing life and nature, which often differs radically from the majority opinions of the vast numbers of 'NT's' who post here regularily on this site.

So to start this off with a roll call for Aspie members at peakoil.com. Myself: Repent, age 41 diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome at age 35.

Please begin posting for this roll call so we can get these alternative thought perspective discussions started!

Thank you!

[Beery1]

I have not been officially diagnosed, but I have some symptoms of AS. Not sure I have anything to contribute that would be much different from what NTs would contribute, except for the occasional off-topic mention of the fact that I think Aspies should be considered the normal ones, that NTs are fricken crazy, needy, way too social, waaay too obsessed with touching and hugging (which just makes me incredibly tense), and never truly interested in issues when they claim to be, etc., etc.

[Keith_McClary]

I have Asperger's syndrome, a rare neurological condition of the brain which gives me a different outlook on life than neurotypical 'NT' adults.

I thought you were one of the few who had their heads screwed on right.

[Sixstrings]

I thought you were one of the few who had their heads screwed on right.

Asperger's, if not severe, isn't a mental illness KC.

To the contrary they're often very successful due to their ability to focus -- aspie is what folks used to call a "nerd." Think Bill Gates. Maybe Zuckerberg. People like that -- not a good shoulder to cry on, but nothing "disabled" about them. They can intensely focus on a project, tune everything out, they're just not as emotionally connected as others are.

There's nothing wrong with that, we need scientists and engineers and serious people. Why is this even a "syndrome" people are getting labeled over? I've sure been hearing more and more about it. I guess it's related to the explosion of autism, it's on that spectrum, but is this honestly a disorder if it doesn't cause any problems.. is not being super social a disorder.. is being a nerd a "syndrome."

Here's what I don't understand, why would one want to identify as "aspie," why are there asperger groups, it just seems to me like unnecessary self-ostracization -- introverts are part of society too you don't need a separate group, you're not strange if you don't hug a lot, who decided that super social is normal?

[dolanbaker]

The more complex the society is, the more pigeon holes that are needed to put people in!
Everyone has to be categorised so that they can be perceived to being in their "rightful place" in society.

One former boss of mine was once interviewed by a surveyor for some "market research", later the company requested a second interview because "his profile didn't fit" and they assumed that the original surveyor had made his answers up! I would consider him as an independent thinker.

[Rod_Cloutier]

No really, Aspie's are different than others. Its like I was given a different rule book for life than from everyone else that I know. Aspie's are just starting to organize now for rights. (groups for loners is not an obvious consept).

We have our own community website call wrongplanet.net. We're people who were sent and born on the wrong planet in error. The social and behaviorial rules of Earthlings just don't make any sense for us. Here's some links:

http://www.wrongplanet.net/
http://www.afieldguidetoearthlings.com/
http://animatedminds.com/the_films/aspergers_syndrome/

Being that were from a different planet, born here on Earth in error, we have a different 'take' on issues like peak oil and catastrophic climate change!

[Rod_Cloutier]

No, Earthling's, (we call them NT's), are always frantically running around doing things. Taking vacations, going out, running around, having affairs, ect, ect. Aspie's are often content with their own thoughts. Content to sit by a quiet stream and watch frogs hopping about.

Drastic reductions in resource consumption would be an Aspie 'no brainer' solution to many problems. Aspie's would be okay with less; its the NT's who are wrecking the place running around doing bizarre and unnecessary things. Building mansions for status, knocking each other off for power struggles, ect. ect.

Spend your day today watching frogs down by a quiet stream- its a different perspective and a different outcome!

[Rod_Cloutier]

Fell in the river today! Hit my head on a submerged discarded shopping cart.

(Another NT abomination)!

[Sixstrings]

No really, Aspie's are different than others. Its like I was given a different rule book for life than from everyone else that I know. Aspie's are just starting to organize now for rights. (groups for loners is not an obvious consept).

What rights are you currently being denied?

I did some reading and refreshed my knowledge on this topic. It's a syndrome, genetic, not an aspie's fault but -- like any other "syndrome" don't you think this can become a crutch? An excuse for being willfully inconsiderate / anti-social? Thing is, we all live in a society whether we're "aspie" or not, nobody gets a free pass to be a jerk. My favorite religion is Buddhism. That entire religion revolves around empathy for others. Empathy is at the core of every world religion and morality.

I realize people with aspergers have a genetic problem with empathy, but empathy can be practiced and cultivated -- I'm not sure it's such a good idea to completely give up and decide to view yourself as fundamentally apart from the rest of society. Aspies seem very smart to me, well, intelligence and willpower can cultivate empathy. Empathy can be a conscious decision.

We have our own community website call wrongplanet.net. We're people who were sent and born on the wrong planet in error. The social and behaviorial rules of Earthlings just don't make any sense for us. Here's some links:

I'm guessing you're joking there. But I just read an article from what looks like an Aspie site and ya, it sounds like they speak as if they are aliens:

Without significant intervention, neurotypicals will continue to be dependent on us for generations to come. Unfortunately, the neurotypical herd mentality results in an excessive rate of birth of offspring that are genetically predisposed to be neurotypical, and as such the incidence of neurotypicality remains frighteningly high. Fortunately, the percentage of neurotypical births has been in decline recently, although it is still far too high for comfort.
http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Have-Aspergers-Syndrome/128967

And then I read the comments on that. Here's my problem -- this is more than a lack of empathy, there's a superior attitude going on here and an outright reveling in being a jerk. There's a difference in being inconsiderate by accident versus enjoying being a pompous ass on purpose -- that latter is willfull. If you read the comments on the article I linked, they all sound like jerks and sound like they enjoy it.

Not directing any of this at you, though there's a hint of derision for we "NT's" even in this thread. I'll be the first to stick up for introverts, but some of this aspie group movement seems willfully mean-spirited and anti-social to me. You can't just look down on the rest of humanity like they're lab rats.

And you can't have a climate change discussion and just take human compassion and empathy out of it.

[Keith_McClary]

I thought you were one of the few who had their heads screwed on right.

Asperger's, if not severe, isn't a mental illness KC.

That's what I meant. ("head screwed on right" Defn: able to make sensible decisions)

You always seem to take what I say the wrong way. Like when I pointed out that the permanent destruction or your Everglades was worse than the Tar Sands, you jumped to the conclusion that I am a fan of the Oil companies. That is Earthling-think.

[Sixstrings]

Six, the Aspi is one more category of Outcasts in long list of Outcasts from this psychotically conformist American culture. The irony always is that in "coming out of the closet," the Aspi is fact re-entering the mainstream.

Why can't you just be who you are, without tearing down the "NT's?" Ok, so you don't like to hug -- that doesn't make hugs wrong. Perhaps you don't like fads and fashion, doesn't make it wrong though. Do you guys appreciate art? Is art bad? Do we just throw out all of humanity's cultural heritage, sit by a river and be logical all day? I don't know, you aspies want to take all the fun out of life.

Since you guys are so logical, then sit and think about this -- all this NT behavior you dislike so much must have been an evolutionary advantage or else primates wouldn't behave this way. We are social animals, and conformity, groupthink, hierarchies, and all our social skills are what enable us to act as a group. It's true in many other species, "the pack" and "the herd" is a proven model for survival vs. individuals.

We have seen this enumerable times in America; newly proud Gays overdid the Gay Pride/Gay Parade/Gay SM thing for a while, until they became comfortable integrating. See the same thing with minority subcultures. So that the Aspi is perhaps overreacting to this new found pride, and striking out at their former oppressors (you and me) is understandable.

How are you being oppressed? I'm not getting this, why you need an "aspies' rights" group. There's no law saying you have to hug people or wear designer clothes. Seems to me your issues aren't about equal rights for yourselves but rather telling other people what to do.

I'm an Aspi. There. I felt good saying that.

Hell who knows, maybe I am too. I fit a lot the criteria (verbosity ).. though face to face, I'm very good with nonverbal communication so either I'm not an aspie or I LEARNED SOCIAL SKILLS after my awkward nerd / loner school years. I don't know man, is there a test to take? Why would one want to know, "if they're an aspie," why seek a label? Come to think of it, you guys are otherwise against groupthink and labels yet here you are labeling yourselves and forming aspie groups left and right. Contradiction, no?

(sorry to derail the thread by the way.. if you want to talk aspie climate change solutions and what to do with us "NT's" then go right ahead.. also most of this post is tongue in cheek, no offense intended toward any real disability)

[Rod_Cloutier]

What rights are you currently being denied?... Empathy is at the core of every world religion and morality.

Empathy is being able to step in the other persons shoes and walk a mile. Impossible for most Aspie's, myself included, because we think so differently. The question is often put to me 'well how would you feel in the same situation, if this happened to you?'. How I would feel is likely more than a hop, skip, jump and an ocean away from how a neurotypical person would feel about an event.

We're people who were sent and born on the wrong planet in error. The social and behaviorial rules of Earthlings just don't make any sense for us. I'm guessing you're joking there.

I wish I was joking there. I got sent to the wrong planet in error- true to my heart!

http://www.experienceproject.com/stories/Have-Aspergers-Syndrome/128967

Loved that link, it made my day!

don't you think this can become a crutch? An excuse for being willfully inconsiderate / anti-social?

You're right it can't be a crutch, but a lifetime of threats, bullying, and discrimination make it hard to overcome. Becoming a hermit is easier.

But back to the original topic- can Aspie's only chat here on this thread about peak oil and climate change?

[JPL]

Hmmm.. other PO Aspie kicking in here. There is a difference between Aspies and NTs, and it's mainly expresssed in forums etc a completely different way of communicating. It's difficult to explain, but I can usually tell a fellow Aspie within a couple of sentences.

But... it is not a social or ethinic divide, or anything else that you can put into a clever form of words, it is a fundamental difference in the way the brain is wired and the way that an Aspie interacts. There are also physical differences in the brain structure that can be demonstrated in post-mortum, x-ray etc. There is much literature on the subject if one cares to look around...

Anyhow... I think in a PO context the natural Aspie tendency to isolationism and (intellectual) self-sufficiency may well turn out be a survival trait. Basically, we just don't have this urge to hug each other all the time (except for reproductive purposes). But we shall see...

JP

ed: spellink

[JPL]

Since you guys are so logical, then sit and think about this -- all this NT behavior you dislike so much must have been an evolutionary advantage or else primates wouldn't behave this way. We are social animals, and conformity, groupthink, hierarchies, and all our social skills are what enable us to act as a group. It's true in many other species, "the pack" and "the herd" is a proven model for survival vs. individuals.

Now "This" is interesting. Sixstrings, you are quoting evolutionary traits that proved to be successful in the very short term, but not in the long. Group behaviour built cities, empires and eventually lead inexorably to Climate Change and resource depletion. This was "so not" a long term survival strategy (or if it was, I am on the wrong forum).


Hence the current mess. I am not trying to set up inter-species dividing lines here but history is full of species that were victims of their own success. Like the Reptiles "keep building 'em bigger" model...

JP

[Pretorian]

Do you Aspies have kids? How often? Is it something in the "Y" chromosome or it spreads here and there?