why are people with aspergers generally very smart?

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I know we can't agree if Lispeth Salander is AS or not- but like Callista says, sometimes you have to be smart to survive-



Role model or what! ( if you don't know the story -it was self defense against the most unimaginable kind of human evil and they guy asking her the question, the Prosecutor is part of the evil network, this is her fighting back for the first time in the film. )

On a lesser scale this is how we all have to be sometimes.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTe8X8DGQJI[/youtube]

I personally don't think so. If you want to increase the size of your muscles, you use repetitive exercises. People with AS tend to think alot so we are literally exercising our mind "muscle". The majority of people don't exercise their minds so we appear smarter.

Or perhaps the question should be "Why are people who post in on-line discussion forums (specially forums about serious and complex topics*) usually very smart?"

*like a neurological disorder with psychological symptoms, of unkown cause and polemic validity.

That's what I think. Aspies do not worry about appearing too smart.

People, generally, feel uncomfortable if others view them as too intelligent. Less so after the Silicon revolution (and I am not talking breast implants) but still prevalent to some extent. Aspies don't feel uncomfortable because of the way our minds work, more interested in the knowledge than what others opinions are.

The inner workings of the brain get a heartier workout when left unemcumbered.

I debated with myself whether it's appropriate to say this until I read this. I agree to what Callista wrote.


Edit: As for those with a diagnosis of AS (not saying the diagnoses are all correct) that I have come into contact with personally, there are some with below average IQ, average IQ and above average IQ.

Including myself, all three groups can make people think they're smart in some settings or "stupid" in others.

Last edited by Sora on 03 Aug 2011, 3:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

A person who exercised a lot would be considered stronger, so a person who exercises his mind a lot could be considered smarter.

I do not consider myself extremely intelligent. Some others do. I believe my 'intelligence' consists of a very good memory, a logical mind and attentiveness.

Edit: I'm also afraid that Callista is right.

Because they usually don't fit in to a society that teaches obedience and stupidity. Smart people have individuality, which enables them to THINK ABOUT STUFF. Innovation is impossible unless you have your own ideas, as opposed to getting all of your ideas from others. This is why many social innovators were on the spectrum. Asperger's also helps to shield you from all the stupid BS that pollutes the mind.

I don't see that this forum itself is necessarily an indication that Aspies are smart, just because the forum has "smart" conversations. It's possible that those with less to contribute to the discussion keep quiet. It's also possible that our discussions appear smart relative to a conversation in person, because we have the time to think thru each answer carefully before posting.

Let's assume for the sake of argument, that we display more intelligence than most other internet forums. We then have to take into account the demographics for who joins WP, because that might not be an entirely representative sample of the Aspie population. The fact that we're here indicates that we've addressed the question of whether we have it or not, which means we have some curiosity about our own psychological states. Less intelligent Aspies might lack the inclination to seek this knowledge.

What I'm getting at is, we have to explore alternative explanations for what we observe before we can make the call that Aspies are smarter than NTs. (I'd certainly like to believe it's true. )

It's pretty obvious, isn't it? Doctors have a stereotype of "autism" in their heads; and if you happen to be autistic but you don't fit the stereotype because you seem smart, then they would rather say "Asperger's" than question their stereotype.

I've observed a lot of forums in my days and, in each case, I've seen the cesspools. I haven't been here for long so I can't say it with definite certainty, but the environment here seems to be more accepting, less elitist, and, well, generally more sensible than other places I've visited.

I'll let you know if I change my mind, though. >.>

That is one cool evolutionary mechanism you have brought up there. I wonder how many of us have a worldview that doesn't, or plain won't, accept the BS in the predominant paradigm ?I can tolerate it to get along but I'm always aware that it's there.

example today,

"Hi , is Geoff in ? I think I've got a job for him, there's this really nice old guy and he wants a set of garage doors making ..."

"Oh Geoff's out and to be honest Meme he's too busy, he's decking the garden, I mean have you seen the size of our garden?"

"Er yes I live three houses away so I can calculate your garden size."

"Then you know how big the garden is, and we are spending thousands on it this year, we might get a hot tub as well, then we are going on holiday, are you going away this year?

"No I don't go away, er about these doors..."

"Oh those...don't you ever go on holiday?"

This statement is probably the most correct and least offensive in the thread. Sparhawke's post was especially offensive.

I've seen many people with flawed logic and thinking here, as many as anywhere else. That's very apparent by the similar percentage of people who do drugs, or are religious, the same as the NTs you like to think are all mindless sheep. Lots of aspies here are just as social as the NTs they say they want to distance themselves from, and many NTs are extreme introverts and very intelligent people, like many of you like to think you are.

But what do I know? I'm just an inferior NT.

(Hint: That last sentence was sarcasm.)

I think part of that has to do with the fact that this place is more of a support forum and geared towards giving and receiving help/encouragement/advice/etc instead of just debating a topic.

Are they?

Anyway, I'd venture a guess at the 'collecting facts' aspect of a special interest. ^-^

dumbots- we forget you guys are here. Sorry, I'm sure you not one of the NT's we have in mind when discussing this. You're doing linguistics and computer science aren't you? Wow, I bet you've looked at the co-evolutionary theory of language being developed at Edinburgh Uni , now that is interesting and very special thing to get thinking about. ( No sarcasm)- did you know Sidney Lamb is still alive and teaching?

This. I spent my childhood at home reading. I did have a friend most of the time, but seeing him was a low priority. it was books, books, books. Even if I was born with an average IQ, that reading and thinking deeply about it would surely have had an effect.