What if...

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Only because they won't let me. Only because they keep knocking me down.

(I hate to keep harping on this jerk, but it's like a microcosm.) I used to be able to do stuff and do it well. But he's picked and picked at things until there's nothing left of me. For example, tax returns. A simple tax return. One family, one house, no self-employment or anything complicated... I never messed it up, but one day he decided that we needed to pay some guy to do it. I'm just not strong enough to argue. I was never world-class in the kitchen, but I was Ok. I stopped trying to cook ages ago. He just so desperately needs to believe that I am worthless that I have become worthless. Even when I know, and have known every step of the way, that none of it is true.

I'm sure it's even worse for someone who doesn't really know. Now, multiply that attitude by six billion people, and start the treatment at birth. If there's nothing wrong with the kid from the beginning, there will be very soon.

Last edited by Tahitiii on 04 Feb 2009, 10:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I think we can do everything for ourselves. We might do it differently, or we might hire people to do it for us, but an Aspie world could manage just fine.

As a whole, Aspies have more weaknesses, but we also have more strengths. That means we'll be using those strengths to do things differently. For example, I have a feeling there would be a lot of Aspies with sensory aversions to washing dishes--the wet rag, the soapy water, all of it is fairly disagreeable. So I think in an Aspie world, we would have invented dishwashers very early, or perfected the use of dishes that didn't need washing (edible or disposable, or food that doesn't need dishes), or hired professional dishwashing services, like diaper services work today for people who use cloth diapers. I also think we'd have a lot more technology; with the AS fascination with knowledge, there would be a lot more chances for people to become obsessive inventors with special interests in mechanical, electrical, or computer design. You wouldn't even need a lot of high-IQ types; with a special interest, an Aspie doesn't need raw processing power nearly as much.

A lot of technology invented in our NT world is made to connect people with other people. Transportation, communication devices, even clothing, food, and entertainment are geared towards use in socializing. We wouldn't have that emphasis, I think; while AS people obviously do like to socialize, we're likely not to need transportation to do it face-to-face (less communication value in people who don't use a lot of eye contact, body language, and face-reading). We'd be much more likely to produce food and clothing for their utility value, and use communication devices, especially written communication, to socialize. That means less time spent on social luxuries, and more time that can be spent on technology that compensates for sensory problems, communication deficits, and other AS-related annoyances. Remember that these things would be considered very normal--as normal as it's thought to be for an NT woman to want to gossip with her friends, or an NT man to align himself with a sports team. Disability is often defined as "that thing which you cannot do, but which causes problems because society is designed for people who can do it"... and if society were mostly AS, it would be designed to accommodate AS.

An NT in this world might be considered very rude; or he might learn to fit into the society; but he would probably always feel like he was trying to be someone that wasn't quite himself... much like AS people do now.