Is this true for all of us?

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The rest of the world does not know that we feel 'normal' on the inside.

This just brought back to me an idea I had a while back for a question/thread of my own.

Here's the link:

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postp3326053.html#3326053

It just depends on who lives in your immediate vicinity. I can see people who are a lot like the ones in the video when I go shopping at Wal Mart, so they don't stand out that much to me, since I am used to seeing people on a day to day basis that aren't that great at socializing or seem to know the subtleties. Is it true that some locations are more "NT" than others, because, based on what I see around here, the people in the video aren't that unusual.
Maybe that's why I don't perceive them as being that odd or standing out too much.
Still, it throws me off, even with an ASD. You just expect certain things to be a certain way and when they aren't, even when you have an ASD and might not be perfect yourself, you feel short changed or disrespected when people are rude, even if they aren't aware of it and can't help it.

I didn't really realize that other people saw me as weird until a former friend pointed it out to me. It makes sense. If we can't see social cues, we have no idea that we're not using them in a typical manner.

They all seem to articulate themselves quite well. A few of the things they are saying I would seriously despute because its self derogatory and the language of victimisation. But apart from that they seem rather typical of the kind of people I encounter in my work.

I like some of the mass generalisations people are making regarding the asperger diagnosis. Like asperger people are more attached to the television. I can't stand TV

One thing I find quite amusing. But maybe this is just how their accent comes across to me. They all seem to be really camp, if you told me they were all gay i wouldn't be suprised

That sounds pretty accurate to me, and it's certainly true for being gay.

Seems to me it's the same er, "logic" driving this for both cases: gays are all effeminate and basically want to be women, and autistic people are only capable of doing weird arithmetic tricks or photographic-memory-style artwork.
So anyone who isn't wearing pink eye-makeup and speaking with a really camp lisp can't possibly be gay, and someone who you can hold a conversation with can't possibly be autistic.
Clues which might indicate otherwise tend get explained away with the "Oh yes, I suppose it could be, but ..." thing.

I recognised bits of my behaviour in most of the people in the video and yeah, I probably do come across as behaving a bit weirdly - and I don't care if I do.

This thread has really gotten me thinking. I am really starting to wonder how I look to NTs.

Someone once told me that I stand out because my face is so expressive. At the time, I thought it was a compliment, but now I'm not so sure. I need to find an NT who can give me an honest appraisal of how I look to them.

Whenever I ask NTs such questions, they assume I have an ulterior motive and that there is a correct answer they must give, which they either give or refuse to answer.

Good point. I think that most people that I could ask would just say there was nothing unusual.

Wow. That's quizzical. It reminds me of the reverse problem I face with my Aspie kids. They are always assuming there is a "correct" answer to every question or exercise they are given at school. Even if it's a matter of opinion, or a "discuss" situation. Those are both "open ended" type things that totally baffle them. When that happens, their teacher assume they are refusing to answer. The truth is, they have no idea what to do with those kinds of assignments.

I do not think all NTs would necessarily respond like that, but enough did that I stopped asking them things related to autism.

Nice move from a person who specializes in psychology. You look weird, i can't stress this enough, i need you to be totally aware of how weird you appear to other people. Feel better? it's 500 euros. gosh...

I confess after some self reflection, I probably seem a lot like that in social situations. Especially leaving in the middle of a conversation to see what's going on somewhere else.

Are you sure that is the problem?

It can be really difficult for Aspies to deal with free-flowing discussions, where a lot of what you say depends on what was said earlier and the topic is constantly changing. It takes a bit of time to digest conversation.

Also, it can depend a lot on how the question is worded. For example: "How can you solve XXX?" (where XXX is some major problem). The answer may simply be that you can't solve it. Its too difficult. Now ask the question: "Name as many things that you can do to improve XXX." That is essentially the same question, but this one can be answered.

I agree that the way that it was handled is absolutely awful. That shrink should not be working with Aspies.

At the same time, though, it is a useful point. One thing that I am getting from this thread is that I (probably) look a bit odd to NTs. This is something I was unaware of. I just knew that people could sense that there was something strange about me, and now I know some of the reason why. Most of these things are things that I cannot change, but at least it keeps me from spending time soul-searching, to figure out what I did wrong.

I attend an Asperger group, and I find it makes me a lot more aware of my own oddities when seeing them in others! It gives me a lot more insight into how I might appear to others, and what it's like for people communicating with me. It's quite eye-opening. And my group is a bit like this - the way people and communicate is like this. It doesn't even seem strange to me now! I think too, though, Aspies feel freer to be themselves in a group of other Aspies, whereas in a group of NTs, we might try to 'act normal' more.