Aspergers as an excuse?

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Justifying a fault doubles it. ~French Proverb

It's a valid reason in the ways the disorder is outlined.

"I can't see" because of AS, is wrong
"I can't talk socially" because of AS, is right

"I won't try talking socially" because of AS, is wrong.

You can't actually try if it doesn't exist.

"I won't try seeing" because I have no eyes, is still right.

I'm sorry, you lost me, what is "it" in that sentence?

Social talk doesn't exist in those with AS (two-way social interaction).

You can try, but it'll be just as effective as trying to see normally if you're blind. You'll need to adapt in other ways.

Hence, it's a reason for why someone can't partake in appropriate two-way social interaction, and the same can be said for all symptoms that manifest.

Thats not correct. The problem isn't as general as that, it's more specific, namely non-verbal communication. It's quite possible for someone with AS to have a social conversation.

This is part of the problem, people get the idea that they can't, so they won't even try. I even dabble abit in non-verbal communication now as an adult, or I try to observe such communication atleast. I researched the subject before I even knew about Asperger's, because I wanted to expand my horizon when I saw I lacked knowledge in that area.

Edit:
I forgot about one little thing about verbal communication that often cause people with AS to fall behind in conversations, but that does not necessarily mean they can't have conversations.
Individuals with an autism spectrum condition are impaired in achieving local coherence(meaning of a sentence in regards to the general theme of the converstation).

Last edited by Blownmind on 12 Jul 2012, 8:15 am, edited 2 times in total.

Actually, research that's cited in the rationale for the DSM-V changes says that the majority of people diagnosed with AS meet this criteria for autism:

I have this problem with most people. The main thing that saves me is finding a way to make it about my interests. Or I can fake it to some extent, but I will get stuck at some point and don't know what to say next. Most of my conversations with people not in my family lately have been about video games, natural disasters, weather, neurology, disability, and autism. With my family I can do better because we have a lot of shared context and because they're used to the fact I just stop talking and leave. At least I think they are, I've only heard one complaint.

I am better at this now than I was in my 20s and early 30s, though.

True I have had plenty of 'social conversations'....but I am not very good with processing the body language, or making eye contact or anything like that...also sometimes I lose my train of though mid-sentence or might move on to other things or I talk to slow and people interrupt so its not that I cannot talk to anyone its more I cannot talk to people normally so they see something 'off' about me.

Thanks, I updated my post to reflect this, I had forgotten about that little quirk.

That is so true......at least for me, I mean if one person is good at freaking blurting out off topic things that no one else can relate to the topic at hand it's me. I mean people could be talking about movies and something they say may bring up some specific point of psychology or whatever that I have thought of so I'll end up interjecting with what seems like totally off topic nonsense. Then people kind of give me that 'where on earth did that come from.' look.

I never tell anyone about my AS (unless they catch me doing something unusual like rocking when im stressed) I really like keeping it to myself because people tend to look at me differently when I tell them

I dunno, I can verbalize socially, under controlled situations. Its nuance & body language that still trips me up thouh.
This should be obvious in my postings.
Or maybe a slightly different angle is, I communicate very well HERE in cyberspace (which I have been in since 1985) but a one-on-one tends to be a little formal or stilted.
Anyway, having an ASD is no excuse for bad behavior unless your so totally autistic you do not know where you are. If I make an un-intended rude comment/action I apologize quickly!
And few people know I have/ am suspected of having an Autistic Spectrum Disorder. I keep that under my vest.

Sincerely,
Matthew

...
I think this is actually one of the reasons I'm a bit hesitant to pursue diagnosis. I'm of the impression the family around me would tell me I'm trying to use it as an excuse, rather than a reason. And there's still a part of me that's influenced by the negative things in the people like that I live around (finger-pointing and "there's no reason, you're just awful and stop it") so I guess part of me is afraid it's just an excuse?