blank_page wrote:
The thing I don't understand, is that it might have taken me just over 20 years, but I eventually realised that not many people are interested in what I have to say or that they think I'm unfashionably enthusiastic. (As a sad side-note, this realisation changed me from an optimistic and outgoing kid to a withdrawn and pessimistic adult.)
Wouldn't this be the case for most Aspies -- that eventually they'd realise that most people have no interest in their interests (or their take on those interests) and not bother?
My mother monologued at people about her interests into her 40's. She eventually figured out that it tended to bore people, but it obviously took a long time. I think part of it is getting so caught up in the rich, internal world of an interest that it leads to not noticing (or having the processing resources to notice) that the other person in the external world is getting bored. And/or there is the pressure/endorphin-rush of explaining part of an interest which seems (IME) independent of whether the other person is really listening (or even there -- I do it in my head at times with imaginary people).
Ironically, I think that my mother's not realizing that until 40 helped me figure out how annoying that could be (at around age 11).
18 Mar 2011, 7:45 pm
