Are Aspies more moral/humane than NT's?

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28 May 2010, 9:55 pm

Most aspies I know tend to be sympathetic - if not always directly empathetic (but I don't know any who are truly lacking in that area), but also more fair and balanced in their views of people, and less hungry for revenge/violence etc than the general population. Do you think this makes them inherently more moral and humane? To put it graphically, could you imagine an aspie Hitler or Pol Pot?

CockneyRebel
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28 May 2010, 10:50 pm

I find the same thing, myself. I find that we have stronger morals, and that we're less power hungry. I find that, in myself. I don't understand the need for revenge. I don't like violence, and I don't want to stab anybody in the back. A lot of people treated me in an inhumane manner. Why would I want to treat anybody, that way?

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DaWalker
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28 May 2010, 10:58 pm

Are Aspies more moral/humane than NT's?

Yes, most definitely.

ElysianDream
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28 May 2010, 11:01 pm

CockneyRebel wrote:

If only more were like you, CockneyRebel!

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28 May 2010, 11:14 pm

ElysianDream wrote:

I'm definitely not more sympathetic and I am not a humanitarian by anybody's definition. I only want power as a means to create a world where I can be left alone. As a teenager I could commit violent acts without any noticeable increase in blood pressure or heart rate, and usually held my ground if not finished anything others started with me. Whether this is genetic or environmental, I can't say.

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jc6chan
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28 May 2010, 11:18 pm

ElysianDream wrote:

To put it graphically, could you imagine an aspie Hitler or Pol Pot?

Who said they weren't aspies?
EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical ... d_autistic
Hitlers on the list.

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28 May 2010, 11:26 pm

ElysianDream wrote:

More tend to be avoidant than attacking, I tend to agree with you there. I don't know about more fair and balanced in their views of people; I've seen just as much prejudice (although usually about different things than NTs are prejudiced about) among spectrum people as neurotypical people.

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Do you think this makes them inherently more moral and humane?

Not really. Just different.

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28 May 2010, 11:26 pm

We are less than 1% of the population, so there's no way of knowing for sure. Let's say 10% of the population are inhumane. You'd have to take 10% of the Aspie population into account. Who the hell knows?

And yes, I can imagine either an angry or contemptuous Aspie dictator...

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29 May 2010, 2:51 am

I think the morality/honesty side of people with AS can be more concrete than that of NTs. I think some people with AS have a tendency to see issues as black and white and thus may be more strict in their adherence to their guidelines (at least this holds true for me).

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29 May 2010, 5:35 am

CockneyRebel wrote:

I find the same thing, myself. I find that we have stronger morals, and that we're less power hungry. I find that, in myself. I don't understand the need for revenge. I don't like violence, and I don't want to stab anybody in the back. A lot of people treated me in an inhumane manner. Why would I want to treat anybody, that way?

Not me

Morals are an interesting concept, because on one hand they're things everyone is meant to follow, but on the other they can be highly subjective, as I'm sure a lot of us Aspies have experienced when something we thought was perfectly fine causes problems amongst NTs.

I wouldn't say I'm immoral or inhumane, I certainly wouldn't kill people or anything, but I'm not sure I can say the opposite either since my idea of morals is probably different from other peoples' - again, it's subjective.

But am I greedy? Hell yes, I want to be rich. Am I selfish? Everyone is, I'm no exception. Am I power hungry? Again, everyone is to a certain extent, and I'm no exception to that rule.

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29 May 2010, 7:00 am

bonuspoints wrote:

I think some people with AS have a tendency to see issues as black and white and thus may be more strict in their adherence to their guidelines (at least this holds true for me).

This.

I, too, see things in black and white. (I'm told it's a flaw.) To me, something is either right or wrong -- basically, if it hurts someone else, it's wrong. Pretty simple. I don't want to hurt others, so I avoid doing things that are considered morally wrong. This may make me seem highly moral, but it may also make me seem rigid and judgemental.

Locustman
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29 May 2010, 8:33 am

Although I think aspies can be more morally upright than NTs, I also think that what could be perceived by the NT world as our naivete in that area makes us more vulnerable to exploitation. A number of negative experiences in the social world can sometimes lead to a hardening of attitudes and a vengeful streak that NTs don't veer towards as much, because they're less easily hurt in the first place.

I know he's a controversial figure around these parts, but I'm reminded of a quote from Tony Attwood's "The Complete Guide to Asperger Syndrome" : "Many children and some adults with AS may runimate for years over past injustices and may seek resolution or revenge." I can't say whether or not this applies to people on the spectrum generally, but it certainly applies to me. I frequently find it hard to "forgive and forget" and to "just let go" of issues that most of the NTs I know seem to cope with a lot more easily.

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ElysianDream
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29 May 2010, 9:35 am

Locustman wrote:

Interesting, Locustman. That's one side of AS that is less known. Actually I think I used to be that way myself, or maybe still am a bit. When I was a teenager I was really sensitive, thought people were bullying me, and felt really badly about it. I think some were - but not to any great extent (more things like name-calling) but I really took offense to it, like I felt really violated by it.

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29 May 2010, 10:25 am

Probably not. Being as Aspie is not guarantee of virtue.

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29 May 2010, 10:49 am

Yes and no. Compared to NT's I believe strongly in justice, but I almost can never feel any sympathy for those I do not know. I share my ideas with friends and I am not manipulative. But because of my innate sense of justice, it is a double-edged sword. I still ruminate over my mother;s destruction of my identity and seek revenge by never returning after my tertiary education.

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29 May 2010, 10:55 am

DaWalker wrote:

Are Aspies more moral/humane than NT's?

Yes, most definitely.

My apologies, but I disagree without reservation. There is nothing inherently moral in any one over the other. Someone on the spectrum might have different priorities or approaches, but that doesn't embue those with any great distinction of character.

M.

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