I need to express my frustration with the whole "NTs can do it too" response whenever anyone mentions any positives of being on the spectrum.
For any ability, there are NTs and Aspies who both display it. However, the amount of effort required may not be the same. There are many intellectual activities that are performed more easily by the autistic mind. NTs can accomplish the same, but usually with greater amounts of effort that a person may not choose to expend, especially if it diverts him from his need for social interaction.
For example, creative writing is one of my hobbies, and whenever I visit websites and forums for creative writing, I am always surprised that so many people have problems with writer's block. I can say that I have never ever experienced writer's block. I have never ever run out of ideas, because my autistic mind is an out-of-control idea generator. It can generate new ideas or new angles or new connections effortlessly. I don't have to try hard in this area. I don't have to sit down in a group to "brainstorm". My brain does it on its own. I am an associative thinker, and it's much harder for me to run out of ideas than it is for someone whose brain does not work this way. One can say that all kinds of people can think this way, and that is true, but not everyone is doing it as easily and joyfully as a natural associative thinker. From reading this forum, I can tell that many people here have this particular type of thinking that is a huge boost to any creative pursuit. I have rarely observed this same ability in NTs. I can tell because there are very few people who can keep up with me when we are going back and forth talking about an intellectual topic or just talking randomly. But I bet a lot of people on this forum could, and it wouldn't be difficult for them at all. If I were not autistic, then my brain would not work this way or would not work this way so easily.
"NTs can do it too" is just a statement to debase ourselves and continue to exist as if we are inferior. The statement is factually true, but it is not valid to say that all of one's individual strengths would still be there if one were NT instead of AS. In fact, that is extremely unlikely. NTs and Aspies have different profiles of strengths and weaknesses, and while cognizant of our weaknesses fitting into an NT society, we should not lose sight of our strengths. And for anyone who does not think they have any strengths, I will say that I didn't think I had any ability in creative writing until I tried it out one day and found to my shock that the ability was there for me to uncover and enjoy.
Sorry for rant.