Would an Aspie have been better off in an earlier era?

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I was thinking about this the other day, after reading Dale Carnegie's book, "How to Win Friends and Influence People." The book was written in the 1930's, and in the beginning of the book he talks about how in earlier times, people were valued more for their character and overall demeanor. In more "recent" times (30's and later) society underwent a sort of transformation as more people moved from the countryside to the city, and as they were getting different jobs in the city, people valued different things in what they were looking for in others. They became more concerned about how you "sold" or "promoted" yourself and your abilities. This kind of thing is really tough for most Aspies to do, and one of the reasons we have so much trouble finding jobs or dates.

Also, if one thinks about it, today's society is much more fast paced and hectic compared to earlier times. We are asked to do so much more in our jobs and lives, despite the fact that many people felt that by now we would have more free time due to the rising importance of machines in the workforce, but that's neither here nor there. What is important is that people these days are increasingly asked to juggle many different items on their plates at one time. This hyper-multitasking can wreak havoc on the already taxed working memory and executive function of your typical Aspie. It just seems as though as society "progresses," it is moving more and more away from the characteristics that would have made life more bearable for Aspies, and is moving more towards are world where it will be increasingly more difficult for them to merely function.

What do you think? Is there anyone else who feels like they were simply "Born Too Late?"

I find living in modern cities actually much better, as people only wanna know the surface you and nothing deeper. It's an environment where one can play a soulless hack, as that's what everyone else does.

Traditional societies may of been much easier to navigate, but I suspect they of been much more limiting.

Yes, the dynamics would be different in another era. I live in a big city and, like Stoek posted, that kind of superficial distance can make things easier. I'm glad I do not live in a small town with rampant gossip where everybody knows everything

In the 1930's (circa), societal rules were more structured which would be easier for us. Similarly, in the UK, such rules are more clear (than the US) and I believe Aspie-behaviour is not only more accepted, but even appreciated. So long as is one is mannerly and follows the imposed rules, eccentricities are OK. We are known to like routines/schedules and patterned rules that are known - then we can go wild with the rest, if you know what I mean!

Do you think that in the future, imagine year 2113, Aspies will be not only be better accepted, but considered the ideal? hint: Star Trek missions could not have been successful without Spock. Hmm....makes you wonder, yes?

In summary, it's a bit complicated.

The late 1880s to 1920s were a time of massive internal movement (particuarly during/after the first World War), where individuals had easier transportation and communication, and less reliance on existing social networks. However, since there was a labor shortage for much of that time, you only started seeing alot of the effects later.

Also, that may have been the last generation that did'nt have 80%+ enrollment in a centralized school system, or as we would refer to it today, was'nt "socialized" in a school setting. There were so many different sets of personality quirks out there that Aspies would have shown up all over the map, just like everyone else.

Also, Carnige was marketing to a brand new market, field sales personel. Prior to that era, outside of cities, you did'nt have what amounted to a specializied technical sales force, you sold to distributors, retailers, etc, or your customers came through the doors. The owner of the local stores knew everyone, and probably was related by distant marital ties to many of them.

Before this era, United States-based peddlers had a horrific reputation (not as bad as Western Europe however). Trouble-makers at best, grifters, snake-oil salesmen, con artists, quasi-bandits..etc. The growth in technology, effective rail transit, economies of scale, stenographers, telephones(!), automobiles, a growing middle class, hotels, they all led to the condictions that allowed a professional sales force, which was the market Carnige marketed too.

      I was born about 1k years too early.

I think such things as computers/the Internet are really helping us communicate with one another (fellow AS people) in the 21st century. In 1930's AS wasn't even recognized. Although society is becoming busier in many ways now, autism/AS awareness is increasing as well. So the 21st century is not all bad. I wouldn't like to have existed in 1930's when the world was about to get into a big war and computers didn't even exist. Life would've been harder for AS/autistic people in that era in my opinion.

In some eras killing babies was fairly common place, Romanians may still routinely abandon autistic children?
Some tribes would bash their baby heads open on a rock.

Or, to put it another way

1. Modern civilized society is better for low-functioning autistic children.

2. Modern civilized society is much worse for high-functioning autistic adults who are simply quirky.

In a way, I've had the opportunity to live in "old times" and "new times."

When I was growing up we were dirt poor - no electricity, no running water, no plaumbing. We lived in a third world country and moved around a lot. Ine one area we had to wait till the government released water in the public tap. Us villagers would have to line at the pub;lic tap with our buckets and wait our turn to get our fill.

We did our own fishinging, pulled seine, and once a month hunted the crabs who came to the beach to spawn during the full moon.

We had to wait till the government sent around the sanitaion truck every six months to clean out the latrine.

The one telephone in the village was in a store which probably wasn't used that often.

People were simple minded, religious and ignorant. I had a hard time back then.

I think some aspies, especially those with higher IQ's, are better off in modern times and progressive cities where they're a better fit.

I do have to agree with that. In a sense I feel my future and my usefulness to society has everything to do with my IQ and modern technology. Back a almost a century ago, what would I be stuck doing? Living in a small town, on a farm, married, raising a bunch of kids, and getting bossed around by my mother in law? Ehh I dont think so. Well I'm thinking back to my grandmas life back in China. That's what she did until the WWII hit.

Wow, really surprised by these answers. It seems there are a lot of city lovers on these forums. I actually prefer the slow paced, more laid back life of the rural and suburban areas. City life is too stressful, all the noise, large crowds, and too fast paced. It is too much of a sensory overload, and the jobs here really tax my working memory. To each their own, I guess.

If I had been a male, I probably would have loved living in the early 1800s, but being a woman in those days, - NO THANKS!
I like it the way it is now.
A simpler, less complicated social structure at work and more independant tasks would have pleased me.

Same here.

The city environment lets you be anonymous. In a small-town setting, people are more likely to notice you and your idiosyncrasies.

If I'd been born in the 1800s I would have died before I was a month old. If by some miracle I had lived, I likely would have ended up somewhere unpleasant (like an asylum).

In some ways, but the things I see myself doing (in the past) would be hard for women to be 'allowed' to do, and I wouldn't swap the general freedom females have today for anything from the past. Heaven knows it lacks a lot as it is.
I can see how aspie males could be better off in the past though. You could more easily get by on your skills, there was far less formal requirements, it was more appreciated that you did your job well than that you fit in with your co-workers. You could more easily be a self-made man. So, if I had been a guy, I might have chosen to live in the past.
Quite frankly I'd have missed the conveniences of modern technology and hygiene though. City life suits me.
If any of the big inventors we suspect were aspies actually were, I bet the time they lived in played a part in them being able to succeed. Had they been born today, I think they would be far more likely to be part of the 80% of us who are at any time unemployed.



Me too. I wouldn't live in a place like that for anything. My paternal grandmother lived in a small place where people would pop by at anytime more or less and if you were put, they expected the key to be in the mailbox so they could enter and wait for you. Yeeaahh.. I can't even say how badly that suits me. (This was more common for her generation though.)
I really like the anonymity of the city. No one gets too close. Everything is relatively near when you need something. Yep, city life FTW.