Differences between NT geeks and people who are autistic

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Do you believe there is a difference between NT geeks and nerds, and those who have ASD and/or are autistic?
I have been thinking about this for a while, and I was curious to see what other people think.

(If this thread is in the wrong category, please feel free to move it)

Not really sure, but I think NT geeks can get over their interests faster than autistic people, who seem way more attached to their interests.

My experience is that I don't believe I get perceived as a "geek" or "nerd" by NT's, especially ones that would fall into such categories. In my case I simply don't present the IQ needed to qualify. I'm sure most would consider me a "dork" instead, based on behavioural issues like clumsiness as well as my mode of fashion never reflecting stereotyped lifestyles. When geeks approach me about subjects outside of my special interests, I almost always come off as a "box of rocks".

I don't think there is much difference if any at all.

NT geeks typically chase girls and get married at the typical age for their community. It isn't unusual for them to abstain or severely reduce their involvement in hobbies for their relationship. I'm talking about guys roughly my generation or older as these are the people I know. Aspies typically don't get married until much later, say their mid 30 or even later.

Generally there sensory sensitivities are less, there executive functioning is better and there social interaction is more typical.

A: NT Geeks tend to move up into management.

Last edited by Edenthiel on 09 Dec 2015, 9:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Some geeks are probably pretty similar and vice versa. But many will be very different. Depends who you're comparing it too. Compare a Geek to me and 99% sure we'll be completely different.

The short, cheap answer that fits all would be The difference between the two is the autism because autism is on a spectrum which can almost reach into "normal".

I'd say that, generally speaking, NT geeks are people with strong (do like very much), sometimes unconventional interests but neurologically in the ranges of "normal".
Auties often have obsessive (get completely absorbed or enjoy learning details no one else cares about), sometimes obscure interests, and also symptoms due to their different neurology (lack of eye contact, need for structure, need for "sameness", Theory of Mind problems, possibly SPD, ... the usual stuff).
But of course this doesn't apply in every case. As always, "If you've met one person with autism, you've met one person with autism".
Some autistics don't even have an obsessive interest.

Your official explanation from Lorna Wing.

In the geek social circles I've been a part of, folks have been aware of the autistics among them, even if they weren't public about their diagnosis. NT geeks can see there is a difference if they can identify the different ones among them. Sometimes you'll hear a group of geeks talking about how Aspie someone is behind their back.

Neurotypical geeks exhibit normal body language. They can navigate the quick banter of geek social situations in real time. Male NT geeks are more successful with the female geeks of any neurotype (of whom there are fewer, and for whom there is more competition) than their autistics counterparts.

The biggest difference would be if you looked at early childhood.

NT geeks: same as any NT - engage in social play, imaginative play, no evidence of restrictive and repetitive behaviour, no evidence of impaired social communication, no evidence of impaired imagination, no evidence of sensory sensitivity, no delays in development

ASD: does not do social/imaginative play, constant restrictive and repetitive behaviour - lining, stacking, collecting, and very rigid, has sensory problems, impaired social communication - reserved to the point of no interest in interaction, or talks at others, not to them.

They're nothing alike. The social awkwardness from NT geeks is that their interests are different from their non-nerdy peers, the social awkwardness in ASD is being developmentally behind in social communication. The obsessions may seems similar, but a geek it's a side interest to life which they can stop and start when appropriate, but in ASD it could take up the whole day if a parent allowed it to, and stopping them suddenly won't go well but would be fine in a geek.

The only similarities are social awkwardness and obsessions so at a glance they may look similar, but they're not the same at all.

I'm not sure if 'NT geeks' are really NT, they're probably mostly BAP instead.

I think a big difference is that by definition an NT geek or nerd is just a geek or nerd. He would not be Autistic. An Autistic person has Autism.

And a wonderful example of why "atypical/typical" is much preferred over "normal/abnormal (implied in the use of Asperger in the example)"!

If you call that up.

*Edenthiel's cool, this thread ain't*
Alrighty, I'm done being typecast in a social darwinist context. Being eusocial is a waste of time I prefer using to get work done. I'll cultivate a business persona as a 'serious geek' and nothing more. I'm a developer, hacker, modder, cyberpunk and techie but as a 'geek', I'm no more. Do you call someone a geek to their face when you're commisioning work from them? No? Then stop pidgeonholing us behind our backs. This is the kind of rhetoric that wastes years of other people's work over nothing but stigma.

Last edited by cberg on 10 Dec 2015, 5:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.