I think I’ll just start seeing NTs as disabled

Post Reply New Topic

I overheard this interesting conversation some NTs were having about this guy who went on monologues. Since it was behind his back I was nervous they would call him autistic or socially ret*d. Instead they said that it’s too much to process. That’s an interesting way of thinking of things. Issues with NTs can also be due to their cognitive deficiencies. Instead of thinking about myself and my issues it’s better to think of the other person and their issues! When I interact with NTs I’ll think of it as accommodating to a disabled person or small child instead of feeling like everything that goes wrong is due to people seeing me as autistic. I don’t feel autistic when a two year old can’t respond to philosophical questions or whatever. I just don’t hold the expectation they’ll understand it and stick to smiling and playing peekaboo. I’ll see 90% of NTs the same way.

I have trouble processing walls of text monologues some people post here.
There are a lot of posts I give up on trying to read because they start making my head swim.

Makes sense. Was my post too long for you? My posts often are pretty long.

Nah. I'm talking about great wall of china posts.

I don't really understand the point the OP is trying to make. Could you please simplify your point?

I think he's saying that many NT's are "disabled" in some way---so NT's shouldn't judge autistic people, like they (autistic people) are the only ones who are "disabled."

He advocates "turning the tables" on NT's, so to speak....the NT's as the disabled ones, rather than autistic people. Though I don't necessarily advocate that.

I just don’t like feeling autistic. Seeing social issues as simply not adapting to people’s shortcomings or thinking style is more empowering than seeing them as autistic mistakes. When I just think of it as me not accommodating I can think of ways to accommodate to them better. If I think of it as me being socially disabled it feels like I’m doomed forever and can’t do anything about it. Adapting to disabled people feels far more do-able.

I see what you're saying. It makes sense.

I feel that way sometimes.

It's an interesting exercise to imagine that AS people are 98% of the population of our culture. In that setting, then neurotypicality would be seen as an aberration and defined by negative symptomatology from the normative AS perspective, who would then be the typicals, and who would be the yardsticks of normality.

That's certainly one way to see things... instead of thinking "no one gets me 'cause I can't explain things properly" one can think "no one gets me 'cause they lack the ability to understand different ways of thinking."

I think it's an interesting question and quite a philosophical one indeed, in that, who is really the disabled one? The NTs or us ASDs?

I have often made the point that I've had to dumb down my point of view when I talk about subjects of music, science and technology or space exploration for NTs so that they can better understand my viewpoint. When I don't have this filter on, all I get are blank stares sometimes. Most NTs seem either unwilling or unable to ask a question in order to better understand me. Whether this is arrogance or simply lack of intelligence is unknown to me at this time. Those in the group who are Autistic seem to have no problem with these subjects.

But of course, when it comes to deciphering social cues or interpreting the unspoken rules of any given situation than I am the one who has the blank stare. Furthermore, when I attempt to discern the intentions of NTs I also draw a blank most of the time or interpreting the punchline of a joke.

You are not the first one who came up with that idea: http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Neur ... l_syndrome

I don't buy all this 'neurotypical syndrome' talk. I know it's just a joke to make Aspies feel better about themselves, but I don't find it funny, nor does it help me feel better about myself.

I know I’m the one who’s having a harder time. I still enjoy thinking of NTs as having limitations as well and me having to adapt to them in any interaction. Rather than anything I mess up on being my disability showing. I’d rather not think of how I’m disabled when I’m interacting with people. It makes me think too much about myself and not focus on the other person enough. I guess it will be better for me if I learn to simplify the language I use. Even online people have accused me of sounding like theonion, a copypasta or pretentious because of the language I use.

Imqua wrote: I’d rather not think of how I’m disabled when I’m interacting with people.

In that 'disabled' means no longer having an ability, such as someone who has lost the use of one or more senses or limbs is disabled, maybe think of yourself as being 'otherwise enabled' ~ perhaps?

Everyone has strengths, everyone has limitations. It's a nice paradigm shift to look at NTs as the disabled ones because it is so accepted that we are somehow less than, and I don't agree. I am less than in conversation, more than in creative problem solving.

I don't see it as 2% of us vs 98% of them. Add together people with ASD, ADHD, dyslexia, general speech and language disorders, anxiety,depression, psychological disorders, bad life circumstances. No one is the same, we aren't all the same. It's more complex than that.