Are Autistics less materialistic than NT?

Post Reply New Topic

I am not that materialistic. I want to know if Autistics are less materialistic than neurotypicals?

I am not materialistic at all. I still have a simple pay as you go phone. I am not interested in brand clothing or anything like that.

Yes. So long as I have enough money to live without debt I'm fine.

As long as I have internet, anime and my games I'm good :p

I am fairly materialistic in some ways at least. My possessions (books, games, DVDs, CDs, figurines, phptpos that I cherish, and other things of affectionate value), matter to me a lot. They are close to indistinguishable from my interests and special interests and precious memories. They matter only less that family and pets.

I’ve only cared about possessions related to my special interests rather than the typical NT materialistic pursuits such as a big house or fancy car.

I've wondered this myself, as i find i can't engage the same value or attachment to things in the same way my wife does.
For example, she would value buying new cloths or a phone case off ebay as some kind of self maintenance/emotional reward, where as i don't acquire things in the same way or pertain the same value. I think i more value the industrial achievement of something rather than the social perceived aesthetic or desirability of something.

Another example, those Pandora bracelets, my wife was really into them years ago, even though the price didn't really represent the value of the object, but that was acceptable in her mind and i always found it difficult to accept, even though its something she valued and that it would be a positive gesture to gift her something shed value for a special occasion (another thing i struggle with, "special occasions") but i would struggle with every cell in my body to accept this as it just appeared as substandard molded metal at an inflated price to me. Is it the sentimentality of materialism that i don't understand? Because i value my technology, especially music gear, and i love my adidas tracksuits, but none of these material acquirement are driven by any kind of sentimental value or ego satisfying conquest. I cant get with that.

Perhaps thats a common thread, the inability to identify with objects at an emotional abstraction. And at the same time, i sometime express a greater connection to objects than is normal, but for different reasons, like purely the engagement with great industrial design and function. Personally i think Autism does not negate emotion or materialism but rather the definition of those aspects are lensed in such away that they bypass social and cultural identification.

Such an interesting observation though, how do you classify such interactions when your interpretive functions are so alien?

My collections of books, media, Yu-Gi-Oh cards, and automobilia would suggest otherwise.