Not relating to people, period.

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I've grown up with very poor social skills and an inability to relate to people. I have a lot of times trouble reading people even. Or smiling when they smile to me. Or when they say hello, I don't respond. When someone asks me a question, they have to prompt me to answer. When people claim they've given me enough "hints" at what to do in a situation, I'm dumbfounded because I never got any of those "hints." Anyone else have this much trouble? I even see people cry or get angry or whatever, and I can't relate or feel anything. I am lucky that the Internet, however, helped me in finding the one person that loves me for who I am. His name is Richard; he's my husband. He calls himself the Aspie-whisperer, because he somehow knows how he can relate to me and love me. But outside of him, I'm at a loss in understanding the human race. All I see myself doing is just standing back and watching the world like I'm watching a movie.

Welcome to the club. I'm glad you have your husband. My wife is not so understanding.
(Soon to become my ex-wife).

Very familiar experiences. I do not try, however, to relate to people, since that would be a doomed effort in my case. The neurology isn't there, as one of my neurologists put it. I am fortunate to have a few good friends who are themselves not NT, and fortunate in that my social needs or desires are minimal. I'm glad you found your "Aspie-whisperer", a turn of phrase I quite like.

Most of the time I try to relate only to a handful of people each day. I have two kids who are very demanding. So I stay clear of other people if possible. Today I am exhausted from tryin hard to make a good impression on a person I knew years ago, a parent of a child at my son's preschool. She's smart, rich, a polished social butterfly. I tried my usual brief hello with her`at the grocery store but then she saw me at the end of an aisle and struck up a long conversation about whether my son will be going to the public high school or going private. She does not know he is an aspie (or that I am) and I did not tell her. I am exhausted from that conversation and keep replaying it in my head, as I am so insecure in those situations.

Maybe this should be on a different thread, but I often express joy by crying. Some people are very uncomfortable with it and say its weird. Certain emotions are just overwhelming that I need a good cry. Does anyone else do this?

I too have difficulty reciprocating, reading situations, and feeling anything. I often get the timing wrong when saying goodbye, for example. Something odd happened this weekend, though; a random passer-by said hi and without even thinking about it, checking I'd heard correctly or that it was directed at me, said hi! back immediately. Very unusual for me.

I have trouble relating to people. There are times when I can, but mostly I don't, especially not to other people my age. I can't relate to their concerns and they can't relate to mine.

I have trouble reading people.. period..

Some people in real life have trouble believing I have AS in most aspects (energy level, outgoingness, smalltalk, etc.), but even compared to other AS's, I'm probably a lot worse at reading people's feelings, intentions, etc. unless when verbalized.

I think misanthropy is definitely the way to go. Neither I nor the human race can put up with each other for long, and neither us is likely to change. Best off writing off people as terminally incomprehensible and finding a way to live with yourself.

I have a lot of trouble. Dealing with other people is like watching a movie, as someone said. I don't really care that much about them or about their concerns, and I can't predict how they will behave. Is that the same as not understanding them?

I have my good days and my bad days, so it really depends. Sometimes I feel directly engaged and can banter well, to an extent, and other times I just feel like shutting down. When that happens, yeah it is like watching a movie, or being behind a thick plane of glass, cut off from the world. I'm still learning how to read people, its not easy! One on one is OK, but put me in a group setting and I really have to struggle.