The AS Label

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Does anyone else feel badly (for lack of a better word) about being so accurately described by textbooks and such? I mean, I like to think of myself as a unique individual (that is what we are taught we are), but how can I be when all I am, all I do and all I think are pretty much dot points on a diagnosis paper?

Everyone's life can be summed up. You have to realize that its just generalizing - One of my bar hopping friends said he agreed with some aspergers "symptoms" and he isnt remotely close to us..

"Cant socialize" is a great description but its vague.. I can say some NTs cant socialize during a discussion on politics where as I cannot socialize during... well, whatever it is THEY talk about all the time..

It depends on how you look at it.
There are so many NT's nobody even bothers to write a book about them.
There are so few of us compared to NT's that they have to write stuff about it like it's an anomaly and even then probably most of the stuff written doesn't really apply to you in the way it's written.
Everyone of us is unique, all with a different set of abbilities, imho, nothing really accurately descrides ppl like us, all they got is a glimps of what we are capable of

The label, *taken as a shorthand, an approximation* has been very useful.
Overall, positive rather than the reverse.
Yes, occasions where one feels people are seeing the label and adjusting me to fit it, rather than the reverse, are very annoying.
That applies to any number of categorisations, not just this one.

Not all Christians/Republicans/white van drivers/ model railway enthusiasts...
are *anything*.
Not being able to see the individual for the label, that's where having the label, any label, becomes a detriment. And that's the fault of the person so using it.

I also like to make my own labels for myself.
Doctors have called me all sorts of stuff... I call me 'diseased'.
I like to look at it in a 'taking control of my own destiny' sort of way. I mean, society (in general) is going to label you no matter what. GenX, slacker, baby-boomer, you name it, they'll label you.
So I make up my own labels and brands. Screw them.

Ah, but it's the label that led us all here.

It's the people and understanding that makes us come back.

I feel better knowing that the label allowed me to see that there are so many people here who feel the same way I do.

I don't run around telling everyone that I have an autistic brain, however. That's just more ammo for them to make fun of me with.

Label - good for finding others with said label; makes me feel like I belong when I know I don't fit in a lot of places.

Good point Mikka, I suppose it does have its merits.

That is a good point.. its about self awareness and I think everyone here is a bit more self aware then the average person

Mitch,

I was kind of RELIEVED! If I knew that 10 years ago, my life would have been better.

Steve

Because you finally had a place to 'belong' to, Steve?

The best label for anybody is a well written (auto)biography.

I'm not easy to sum up. I take great pride in this.

Yeah, the AS thing makes a lot of sense, but some of the stereotypes don't fit.

I totally agree about the people here being self aware. We tend to think about our own behavior and our reactions to others behavior more deeply than a majority of the population. Sometimes we can't understand what others are doing. Sometimes we don't want to. But those we respect, we really want to understand and that includes ourselves.

I think that because we have plenty of experience of getting things wrong (socially I mean), we are more open minded. If you see what I mean. We're less likely to assume stuff!