Asperger's is not a Dessert Topping, but a Mental Condition

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I think this is a problem with neurodiversity, that it "commodifies" mental issues. You hear a lot, "oh, I'm feeling autistic today" or "this famous figure might have been autistic" or "my science professor is a touch autistic!"

Mental difficulties are serious. As far as I know, many of the famous figures diagnosed Autistic like Einstein and Gates were never in special education, and also married. They could be organized as needed. Additionally, a study from Iceland found that Mathematical ability is positively correlated with schizophrenia - bjp.rcpsych.org/content/184/4/327. So maybe those figures had schizophrenia (which develops only in one's twenties)? People with schizophrenia generally are born normal.

If one can live a normal life and passionately enjoy various subjects of their choosing, and has no unusual social difficulties, then a diagnosis will complicate those with real problems.

It's useful to study the mental state of famous geniuses, but with the exception of Rainman, they managed to live normal lives with no special asisstance, and had no trouble meeting women if they wanted to.

It's not just neurodiversity, but movies like Revenge of the Nerds. Interestingly, if someone on the spectrum is unattractive, many ignore or belittle their mental difficulties.

Genius is not normative. Very few people statistically score in the genius range.

Yeah not exactly a fun little interesting twist in a personality. It is in every minute. We live in a world that dictates not to focus too much on anything...move on...let go...find the way to let it roll off. Those are foreign concepts and I am forced to be/act outside of my natural state [aware of every second] or I can't do anything. Even given the 'whole spectrum' it isn't something you pick up and put down at will.

you can't define someone else's lack of suffering based on your own standards.

The essence of the problem is that society has little real understanding of autism. The few details it does know are gleaned from 'Rain Man' and rumours that Bill Gates has Asperger's syndrome.

if a person is normal and successful that does not mean that inside they are not in great confusion and pain. A successful autistic might be that way because they have had people around them that have and are supportive, understanding and compatible, or maybe they just have superb willpower.

I have serious reservations about retro/celebrity diagnosing. That does mean I do not believe that some historical figures that have contributed great things were autistic and that autism was a factor in thier accomplishments. I really dislike the socially ackward computer genius stereotype because most autistics and the aspie subgroup are not like that. But yet I still believe that there is a higher percentage of Aspies amongst the people that fit the sterotype then there are in the general population.

I do think autistic literal thinking plays a role in how we view expressions like "I am a little bit autistic" or "I am feeling depressed because my favorite team lost today." I do think most people just get the context better and understand that these expressions are not about clinical depression or autism.

Fenimism is a great concept equal rights and equal opportunities for females. Like every movement feminism had people that interpreted it in a bad way that had little to do with the original idea. The people who never liked feminism defined feminism by its extremist and idiot sides. The idiots and extremists were bullies and the rest the movement in general allowed themselves to be bullied. So the term has been hijacked and in 2015 means whiny, spoiled man hating social justice warriors. This has hurt women most but has hurt everybody. Good ideas are bieng rejected because the feminism label getting attached to them.

Neurodiversity is a great concept, acceptance and accomodations of diversity/difference not as a favor but because it is good for everybody. And now we are starting on the same path with Neurodiversity as with feminism but are much earlier in the process. If Neurodiversity ends up getting defined as the belief that autism is only wonderful, and Neurodiversity supporters end up getting defined as whiny spoiled elitist brats who want to eliminate from public dialoge the suffering of real autistics, it will be because we allow the non autistic people who never believed in the expanding diagnostic criteria and the actual autistic supermacitists to define the terminology for us.

Neurodiversity is not (to me) about neurology nor normality nor correlations but about attitudes to others.

Currently there seems to be no middle ground here or anywhere else between respecting and valuing people on the ASD spectrum, and disrespect, devaluing and othering of people on the ASD spectrum.

WP was a neurodiverse-friendly place. I hope it will be again. For now it seems a very conflicted place and I constantly wonder whether ASD people feel as safe here now as they used to.

What is with the invalidating bandwagon with so called "high functioning" people? This comment seems to be aimed that way - if you can look after yourself you can't be autistic and being diagnosed as one only makes it worse for "real" autistics. This attitude is not unique to autism areas and is often badly showcased in LGBT circles, thus the phrase "not gay/trans enough" was coined. I fail to see how repeating and spreading this sentiment is helpful for anyone concerned.

Would this be an example of a "no true Scotsman" argument?

From my experience the problems with being autistic are directly related to those around them. For quite a while I had a great job, with an awesome group of like minded people and had no issues. I was the happiest I have ever been in my life, loved my job, had peace, moved up in my career, etc. Got along with ALL of my co-workers and clients.

On the other hand, there was a marketing person I knew that hated our group. He constantly belittled everyone in our group and hated being around us. HE was the odd man out and hated it. We all thought he was incredibly selfish and he was. But our group, a pretty big group, got along extremely well, worked together very well, etc.

When I was forced into that marketing group, a group of people who were extremely superficial, constantly talking about how we should all get nicer cars because we were in marketing, or the women talking about their latest 300USD purse, it went downhill quickly for me. Again, it did so because I was in the minority, NOT because of being on the spectrum.

The entire time I worked with a group I enjoyed and stayed away from abusive people in my life, I was incredibly peaceful 24/7. Everyone always commented on how happy and peaceful I was. Now? Everyone wonders what the heck hit me. It is because I am now mostly around neurotypicals who are constantly treating me like crap.

As a MEME I once read stated "Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by a$$holes."