Neurotypical (NT) feedback requested!

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** Is there a moderator here on WrongPlanet?? **

Sorry, then I got you wrong. For me it sounded just a bit aggressive towards her because of her interest. I know that it's sometimes quite hard to express things in a way that people don't get wrong. I have to struggle myself with this problem too. (Especially in English )

Yes there are moderators here. Read the rules for each sub-forum, and then you can click the "Report" button for any post that offends you and is in violation of the rules.

Why do you ask? Is anything wrong?

Do you feel that the discussion between Teach51 and me about her relationship with her boyfriend is derailing your thread? If so, say so, and we can move it to a separate thread.

I live in Israel. There is a very high awareness of HFA and virtually no stigma attached or negative response. Many aspies work here in Cyber Intel and Hi Tech innovation, we are in some respects a nerdy country though these nerds also serve in the IDF. Israel is a multi cultural and dynamic country and because of our history we have many people close to us who have been disabled in combat or terrorist attacks or psychologically damaged in the holocaust. We are a very small country so there is a sense of the whole country being one extended family, we all help each other out. I think because of the strong sense of collective responsibilty and our drive to find solutions rather than stick in the problem, great efforts are made to integrate HFA into society and the work force and emphasise the assets and skills rather than the disabilities. Military service is compulsory for all here. There is a special program for autistic soldiers with an adapted basic training to accomodate their special needs. They are closely supervised by social workers and psychologists, this a voluntary program obviously. Ultimately this keeps these guys and gals in the same social environment as their NT peers and they are channeled into areas that give them self esteem and confidence with skills that can be implemented in civilian life. Many go into military intelligence units or radio communications, cyber security etc.

I am teaching a student presently who receives a 100% disability benefit but has volunteered to do his army service. He sleeps at home every day and basically is learning how to adapt to a productive work environment with rigid discipline together with a great sensitivity to his needs.
HFA kids in mainstream schools have a personal assistant in the classroom, in addition to the teacher. They usually are not the king or queen of the class but the environment is on the whole one of acceptence of diversity. Our society truthfully works harder to improve life for the autistic community than the government. Most changes and support are brought about through voluntary organisations, our young people are very vigilant about promoting awareness for acceptance of the "diverse". There is also a marathon organised by guys who have finished their army service where they "big brother" kids on the spectrum and they train together and run the marathon as a team effort. They have enormous fun.
Commercial businesses such as coffee shops and suprmarkets employ HFA who are less intellectually competent, these guys are part of the dynamic of the community and are employed for years at the same job. I have personally witnessed one lady have a meltdown while working on the check-out till , but she's still there years later doing the same job. She is part of our extended family. I don't like talking about Israel here on WP because to say we are an unpopular country would be an understatement, and I don't discuss politics but I was asked where I live. I don't think political discussions contribute to building communication bridges but rather promote ill will and conflict. I hope I have answered the question regarding the awareness of HFA in my country.

This is for Teacher51. I found that reading novels, especially ones that focus on relationships and emotions, to be very helpful in understanding how to communicate with others. Novelists let you get into someone's head. This is a skill I do not possess, I use rules to compensate. Your partner may be able to understand you better by reading novels by female authors.

Now, I am going to say something that will piss people off. There are polite ways to correct others. I have been working very hard to learn how to keep quiet, suggest a better word or an alternative argument. Improving social skills is a lifelong endeavor. Practicing in forums is a good place to start.

I am undiagnosed and have social cognition issues.

The moderator question was pretty-much rhetorical!

Yes, I feel the original-purpose of this thread was derailed!

Thank you!

Thank-you for your detailed response.

I'm not sure where to begin regarding my own experiences. In short, our Calif. State supported service programs are geared toward clients with the developmental disabilities more limiting than HFA. Over the past few years, our support programs have veerry slowly become aware of resources geared toward HFA. I won't go into all of "the bureaucratic red-tape!"

Hence, I finally persuaded my advisor to consider programs in the SF-Bay Area (one region that is "ahead of the curve" so to speak on HFA awareness).

This leads to a call on WP to investigate experiences of regions "ahead of the curve" on HFA awareness. Partial excerpt from my previous post in this thread:

{For starters, anybody familiar with HFA awareness/experiences in the SF Bay Area, the Portland OR, and Seattle Regions? Portland seems to have those quirky qualities which can be of HFA interest. Personally, I'm about three-hours drive from the SF Bay Area, and naturally, I've been investigating resources in the SF Region.

In regards to the more, or less formal resources, even West-Coast regions "ahead of the curve" so to speak on HFA awareness must look to AANE - the Asperger/Autism Network (in the Boston area) regarding best-practices on specific resources serving people with HFA. By signing-up for the AANE mailing-list, AANE will send info. on what seems like well thought-out support resources.}

[End excerpt]

Quite a few of us here on WP very interested in experiences of regions "ahead of the curve" on HFA awareness!

I had the same realization you did about empathy. I had to do research to deconstruct the meaning of it, and it illuminated a lot of issues I'd had. I was confused about tethering it to compassion too, because I am very compassionate towards suffering. I am not highly emotional reciprocal however and find this sort of "empathic exchange" she is talking about to be highly dulled in me although not absolutely impossible.

I very much appreciated her elaboration in terms of what she expects in social interaction and how she perceives a person with ASD's method of response. I had come to some of these realizations about how emotional bonding and not the exchange of information was the expectation in discourse, but it was interesting to read her side of it. It reminds me that I have wounded people emotionally without intending to by rejecting their emotional overtures.

I suppose she probably feels similarly to how I feel when I try to show/explain something that excites me to someone and am disappointed in their response. It causes negative feelings (which the other person typically doesn't realize) and estrangement. Resentment even.

No...
But it helps. <boom tish>

How would one quantify the percentage of NTs who are social aberrants?
And don't most young NTs defy mainstream NT social expectations at some stage?
Rebel without a clue stuff?

So Yeah.
In agreement.

BTW, would it be fair to say that most autists don't fit into NT society?
And why would an Autie want to be part of the nonsense anyway?

After 404 posts you should know that going off on a tangent is mandatory for those on the spectrum.
It's what we do.
It's our job, our vocation and purpose in life.

Dude, get with the program.

Very well stated and worth repeating. Thank you

Yes and no. Yes because you expect somebody to share your excitement or positive emotions. So she does. No because the emotions are not just about something but totally shared positive feelings about yourself and your opposite and the feelings about the whole world around you and this beside of all the things that you are talking about. Hard to describe without knowing it. Am I right with it Teach? If I'm talking about this it's like if a color blind who has a poor idea about what colors are tries to explain them.

Because the O.P. has complained about it being a derail, I would suggest moving the discussion about Teach51's relationship with her boyfriend to the following new thread I just now created for this purpose: Advice for allistic women on relating to autistic BF.

Yes you are right.
Also, the attempt to understand the emotions, the effort, the validation of what the other is trying to convey is the essence of intimacy.

I can grasp the concept of it due to observation of others. I can sit with someone I like and have an enjoyable time, but my emotions engage better with interesting discourse. That's what gives me that feeling with someone, not so much what is being described here.

I don't mean to use an overly grandiose example, but it's like Plato's cave, except that most people are outside the cave and you are observing the shadows in a state of socioemotional ignorance. I'm probably far from the first person to make that comparison.

It hurts in a way. These problems are why I have sometimes vegetated at social events, especially with family (nothing but small talk and emotional group bonding). It's why I feel aromantic. It's why I get alienated serially.

I don't wish to sound bitter with my words. I have found this thread to be insightful and interesting.