Sense of social hierarchy

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What about so called by me "sense of social hierarchy" in your case? I read it's a common trait in people with AS that they are not characterized by a feeling for social hierarchy on which the whole society is based - one may start to talk to somebody who is on a higher rung of this ladder not concerned about any special respect that person deserves according to the society.

I remember in childhood I used to treat adults as if I was one of them and I wasn't ashamed to criticize them, expressing all my opinions openly.

Hierarchy is infantile. The only way anyone got me to recognize it was punishment, but not even that will work anymore most of the time.

Respect is something that should be intrinsic to everyone, not just a privileged few at the highest rung on the social ladder...



It is probably not uncommon for people who disregard a "feeling for social hierarchy" to be labelled with personality disorders either. The 'leaders' in our society want everyone who doesn't conform to their wishes and become a wage slave or 'positive contributor to society' to be labelled defective in some way.

Look at the prisons in the US. While there are clearly plenty of people with real mental problems in them, there are also plenty of normal people who are wrongly labelled as 'antisocial', 'NPD', 'schizophrenic', 'psychotic', because they didn't agree with laws they viewed as unjust and acted on those beliefs, got caught, and imprisoned, yet never harmed a person with their 'crime' because the crime in fact was arguably victimless.

Social heirarchies, when they become detrimental to the average person or even outright dysfunctional, are asking to be challenged and possibly destroyed.

I've used that exact phrase before. Honestly, I didn't realize there was such a thing as social hierachy, or that it was that big of deal in society until recently. I read a book about AS that outlined some basic social rules (it was mostly for highschool, but many of those rules never change through-out life) when I realized that there are unwritten rules about who can talk to who, when, and where. It was like a whole new world that had been opened to me.

Before that revelation, I thought anyone could be friends with anyone else regardless of status. Being a member of certain groups do matter to most. It's a who you know world. I still don't attach much importance to it all, though.

definetely, i never pay attention to social hierarchies. its like somehow deep in you you know you are crossing an invisible line that you're not supposed to cross, but you still do it. Not respecting social hierarchy was one of the reasons I had problems in my last job.
I learned that theres a lot of people who expect you to behave very respectufully (or you will feel their wrath..), still it doesnt come natural on me.

I can't stand hierarchy, It's a big reason for my "discipline issues" as a kid and why I have trouble holding a job. I do not respect rank or position, I only respect ability and merit. If a "superior," such as a teacher or supervisor, is wrong and is corrected by people "under" him/her that person should compliment the constructive criticism instead of getting pissed off for his/her authority being attacked.

I do and do not have a belief in hierarchy. I value intellect more than position. I value humility more than arrogance. Anyone one who has these two will rank highest in my sense of hierarchy.

I can never respect a person who is born into a family of high-status (or because of his family name). Monarchies have no role in my mind. Religious figures can fall just like the rest. This is following blindly.

I trust people on their merit, human merit.

what ladder!? what social respect!?





as in not running up to the president and eagerly shaking hands-yeah, right got it.

Other than that...

I guess I'm asking for examples or paticulars..?

Yeah I've come across this problem many times. It's easy to get peoples backs up. The number of time's I've heard someone say 'Who does he think he is!' If you don't show some the due defference or aren't intimidated by someone because of their high status it can get you in trouble, and I don't mean being impolite or rude. I've been labelled as arrogant because of this I am sure. I hate arse kissing though and I am no good at it even if I wanted to be.

you never know. I have someone who's 4 levels above me at work, who hates being referred to by his last name. He really got bent out of shape about it. Going back through his emails, I noticed he dispensed with salutations. So did I...haven't looked back... I was formal due to respect, but you never know how people will take things.

I'm not into nor do I observe the rules of cliques and nonsense social hierarchies (i.e. hen pecking, hazing and other idiotic social rituals). I never have. The whole thing is a real pet peeve of mine.

As a child, before I developed my particular level of disdain for all of it, it was just confusion. I saw myself on the same level as adults, spoke to them as if I were, and was quite insulted if they did not consider me as an equal. Interestingly, I felt more on level with adults than my peers, who I did not understand at all. This created a lot of discord; adults trying to knock me down a few rungs and peers attempting, if in different ways, to do the same.

What is terribly odd for me now, as I approach 30, is that I feel exactly the same way I did in high school, junior high school, even elementary school. The only difference is that now I have the freedom to be an adult, and I'm even expected to be one - however I always wait for an adult to snap my head off in much the same manner I was used to as a child.

I have hung around with many different people. I treat bums with the same respect as I do famous actors, politicians, entrepreneurs, and functionaries. I try to be polite and candid with everyone. The head of state of one foreign country used to love eating lunch with me because I treated him normal. People are people regardless of where they end up on the social ladder.