Could Autistic People Build a Better Society?

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I'm not a blind optimist. I have witnessed the disagreements we aspies have had even online, but perhaps we autistic people can cut through at least some of the problems a NeuroTypical social order poses. I have noticed, overhearing many of the conversations NTs have with each other, that many of their problems are over the most trivial of things, yet somehow they blow out of proportion, and people end up disliking each other over these trivialities.

Some NTs like to follow a principle even when the results are downright absurd. In my literature class, we read Antigone, and the character Croneus is a perfect example of this stubbornness, but it really happens every day in big ways and small. My university is burdened (it just so happens that my dormitory's resident fascissimo's last name is Burden) with an overabundance of policies that people follow without question (or thought, it seems). People will follow generally sound principles like the prohibition against lying even when the results are dire. Thus, following the letter of the law is valued above the whole purpose of the law sometimes.

NTs have pride. When they are wrong, they dislike admitting it. Obviously, this leads to many problems. People will end long-established friendships over wounded pride. Some people are very sensitive to possible affronts to their vanity and spend an excessive amount of time seeking out ways to bolster it before it sinks back down. Some of these same people generate conflict only to establish an image of moral superiority when the people in conflict look like buffoons. These people usually go to great lengths to protect the status quo, which they believe they are shining examples of. This is probably the connection between pride and stubbornness.

NTs seem to enjoy conflict for its own sake. Of course, NTs are not, by far, a bunch of personality disordered individuals who enjoy playing devious games with other people; but even the sane individuals engage in a little manipulation. They, of course, don't view their actions as the deception and manipulation of the more personality disordered individuals because it is within socially acceptable limits; but it is, nevertheless, qualitatively the same thing. They seem to feed off talking about conflicts; their movies, novels, and plays are full of it (in all senses ). I can't help but thinking these NTs know their actions are going to create conflict, but they choose to do it in full knowledge of the consequences.

NTs in general are skeptical of originality. They adhere to convention; so any break from the prevailing norms, which change like the prevailing winds, are seen as not only a threat to the society they are secure in but also their very sense of identity. For some reason, they can't contemplate an idea that goes against their cherished beliefs without a strong negative emotion being triggered. They believe in freedom of speech and freedom of conscience, but they are shocked when someone states they do not believe in a god. For them the Christian God is strongly associated with all that's right in the world, the establishment that they are comfortable in; they are blithely unaware that this same social order has wronged many individuals who do not fit its ideals.

We autistic people, on the other hand, are less likely to engage in lies and guile. We rarely use people as a means to a selfish end. Sure, we might not always have the most interesting things to talk about (according to most NTs), but we are masters of our minds. We do not have much need for self-aggrandizement or a compelling need to make other people see things our way for no other reason than we want things that way. There would be fewer wars, less violence, and a freer exchange of ideas if we had the power. Our society would not be perfect, but it might just be better, and that's worth something.

It would be an interesting experiment. One would be skeptical about any chances a class of people like us would have of suceeding in creating an environment favorable to us.

However, since we don't follow the social pecking order like NT's do, it would seem practical that we could at least have a fighting chance at being sucessful in creating a society free from such issues as class strugle and self enrichment at the expense of others.

You've reminded me Neant of the time frame from late June of last year, about three weeks after I found out about AS and I was coming to an end of my cognitive dissidence period, I had run across the asperiga website and was lurking in the forums (which only had a week or so left before they closed), as well as reading THE MYTHOS AND ETHOS of aspergia.

I found it to be a fascintating read.

There were times in my life where I so much wanted to be on an island alone and away from all the other people in society.

You would have to eliminate scarcity and the basic human instinct of self-preservation to accomplish that. Even then, you would have to ban romatic relationships, ban sexual intercourse and replace it with Huxleyan-style artificial insemenation, and lobotomize people in different ways to eliminate any talents that would give one person an advantage over another in non economic matters as well or those things will be something to struggle with each other for. You could theoretially build your classless society and have all the riches you want too...by creating a society comprised of the worst characteristics Orwell, Huxley, and Macciavelli could immagine.

Yeah, you'de have a much higher-tech version of the story Harrison Bergeron which I thought all high school students were required to read. Society would be much more Collective, but at the expense of individual happieness, freedom, and pride.

EDIT: not that these ever much mattered to us.

<giggle giggle.....>
the Anasazi did.......

Thomas Hobbes died centuries ago (16th century), later writers didn't like the mechanistic approach. When I was at school Rousseau (18th century)was supposed to be a favourite in America, but there must have been some sort of regression to more primitive societalmodels.

I at least am not very interested in having a higher standing in society than other people. My assumption is that most autistic people are similar in this regard. The problem of hierarchy and injustice wouldn't disappear, but it would decrease significantly simply from the change of attitude that would come with an autistic society.

OF COURSE IF WE MADE A SOCIETY ITWOULD BE BETTER
not insulting the un or anything though

Of course we can build a better society than the UN could. All we have to do is not sit on our thumb all day long and collect bribes from dictators. It wouldn't be completely free of poverty, but it would be an improvment.

Unless Autistic people are somehow magically free of the imperfections of human nature (which I somehow doubt), I think it is highly unlikely that a 'better' society could emerge.

Besides, a minority trying to lead the majority to 'something better' has been known - historically - to lead to all manner of complications. On top of that, there are the characteristic aspects ascribed to people with AS/ASD - which is that they are not great Team Players. Even I am not a great Team Player, therefore I think it is reasonable to infer that there might be others who are not great Team Players also.

As regards the jockeying for status and prestige in the social pecking order; my view on this is that actually, most people - AS/ASD and NT alike - hate it, but those who can, play along with it in the hope that one day they can move beyond it.

The social gamesmanship is an obstacle and a barrier that very few people, whether they are NT or AS/ASD, are particularly good at playing. I think it is fallacious to suggest that it is only AS/ASD people who have real difficulties navigating the social minefield, the chicaneries and multi-layered gamesmanship that comprises so much 'social' interaction. Despite my (self-accredited) intellect, I have always been amazingly maladroit at working out what was going on and all the other subtle, finely-nuanced manoeuveres that everybody else on the planet takes for granted.

Therefore, in view of the fact that probably in excess of 95% of NT people are uncomfortable and unhappy playing the social games, I do not think that a society dominated by an 'autistic autocracy' would be better than any other elitst system.

I do however think that a society that was rid of the social pecking order and one-up-manship games would be better, for all concerned, both NT and AS/ASD. However, if one were to kill off the 'social arena' warfare, something else would need to be instituted to help keep people fragmented, isolated and alienated.

Do I think we could build a better society for ourselves... duh! Do I think we could build a better society for the world Im a little more doubtful on. Unless of course we go the way of my hero Peter Wiggin lol.