“Autistic people often feel that whole society-wide groups are complicit in believing social lies. That is because whole collective identities do, in fact, assent to lies and neglect to address behaviors and attitudes that contribute to harm.”
We need more autists. (Says the autist)
Perhaps we are merely better at pattern-recognition in human affairs because we spend so much time trying to comprehend and predict the behavior of the people around us.
We are set a bit apart and carefully observing, so we notice things.
I considered that as well. That part of my IQ is off the roof, but only because it was extremely important for me to scan people and understand what they might do next. I have become extremely attuned to dissonance between actions and speech and changes in mood.
Same. Hit the ceiling.
I struggle to read faces, sometimes, but I'm always amazed how much most people take no notice of.
Glaring, comically-obvious behavioral patterns strike most people as individual, random choices, so human behavior seems more chaotic and independent to them, then it really is.
What autistic people struggle with is in not allowing for anomalies in a pattern, which implies that people are chained to a pattern of behavior and have no free will.
We begrudge people the right to be an exception.
Stereotypes are patterns, not laws, and the exceptions help you hone your understanding of those patterns. As if you had a massive state-cycle diagram in your head and it becomes increasingly complex over time.
I think that being able to balance those two concepts can lead to a bit of an autistic superpower. Being able to see the patterns, while maintaining disbelief.
I came to the conclusion that the faces I cannot read are the ones of “corrupted” people, the manipulators. Because they do not have the same emotions as normal people (or just don’t have any emotions, cold empathy) it just doesn’t translate. They different, it’s like a black hole near them.
Hmm. That's interesting. Never considered that.
Yes, the people I find most confusing seem to be the ones who end up being underhanded. Like, they feign friendship, while complaining about you to the boss.
I like when people are congruent.
