What it is to be me

About what it is to be me (a self-identified Aspie)
by AndyS In Colorado
Sun Jun 14, 2009 at 04:21:10 PM PDT
This is a response to these comments.
I can tell you from personal experience that wide knowledge of the syndrome wasn't established until the 90's.

Be that as it may, I want to address the following hurtful things:
1) People who have Asperger's syndrome are like machines, because they use things like (gasp) logic and are immune to social cues.
2) People who are Aspies are more likely to be atheists, and are like unto machines.
3) That Aspies are identified as being so.

Now I could highlight so many things in the above paragraph as being off-center it isn't even funny. But first, let us start with the symptom list of Asperger's syndrome.
Not pick up on social cues and may lack inborn social skills, such as being able to read others' body language, start or maintain a conversation, and take turns talking.
I can tell you for a fact I had to train myself to see what certain aspects of body language actually mean. I still have difficulty with conversation. If someone says "hey, how 'bout those Mets?" I have no response. I am not interested in sports and my immediate reaction is that I have nothing to contribute to the statement. I have learned, with great difficulty, that when a person says such a thing what they are looking for is not so much a knowledge of the subject matter in question but simple validation and sharing of mutual humanity. Why that took many many years of intensive self training, I have no explanation -- only that it is so.
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