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Full Version: About.com - Top 10 Terrific Traits of Autistic People
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I thought this was quiet nice from about.com:

http://autism.about.com/od/inspirationid...traits.htm

Quote:

If you're sick of hearing about all the "deficits" challenging people on the autism spectrum, join the club! But for every down side to autism, there seems to be a positive -- an unusual trait that rarely appears among the "typical" community, but shines out among autistic folk. These plusses are well worth celebrating.

1. Autistic People Rarely Lie
We all claim to value the truth, but almost all of us tell little white lies. All, that is, except people on the autism spectrum. To them, truth is truth -- and a good word from a person on the spectrum is the real deal.

2. People on the Autism Spectrum Live in the Moment
How often do typical people fail to notice what's in front of their eyes because they're distracted by social cues or random chitchat? People on the autism spectrum truely attend to the sensory input that surrounds them. Many have achieved the ideal of mindfulness.

3. People with Autism Rarely Judge Others
Who's fatter? Richer? Smarter? For people on the autism spectrum, these distinctions hold much less importance than for typical folks. In fact, people on the spectrum often see through such surface appearances to discover the real person.

4. Autistic People are Passionate
Of course, not all autistic people are alike. But many are truly passionate about the things, ideas and people in their lives. How many "typical" people can say the same?

5. People with Autism Are Not Tied to Social Expectations
If you've ever bought a car, played a game or joined a club to fit in, you know how hard it is to be true to yourself. But for people with autism, social expectations can be honestly irrelevant. What matters is true liking, interest and passion -- not keeping up with the Joneses.

6. People with Autism Have Terrific Memories
How often do typical people forget directions, or fail to take note of colors, names, and other details? People on the autism spectrum are often much more tuned in to details. They may have a much better memory than their typical peers for all kind of critical details.

7. Autistic People Are Less Materialistic
Of course, this is not universally true -- but in general, people with autism are far less concerned with outward appearance than their typical peers. As a result, they worry less about brand names, hairstyles and other expensive but unimportant externals than most people do.

8. Autistic People Play Fewer Head Games
Who was that woman, and why were you looking at her? I know I TOLD you I didn't mind if you went out, but why did you believe me? Most autistic people don't play games like these -- and they assume that you won't either. It's a refreshing and wonderful change from the Peyton Place emotional roller coaster that mars too many typical relationships!

9. Autistic People Have Fewer Hidden Agendas
Most of the time, if a person on the autism spectrum tells you what he wants -- he is telling you what he wants. No need to beat around the bush, second guess, and hope you're reading between the lines!

10. People with Autism Open New Doors for Neurotypicals
For some of us neurotypicals, having an autistic person in our lives has had a profound positive impact on our perceptions, beliefs and expectations. For me, at least, being the mom of a son on the autism spectrum has released me from a lifetime of "should" -- and offered me a new world of "is."


There you go!

What do you think? What are some other 'terrific traits?" that you want to post?

11. People on the Autistic Spectrum Are Frequently Very Damn Cute  (Of course, I'm a little biased on this one... Big Grin )
i can't think of anything else to add, but something on that list just seems a little off.  "Autistic people have teriffic memories."  is that true for me?  yes and no.  i remember things that most people forget, but i also forget things that most people remember.
other than that, hell yea to that list!!!  i'm definitely printing that out.....
Fantastic! I could throw that at a few people, believe me! Andrew Wakefield for a start!
1. Autistic People Rarely Lie
I don't lie very often, but I consider myself to be a pretty good liar. I don't really do it for personal gain though, mostly just to avoid people asking me questions.

2. People on the Autism Spectrum Live in the Moment
I'd say that's true for me... I don't often think about the past or the future and how it relates to the present. Sort of like how animals just care about what's going on around them at that given moment.

3. People with Autism Rarely Judge Others
Probably the only things I use to judge people are their willingness to learn and how they treat other individuals (not just human individuals, either).

4. Autistic People are Passionate
I'm passionate about my interests.

5. People with Autism Are Not Tied to Social Expectations
I don't even know what people expect of me in social situations, so how can I be tied to those expectations?

6. People with Autism Have Terrific Memories
I would say my memory is above average in some areas, but nowhere near savant-level.

7. Autistic People Are Less Materialistic
This is true for the most part. I'm a penny-pincher and wear my clothes until they are unwearable, but I always buy tons of stuff for my animals and have no problem buying things for my various collections. I also like to drive a relatively nice car (as in my 2002 Camry XLE, not a $50,000 Mercedes), but that's about it when it comes to items not related to my interests.

8. Autistic People Play Fewer Head Games
I don't do head games.

9. Autistic People Have Fewer Hidden Agendas
I don't do hidden agendas either.

10. People with Autism Open New Doors for Neurotypicals
I guess so...

GuessWho Wrote:

Wal Mart is cool.  


Not if your faith means more to you than your desire for a cheap camera.

http://walmartwatch.com/pages/faith_why_...t_involved

One thing I have an issue with is "Autistic People Rarely Lie," that was true when I was younger (I had the "compulsively honest" thing, completely.)  But as I got older, to avoid criticism (which I have a real problem with) I became a very bad liar.  But not in any kind of "socially manipulative" way, for a hidden agenda, etc... I'm not capable of that.

GuessWho Wrote:

However, there is no way I can read the Holy Scriptures and miss the condemnation of respective behaviors.  The Bible might as well as been written by a judge or a lawyer.  I noticed the five books of Moses and legalism straight away when I started reading the Bible at age 12.


GuessWho, what would it take for you to just shut the hell up about your god hating gay people?

You've said it on this forum a thousand times. You haven't added anything new, interesting or rational in the last 999 posts.

What is your obsession? Why are you compelled to keep babbling about it? Have you seen anyone posting, "hey, GuessWho, could you please repeat your god-hates-gays speech? I missed it the first 1,000 times."

What do you need or want that is somehow satisfied by posting endlessly about this? I'm sick of reading it and I'm sick of responding to it, but I feel I have to defend my people against your hateful nonsense.

What would it take for you to just stop it?

Max the Bear Wrote:
GuessWho, what would it take for you to just shut the hell up about your god hating gay people?

You've said it on this forum a thousand times. You haven't added anything new, interesting or rational in the last 999 posts.


A bit of an overstatement, don't you think?  That would mean he hasn't said anything noteworthy in any of his posts!

rossco Wrote:
1. Autistic People Rarely Lie

I find this very difficult to do. Lying requires subtlety and an ability to misrepresent yourself. There is nothing overly subtle about me. I am as subtle as a sledgehammer. This is honest but I have found not in any way a trait that is always productive, respectable or even nice. It is all about context.


Actually I learned to become a very skilled liar by the time I was 21 or so, I hope this doesn't mean I couldn't be on the spectrum.

The reason I learned to lie so effectively is because I just really hated criticism, from anyone, that much.  So I said what everyone "expected" to hear, to get me through without friction.  And it seemed to work, for a while anyway.

GuessWho Wrote:
My apology for having caused needless outrage.
We do have a problem with instructions taken literally do we not?


I have no idea what that meant, but if it means I and other gay people can sign on to AFF without being aggressively and continually damned to hell, that would be nice.

GuessWho Wrote:

To reiterate...


Please don't.

GuessWho Wrote:
Sorry, pikajedi4, I think I need my name cleared.  Simply because I report a faith accurately


You absolutely do not. What did Jesus ever say about gay people? (and spare me that wack-job Saul/Paul) What did he say about the rich? What did he say about hypocrites? By any reasonable presentation of Christ's concerns, you owe us about 14,000 posts on the rich and 86,000 on hypocrisy.

I think Jesus would be the first to tell you to STFU about gay-hating and take care of your own sinful self. But like most fake christians, you prefer to focus on other people's sins. What would Jesus think of your fascinations with food, money, materialism, and judging people as if you were God's own little proxy persecutor? Where are your dozens and dozens of posts on those issues?

GuessWho Wrote:
(and I can stop now because ...)


You could have stopped before you started. No one here has experienced any shortage of christian gay-hating. Your prolific preaching on the subject was never necessary.

GuessWho Wrote:
In fact, I respect Max and I will even say I wish I knew him before I converted.


Right. What an exciting opportunity that would have been for me. Rolleyes But, of course, now you're way too Good and Holy to know a heathen homo. God, that's sick. What an advertisement for the hypocrisy of fundamentalism.

Max the Bear Wrote:
You absolutely do not. What did Jesus ever say about gay people? (and spare me that wack-job Saul/Paul) What did he say about the rich? What did he say about hypocrites? By any reasonable presentation of Christ's concerns, you owe us about 14,000 posts on the rich and 86,000 on hypocrisy.


I can certainly see where your animosity towards GuessWho comes from, Max, but if you're going to fault GuessWho for repetitive themes and excessive posting, you might have to fault me as well.  I bring up many of the same issues over and over again and tend to post on AFF without any kind of impulse control.  If this is similarly problematic/annoying, it would be nice if the folks here would let me know (as members have done for GuessWho in this thread.)  Sometimes I can't take a hint.

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