Aspies For Freedom

Not brilliant at math either.

I think this site needs abit of us non-stereotypical aspies

Four?

Isn't it like 12 members of this forum?

</jk>

I have mixed abilities with regard to math. And even when I taught myself things like calculus at early ages, I am prone to forgetting things I've learned, and so have taught myself calculus three times, going for a fourth time.

I am also bad at reading non-digital clocks and watches.

But yeah, the math thing is pretty much a stereotype. Doesn't mean it's false for everybody, just means that it's not the experience of the majority to be a math genius.

Word problems have been a nightmare for me too! It's extremely difficult for me to switch from "language-processing mode" to "math/spatial analysis mode". In fact, that's how I got stumped on the math problems portion of the IQ test I took, because I had a hard time understanding and then remembering the meaning of the words long enough to do the math, so I had to keep asking the problem be repeated (didn't help that I have auditory processing issues, too). Long division in fourth grade was a nightmare to learn, too. I could never remember the Order of Steps to Solve the Problem.

The 24-hour clock was hard for me too. I don't have it anymore. The thing for me was, how could, for instance, 13:00 have the same personality as 1:00 p.m.?

Heh, well it was a bad-at-math-joke.

I meant total of this forum's members.

Poor old erk - nobody got the joke! </jk>

Not that old.

I agree that it's a myth.  I'm not terrible at math, but my abilities in that field are inconsistent.  I can be great at some kinds of math, be okay at others, and not be able to comprehend other kinds of math very well at all, which sort of averages out to "decent."  Written language has always been my area of strength, and something I've been praised for most of my life.  This discrepancy has always been apparent in my grades and standardized test scores.  I don't know if I would have been diagnosed earlier if my skills had been reversed, but I suppose it's possible.  I think my late diagnosis probably had more to do with being relatively "mild," AS being a new diagnosis, and my being female.

My mathematical ability is nonexistent, spatial is moderate, but I am very good with word problems and the like, I was verbally very fluent and literally competent from a very early age.

Not necessarily a myth, just an over-generalization.

Or, at least, none that you are prepared to acknowledge here.

One talent that has been pointed out before is your ability to spot when someone is guilty of generalising, or perpetuating stereotypes. In fact, I believe you to have the greatest bovine ordure meter of anyone I have encountered.

Also, there is the lack of opportunity. You may have a talent in a field that you haven't yet encountered. If anbuend had never had a computer, who woud have known about that fierce and wonderful intellect?

If you have never tried, for example, sculpture, pottery or lacemaking - how could you possibly know that you aren't the world's greatest sculptor, potter or lacemaker?

In any case, that doesn't diminish in any way your worth as a person. Someone could truly be inept in absolutely everything - but that doesn't mean that they cannot be admired.

I think that the point has been made for the benefit of the OP - an Asperger's diagnosis does not predict any particular skills or deficits, any more than a neurotypical one!

Yes it's true! Batman has the best bull dust meter I've ever come across. I thought I was fairly good at detecting it but am nowhere near as good as he is. I also agree that we need far more portrayals of creative and quirky aspies, not just the maths and computer geniuses.

As far as I know, the problems arise when you have to use a certain 'slang' to be accepted in a given environment. Spoken language sometimes differs gravely from written language. Aspies are often known to sound like they speak written language.
It seems to be much easier for NTs to pick up the 'key words' that are to be used in a group they are about to enter.

One sentence I had difficulties years ago which springs to my mind now:

As far as I've figured out by now, that meant: "Are you really so insane that you want to disturb me?". At least, it's much shorter.

I was good at both math and verbal as a child--great at memorizing stuff. And I was a total disaster/klutz in the athletic/physical movement department.  As I've aged, I've gotten less smart and more coordinated.  Go figure.