Aspies For Freedom

That might be something to explore, a little.

I believe if you took away my creativity/divergent thinking ability (which AFAIK is well above average) and replaced it with strong math/logic ability, I bet somebody from high school might have detected Asperger's (as I did have a lot of social difficulties then, as always) and I might actually have a diagnosis by now.

Still, the Math stereotype remains, and makes those who have creative ability well above math ability seem just like "odd artist types" rather than Aspie.  And that pisses me off.

That is interesting, but all my readings about him have mentioned a strong likelihood that he had a personality disorder...

If you have any reputable links that discuss Sellers and the possibility of Asperger's, I'd like to read them.

And by the way I am of the opinion that mimicry, or taking on the mannerisms of another character, is certainly something that an Aspie might be good at.  I can't act for beans, but I am very good at mimicry and imitating others.

I see a personality disorder in him, more than anything else.

I'm going to agree here, he used very few characters in his stories (I have read many of his short stories) and those he used lacked any kind of expressive range.  In fact it seems like he used the same character over and over for many of them, and often the character wasn't given a name.

He was a very solitary, peculiar fellow who much preferred letters for communication than being around people themselves.  Much like me...  

You're right about Jesus Christ, I have read from a couple reputable sources that he was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome when he hit adolescence.

I thought this was funny in an absurdist kind of way.

You guys don't agree?  Come on, give me some slack

Now every genius in their respective field has Asperger's.  This is something that starts to bring out the elusive "angry skeptic" side I have.

Come on folks, let's restrict the posthumous Asperger's speculation unless there has been a published, reputable source written on the individual in mind, which reputably discusses the possibility of said individual having Asperger's/ASD, and so on.

Right now, for instance, I think James Joyce is a strong case of posthumous Asperger's--if only because a book was written by a scholar on the subject.  This makes it more official, despite the fact that you can't diagnose someone who's passed on to the other side.

We can speculate about other "greats" all we want, but indeed if we start speculating about any random "great intellectual" having Asperger's simply because they were solitary/reclusive/eccentric or all three at once, then that puts a bit too much glamor on the Asperger's label and is not in keeping with the pervasive developmental disorder aspects which are probably familiar to many, if not most, Aspies.

This "every solitary genius had Asperger's" just does not pay dividends to those of us who struggle with AS but don't match the incredible genius stereotype.

I am not a troublemaker and I don't have communication or cognitive disabilities.  My Asperger's is a self-diagnosis and I have never had, in the entire span of my life, even one person tell me I have the disabilities you speak of or suggest I may have thereof.

If anyone's a troublemaker with communicative disabilities it might be you, I don't know how many times in the other thread people said they were deeply offended by you "brushing off" Astrology as something that mentally ill people explore.

You accuse others of being troublemakers and lacking diplomatism.. how about you look at you look in the *** mirror, mate?

Edit button...

I don't believe in any of the sayings above.  If it came off that way, then I apologize and in this case I hope you take back your statement that I have "cognitive/communication disabilities" because I don't, and that's a hurtful statement directed at me without considering that I take criticism literally, too often.

I never said it was a conspiracy at all, but I feel that there's a glamorous aspect of Asperger's hanging around public perception, which is more-or-less tied to the knowledge that many great people have had a form of Asperger's, or are at least highly speculative.

I should clarify that there's nothing wrong with posthumous diagnosis, it's just that to my mind, it seems to be getting a bit "wanton".. but that's if you ask me, and I could certainly be wrong.

That's what I was getting at, or trying to get at...

Thanks for putting it into the words I was looking for, but could not find.

I never defensively dismissed it, it's just that I found the name "Jesus Christ" on a list of possible Aspies as a tad bit ludicrous.  I suppose other people will think it fascinating and worthy of exploring, however *I* felt it was ridiculous.  Personally.

Speculation will be harmless and I have no problems with that... but... Jesus H. Christ...

Do you live in New Britain?

What if he's not much of a book-reader?

(No intentional offense toward thee, Ziyaret.. I just felt like scribing a "zinger")

Just curious, but what would lead you to believe that Diane Keaton is an Aspie?

I can see Woody Allen.. but.. Diane Keaton.. not sure.

I think Jody Foster is much more obvious.