Nobody ever said that aspies don't WANT to be social. We just typically don't know how, as we can't learn NT interactions intuitively. That's one of the big reasons we all end up with co-morbid conditions like depression, bipolar spectrum, etc.
I am a comedian with aspergers, and while most of the comedians I know are sort of "always on" off stage i am basically silent, and hate being at bars. However, sometimes after a set, when people come up to tell me that my material was very unusual or something, i find it very easy to be social, but it's very much a performance. i say performance because it's one sided, and not really communication, but me supplying information toward an essentially inert block, with a face.
Because of this, for some reason, people think i'm an extrovert.
Nobody ever said that aspies don't WANT to be social. We just typically don't know how, as we can't learn NT interactions intuitively. That's one of the big reasons we all end up with co-morbid conditions like depression, bipolar spectrum, etc.
Thank you for saying this. One of the reasons I did not think I could be an aspie was because I've always really liked (Certain kinds of) people and wanted to be friends with them, but just couldn't figure out how that whole relationship thing worked. It was like everyone else knew how and I didn't...
I do like to be alone, but I crave interaction and connection - just not the kind that is all surfacey and small talk and boring.
I love socializing, but I'm very bad at it.
By the way, most Aspergians don't pluck their hair out of their back. He must do it as a unique form of stimming or something.
Also, lack of empathy is a complete myth. Just because he doesn't show empathy doesn't mean he doesn't have it.