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+--- Thread: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? (/showthread.php?tid=24013)
Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Kapkao - 02-29-2012 06:52 AM
Well, is it?
Because I've always had a tendency to at least think I'm better than everyone else, I have a sort of narcissistic self-confidence. When I discovered this was not the case, I made a decision to make things as such!
Still, I am confused. I think Aspies have something of an innate ability to prove their self-worth by comparing it towards the self-worth of others. Apparently... some believe this is not true.
I think it is, but I would like to read other's opinions on this. In what 'positive' manner can you 'always outdo' someone at?
Meaning, of course, "what is your most positive character trait that exceeds expectations?"
Title Edited at request - PJ3
(sigh) I'll start... - Kapkao - 02-29-2012 08:28 AM
Websurfing and intuition.
If it requires websurfing and intuition, it can (essentially) be done by me.
RE: Autistism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - 142857 - 02-29-2012 09:05 AM
I find myself having esoteric conversations with people and simultaneously "web surfing" and coming up with facts, verifications, examples, whatever. In real time. This seems to surprise people. I'm amazed at how much most people suck at web surfing.
In general, I am very competitive when it comes to things that I consider myself to be good at. If you keep it in perspective, this can be quite healthy.
And yet a lot of people who have known me have had the impression that I don't have a competitive or egotistical bone in my body.
I think we are just as capable of being competitive as anyone. It may manifest slightly differently, but it is there.
RE: Autistism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Kapkao - 02-29-2012 09:19 AM
142857 Wrote:
I find myself having esoteric conversations with people and simultaneously "web surfing" and coming up with facts, verifications, examples, whatever. In real time. This seems to surprise people. I'm amazed at how much most people suck at web surfing.
In general, I am very competitive when it comes to things that I consider myself to be good at. If you keep it in perspective, this can be quite healthy.
In general, I am very competitive when it comes to things that I consider myself to be good at. If you keep it in perspective, this can be quite healthy.
And I don't mind "(un)healthy" competition so long as I can be demonstrated to be "#1".
Must be whatever "youth" I have left in me 
(despite feeling very 'old' and 'tired' some days for reasons beyond my explanation)
Quote:
And yet a lot of people who have known me have had the impression that I don't have a competitive or egotistical bone in my body.
I (apparently) give most of my family the exact opposite impression.
Quote:
I think we are just as capable of being competitive as anyone. It may manifest slightly differently, but it is there.
I agree almost word-for-word, but some more 'voices' on this subject could never hurt.
RE: Autistism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - BruceCM - 02-29-2012 12:01 PM
Fortunately, it's not too easy to really compare just how 'good' I might be at using google! I know that I don't know any programming languages & I'm not a real computer expert. It's really far too late for me to start down that road, now. I certainly don't remember hearing that Aspies/Auties are simply less competitive than NTs.
RE: Autistism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Kapkao - 02-29-2012 12:17 PM
BruceCM Wrote:
Fortunately, it's not too easy to really compare just how 'good' I might be at using google! I know that I don't know any programming languages & I'm not a real computer expert. It's really far too late for me to start down that road, now. I certainly don't remember hearing that Aspies/Auties are simply less competitive than NTs.
Gareth suggested/implied that competitive behaviors are reduced in autism.
Thus... I made this thread.
RE: Autistism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Kapkao - 02-29-2012 12:33 PM
(I'm the kinda guy that collects data/opinions from people)
RE: Autistism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - BruceCM - 02-29-2012 12:33 PM
Hopefully, we'll find it isn't that simple & that we just compete in different areas. Interesting, anyway!
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - d_olson27 - 03-01-2012 04:18 AM
Here's an example of autistic competitiveness in more conventional areas. I can be very competitive when I'm sparring or playing something like badminton. The difference there is that I start to lose interest when we keep score. The important part is playing the game as well as I can, rather than winning.
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - skyblue1 - 03-01-2012 04:25 AM
d_olson27 Wrote:
Here's an example of autistic competitiveness in more conventional areas. I can be very competitive when I'm sparring or playing something like badminton. The difference there is that I start to lose interest when we keep score. The important part is playing the game as well as I can, rather than winning.
my thoughts exactly
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Kapkao - 03-01-2012 04:47 AM
d_olson27 Wrote:
Here's an example of autistic competitiveness in more conventional areas. I can be very competitive when I'm sparring or playing something like badminton. The difference there is that I start to lose interest when we keep score. The important part is playing the game as well as I can, rather than winning.
pointless
In Chess... in doesn't seem to matter about "playing the game as well as you can"... the AI figures out how to beat you on max settings.
(something about being "in check" simply because I like to eliminate royals, rooks, and bishops with my queen for some odd reason )
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - d_olson27 - 03-01-2012 04:51 AM
Kapkao Wrote:
d_olson27 Wrote:
Here's an example of autistic competitiveness in more conventional areas. I can be very competitive when I'm sparring or playing something like badminton. The difference there is that I start to lose interest when we keep score. The important part is playing the game as well as I can, rather than winning.
pointless
In Chess... in doesn't seem to matter about "playing the game as well as you can"... the AI figures out how to beat you on max settings.
(something about being "in check" simply because I like to eliminate royals, rooks, and bishops with my queen for some odd reason )
Right, but when I'm playing these more physical games, I'm usually not playing against a computer-controlled opponent.
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Kapkao - 03-01-2012 05:14 AM
The thing is... I had the "Brains vs Braun" ethic instilled into me at a young age, but "Braun" in whatever meager sense at a... 'utilitarian' angle.
Braun is pretty easy... just keep playing until muscles get sore.
The... "Grey" muscle, however... never gets sore.
(Might get tired after a while, though)
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - d_olson27 - 03-01-2012 05:25 AM
Exactly. That's the main reason I refer to things like sparring as a game. It doesn't matter how hard my opponent kicks if I'm never where they expect me to be when they kick, or even better, if I kick them when they're thinking about kicking me. It's all about strategy and playing your opponent.
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Kapkao - 03-01-2012 05:57 AM
d_olson27 Wrote:
Exactly. That's the main reason I refer to things like sparring as a game. It doesn't matter how hard my opponent kicks if I'm never where they expect me to be when they kick, or even better, if I kick them when they're thinking about kicking me. It's all about strategy and playing your opponent.
kk
So... why no paintball??
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - d_olson27 - 03-01-2012 05:58 AM
Kapkao Wrote:
So... why no paintball??
Eh, never tried it. I could probably enjoy it.
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Genesis - 03-01-2012 06:00 AM
Yes I think it is possible
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Kapkao - 03-01-2012 06:11 AM
d_olson27 Wrote:
Kapkao Wrote:
So... why no paintball??
Eh, never tried it. I could probably enjoy it.
.........
................
How About Doom 2.0 in vr? (Hint: "autoaim" for y-axis, turn to find targets/consumables, NO object on top of another object(!), and none of this 'multiple surfaces' one atop another.... until zDoom 
)
(also... worth pointing out the [imp's] flamethrower I engineered sometime in the mid 90s doesn't seem to work well... just keeps going straight like most of the projectiles in the game. o.O)
s'Weird, huh?
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Genesis - 03-01-2012 06:12 AM
When was doom released?
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Kapkao - 03-01-2012 06:14 AM
Genesis Wrote:
When was doom released?
'93, followed by "Doom II" in '94.
edit; you need a .WAD file to play.
edit2; on zDoom, I meant.
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Kapkao - 03-01-2012 06:17 AM
What are you people doing still up... and how did it get so late without me noticing?
(hint: REM Sleep)
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Kapkao - 03-01-2012 06:22 AM
Yeah... I had one of those SUPER weird dreams, earlier this evening, followed by a "boomba-boom" from dad's new 'Digital Home Theater' earlier this evening.
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Genesis - 03-01-2012 06:26 AM
I have these really.... weird.... unusual dreams.....
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - 142857 - 03-01-2012 09:36 AM
I'd much, much rather play against people who are better than me at a game, and lose more often than not, than play against lesser opponents and win.
But there is not much point in playing against people who are so good that you don't even get in the game. So there is a cutoff point.
Same goes for cheating, I'd much rather lose than cheat.
I used to live in a shared house and sometimes we'd play something like "Trivial Pursuit". I would be on one team, everyone else on the other team + any friends who were over (so I'd often be up against 7 or 8 people). And I would have to land on bases to earn pie, whereas they earned pie every time they answered a question correctly. We used to have pretty close games that way. Unfortunately it got to the point with games like "Scrabble" where I'd go to the toilet, come back and the Scrabble board would be set up on the floor and they'd say "oh sorry, you weren't here so we started without you". Perhaps humility about my Scrabble ability wasn't my strong suit in those days.
RE: Autism + a competitive streak = is such a thing possible? - Kapkao - 03-01-2012 10:04 AM
142857 Wrote:
I'd much, much rather play against people who are better than me at a game, and lose more often than not, than play against lesser opponents and win.
But there is not much point in playing against people who are so good that you don't even get in the game. So there is a cutoff point.
Same goes for cheating, I'd much rather lose than cheat.
I used to live in a shared house and sometimes we'd play something like "Trivial Pursuit". I would be on one team, everyone else on the other team + any friends who were over (so I'd often be up against 7 or 8 people). And I would have to land on bases to earn pie, whereas they earned pie every time they answered a question correctly. We used to have pretty close games that way. Unfortunately it got to the point with games like "Scrabble" where I'd go to the toilet, come back and the Scrabble board would be set up on the floor and they'd say "oh sorry, you weren't here so we started without you". Perhaps humility about my Scrabble ability wasn't my strong suit in those days.
But there is not much point in playing against people who are so good that you don't even get in the game. So there is a cutoff point.
Same goes for cheating, I'd much rather lose than cheat.
I used to live in a shared house and sometimes we'd play something like "Trivial Pursuit". I would be on one team, everyone else on the other team + any friends who were over (so I'd often be up against 7 or 8 people). And I would have to land on bases to earn pie, whereas they earned pie every time they answered a question correctly. We used to have pretty close games that way. Unfortunately it got to the point with games like "Scrabble" where I'd go to the toilet, come back and the Scrabble board would be set up on the floor and they'd say "oh sorry, you weren't here so we started without you". Perhaps humility about my Scrabble ability wasn't my strong suit in those days.
Humility doesn't have much of a place in the ideals of "competition for limited resources".
But at the same time... humility makes competition seem a lackluster pursuit and guarantees that someone will try to beat you. Is that your inner family man I 'hear' talking in this thread?
I've never seen the point of playing with/against children. They don't 'intuit' things very well. They also don't communicate very well. Why bother?
(they do, at least, try to 'best' their elders at some point. Sometimes long before puberty.)