An Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Friendly World

[Autistamatic]

Idk, but I can say the absolute last thing you want is a ASD only society.

I agree with you. We have many desirable and useful qualities, but few of us will ever make charismatic leaders. Charisma is a function of social awareness, and such people are always far more likely to be elected as leaders than any of us socially awkward, logical types.
Where we would fit in best (in political administrations) is as the cool headed advisers. The Grand Vizier, the Vice President, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Specialist Adviser - that's where we stand to excel - the people pulling the strings behind the scenes, not the figureheads. Unfortunately even to fill those roles you still have to be highly social and capable of networking, lobbying and backstabbing to get there.
In general terms I think we benefit from having NT people around us. Most of my frustration stems from the fact that few of them acknowledge the benefits having us around can bring to them instead of thinking we need to be "fixed".

 

[Gritches]

I can't imagine it, so obviously I think the idea is dumb.

But on a more serious note, an "autism-friendly" world probably wouldn't be specifically autism-friendly. It would necessarily have to be everyone-friendly, and only incidentally friendly to people with autism. It would probably be an incredibly harsh and tyrannical society based of acceptance of everyone for everything, no matter what. Like, smiles and rainbows or die, basically.

 

[Tesseract]

Well, it would be a world where people are actually punctual, and when a promise is made it's actually kept. The trains would run on time, the place would be more orderly, but on the other hand I would really miss the spontaneity. I don't like ordering my life according to some silly schedule; it makes life boringly predictable. I also don't believe that being logical is always the most appropriate response to situations, and that sometimes what people need is actually emotional support (ex. telling someone who has recently experienced the loss of a relative that they shouldn't cry because at least they are no longer suffering because there is no afterlife, is a pretty stupid thing to do).

In a world run by "aspies" there would be no poetry (and very little literature in general), no romance, no nuance, and no room for the unexpected. People would be constantly caught off guard by events unforeseen, and the bean-counters would be in charge. Everything would be black and white, yes or no, on or off, and most would spend their time in front of the computer screen (and thus the obesity problem in the West would be even worse). In other words it would be a nightmare. "Aspies" are not angels, they have their flaws, but in reading the comments here one could be forgiven for thinking that we would live in some kind of utopia if only those nasty N.T.'s were not around. Don't kid yourselves. People on the proverbial spectrum can be cruel and nasty too.

 

[GrownupGirl]

NTs are very afraid that if society becomes more autism friendly, it will become more NT-unfriendly. It would be great to always be able to go to a store where the lights are soft and dim, there's no music or crowds, even for a few hours at a certain time each day, but the NTs will complain about "normalizing" autism or that it's not somehow unfair to them. The human race naturally thinks it's "easier" to dispose of disabled people or force them to change than it is to change the world itself. And we aspies are the ones who are supposed to hate change.

 

[Mattymatt]

Idk, but I can say the absolute last thing you want is a ASD only society.

I believe people here are sincere when they say autistics are more (insert positive attribute). But its still optimistic fallacy. ASD folks are just as bad as NTs, but their intensity, black and white thinking and poor logic skills makes them as a group much more unpredictable/dangerous at managing a society. Being society avoidant to begin with is not a good start.

Rather then some idyllic society, like the 'Shire' in the 'Lord of the Rings.' something chaotic and closer to 'The Lord of the Flies' is more probable.

So what you're essentially saying is that diversity is a good thing? If that's your opinion, then I wholeheartedly agree.

 

[Nervous Rex]

An Autism-friendly world would involve people actually getting to know each other, instead of judging by looks, abilities, popularity, etc.

An Autism-friendly world would also be a race/religion/gender/nationality/etc. friendly world.

 

[Ylva]

All rooms would be soundproofed.

Sneaking up behind and screaming in someone's ear would be considered assault with a minimum penalty.

There would be sunglasses, but also suncontacts, and to set up glaring lights anywhere you'd need a permit and a warning sign.

Pets would have equal rights (except to vote and enlist) because just about everyone would have at least one therapy pet, and pets need companion pets, and also safe travel and healthcare in which euthanasia was illegal. There would be vaccines against allergies.

Cars would be environmental and make a low sound so they can't sneak up on you but also can't hurt your ears. Speed freaks would have to throw themselves off something high to get their fix, because these cars drive themselves and don't go above certain speeds unless an emergency.

Ethics would be a primary school subject. So would the rest of philosophy.

 

[George Newman]

So it’s been 24 hours and 25 or so comments have been logged to this initial post.

“What would an ASD friendly world look like and is it possible? I understand the question is generic but as I understand how vast the spectrum is I just know the answers are just as vast.”

I thought it might be interesting to provide a summary of the responses and my overall thoughts given all the great comments.

There are two questions:

What would an ASD friendly world look like?

The direction taken in the comments was an ASD friendly world would be wonderful! If the world were ASD friendly many of the challenges faced by ASD people would be much easier to manage. This ASD friendly world would be more instinctively understanding and inclusive. This ASD friendly world would be free of prejudice both real and perceived. An ASD life would be more predictable and less chaotic. One comment said, “To me, an AS friendly society would be as aware and encouraging of our autistic aptitudes as they are aware of our autistic social difficulties.” If I remember correctly one comment referred to it as a “utopia”; idyllic in nature, a paradise where ASD is “normalized”. An ASD friendly world would be wonderful!

Is an ASD friendly world possible?

The consensus seemed to be that an ASD friendly world is possible but not probable or likely. It was felt that the many hurdles humanity would need to clear to become ASD friendly are too abundant. These hurdles were identified as self-centeredness, discrimination (in the unkind sense toward ASD people), and prejudice just to name a few. In summary, the consensus was that an ASD friendly world would also have to be a gender, religion, race, etc. friendly as well. This kind of world is possible but not probable or likely.

My thoughts.

I thought this general autism discussion was healthy for several reasons. This discussion gave us another chance to voice our individual perspective and simply let our frustration out. Our individual stories are rich with experience but many of these stories represent experience based in an unjust culture that typically sidelines the marginal. It is healthy to say, “this is my experience and it isn’t just, damn it!” Okay stay with me here because this one is hard to stomach. This discussion was healthy because it challenges us to face realities. By not facing and accepting the realities of life as a minority we can find ourselves simply surviving and not thriving. Until that day when the world is ASD friendly, we have to be purposeful in carving out a life. The world system isn’t wired for optimal ASD living. That said, we must continue to expand the boarders of understanding. An ASD world is possible.

I leave you with the lyrics written by Justin Paul and Benj Pasek:

I am not a stranger to the dark
Hide away, they say
'Cause we don't want your broken parts
I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars
Run away, they say
No one'll love you as you are

But I won't let them break me down to dust
I know that there's a place for us
For we are glorious

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I'm meant to be, this is me
Look out 'cause here I come
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
I'm not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me

I welcome your additions and subtractions to this summary as clarifying.

 

[Autistamatic]

Great summary George and a conclusion I wholeheartedly agree with.

 

[Ylva]

the consensus was that an ASD friendly world would also have to be a gender, religion, race, etc. friendly as well

Racism and sexism base most of their tenets on ableism, so yeah.

I do think religions would be a little different as well, or at least interpreted a little different. When autistics take things literally they do it in a different way than NTs.

 

[Progster]

Because we all have varying sensory issues and needs, my idea of an ASD heaven might be someone else's ASD hell... it would be difficult to make work. That's why I suggested that we need to make our own personal environment to our taste, but cannot change the whole world to suit just us. But a bit more tolerance and understanding would go a long way to improving it.

 

[Tesseract]

This ASD friendly world would be more instinctively understanding and inclusive.

Perhaps, but no one can assume that this is just how it will be. Having AS or autism doesn't make a person more understanding or tolerant, even though a case can be made that, on average and due to the difficulties we have, we are more likely to be than your average "en-tee". I also do not believe that understanding is ever "instinctive"; it requires work, it requires an investigative disposition to reach a true understanding about anything, and relying upon instinct to arrive at decisions isn't something that we are generally known for anyway (that's more an en-tee kind of thing).

Somehow I just do not believe the world would be so sunny, because there would always be (as I mentioned in a previous post here) the occasional unexpected event to really mess things up. People like us tend to be good at detecting established patterns, but utterly hopeless when it comes to surprises, to events that occur contrary to currently existing trends. Change in general is something we also resist, because it often leads to confusion, to a wrecking of our current plans. We tend to be far too inflexible, and that is an extremely hazardous way to be in a world that changes so rapidly.

So no, there will be no "utopia" for us, because reality just doesn't work that way. The most we can hope for is that the majority we live with will eventually begin to appreciate the way we see things, and why. This will (hopefully) lead to greater understanding and acceptance, and that will have to be enough.

 

[2205]

I think that AS friendly world would be something like life in rural areas in northern and Eastern Europe and maybe asia (don’t know for sure because I haven’t been there).

I grew up in a small village in northern europe and although I had some difficulties, they weren’t impacting my life so much that someone would’ve thought I might be autistic. Yes, my parents and teachers said I was shy, sensitive, unsocial etc but in small places like that this is (was) quite acceptable. People in general are like less social there (probably a northern thing too).

The other thing good about living in rural areas is that there’s way less noise, people and living in general, going from point A to point B, is more simple. In cities there are certain rules everywhere you go - public transport, streets, shops, movies etc.

For me, all the “symptoms” started when I left my home village to go studying. First anxiety, then depression, then eating disorder, then came meltdowns and overall burnout. At first I thought it’s just about getting used to city life and all that, but now, after 10 years I still haven’t “got used to” this utter nonsense way of living. Unfortunately there are not much jobs in rural areas , so I’m kind of stuck here.

 

[Progster]

An autism friendly world would have no customer services using recorded messages to serve customers! Or, if they had them, the voices would allow more time for you to think and answer before going on to the next question, and they would speak slower.

 

[HidinginPlainSight]

Idk, but I can say the absolute last thing you want is a ASD only society.

I believe people here are sincere when they say autistics are more (insert positive attribute). But its still optimistic fallacy. ASD folks are just as bad as NTs, but their intensity, black and white thinking and poor logic skills makes them as a group much more unpredictable/dangerous at managing a society. Being society avoidant to begin with is not a good start.

Rather then some idyllic society, like the 'Shire' in the 'Lord of the Rings.' something chaotic and closer to 'The Lord of the Flies' is more probable.

Poor logic skills? This is the first I've heard of this. I've been told that I'm too logical, but never the opposite.

In fact, I can't understand an argument made on and emotional basis. I have learned, through much trail and error, that this is the typical NT mode of making a point. The most logical and well formed argument will never change the mind of an NT who has made their mind up for emotional reasons.

This especially comes up in physics when discussing the nature of matter or things we can actually observe through telescopes. I understand these things simply by what can be shown while understanding the logical caveats of such knowledge. Most people just come up with whatever they want to in order to explain whatever they don't understand. That seems like poor logic to me.

 

[Pats]

So it’s been 24 hours and 25 or so comments have been logged to this initial post.

“What would an ASD friendly world look like and is it possible? I understand the question is generic but as I understand how vast the spectrum is I just know the answers are just as vast.”

I thought it might be interesting to provide a summary of the responses and my overall thoughts given all the great comments.

There are two questions:

What would an ASD friendly world look like?

The direction taken in the comments was an ASD friendly world would be wonderful! If the world were ASD friendly many of the challenges faced by ASD people would be much easier to manage. This ASD friendly world would be more instinctively understanding and inclusive. This ASD friendly world would be free of prejudice both real and perceived. An ASD life would be more predictable and less chaotic. One comment said, “To me, an AS friendly society would be as aware and encouraging of our autistic aptitudes as they are aware of our autistic social difficulties.” If I remember correctly one comment referred to it as a “utopia”; idyllic in nature, a paradise where ASD is “normalized”. An ASD friendly world would be wonderful!

Is an ASD friendly world possible?

The consensus seemed to be that an ASD friendly world is possible but not probable or likely. It was felt that the many hurdles humanity would need to clear to become ASD friendly are too abundant. These hurdles were identified as self-centeredness, discrimination (in the unkind sense toward ASD people), and prejudice just to name a few. In summary, the consensus was that an ASD friendly world would also have to be a gender, religion, race, etc. friendly as well. This kind of world is possible but not probable or likely.

My thoughts.

I thought this general autism discussion was healthy for several reasons. This discussion gave us another chance to voice our individual perspective and simply let our frustration out. Our individual stories are rich with experience but many of these stories represent experience based in an unjust culture that typically sidelines the marginal. It is healthy to say, “this is my experience and it isn’t just, damn it!” Okay stay with me here because this one is hard to stomach. This discussion was healthy because it challenges us to face realities. By not facing and accepting the realities of life as a minority we can find ourselves simply surviving and not thriving. Until that day when the world is ASD friendly, we have to be purposeful in carving out a life. The world system isn’t wired for optimal ASD living. That said, we must continue to expand the boarders of understanding. An ASD world is possible.

I leave you with the lyrics written by Justin Paul and Benj Pasek:

I am not a stranger to the dark
Hide away, they say
'Cause we don't want your broken parts
I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars
Run away, they say
No one'll love you as you are

But I won't let them break me down to dust
I know that there's a place for us
For we are glorious

When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I'm meant to be, this is me
Look out 'cause here I come
And I'm marching on to the beat I drum
I'm not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me

I welcome your additions and subtractions to this summary as clarifying.

Reading all these comments, there is a lot being said and so many differences. But in all actuality, aside from the physical (noises, lights, chaos) I think we do live in an autism friendly world. I think we are more accepted than we allow ourselves to be or see. Yes, some people pick on others that they see as weak and different. Some pick on people because of their color, beliefs, lifestyles. But we can't judge the world from these examples. When I walk into the grocery store, I don't get weird looks or people backing away from me (some people do get that because of physical traits). (don't know what I did to change my font but it isn't deliberate. lol but to continue) If I smile at someone they usually smile back.
Just because the world doesn't know everything about us and don't really care to know and understand, which is usually the case about anything unless it directly affects them, it doesn't mean they don't care at all. I think I feel a need for people to understand me probably because I'm still trying to understand myself.
I also see a trend (including myself) in the posts that rather than looking at an autistic friendly world, we're looking at a 'me' friendly world and I don't think any one person has a 'me' friendly world, or even a 'me' friendly environment because that's not how the world works. I get totally freaked out in Vegas, but others love it. Some people get freaked out being alone and I love that. On the spectrum we are all so different with things in common. Isn't that what the world is? If it bothers me what someone thinks of me - if I care (most the times I don't) then I try to explain to them who I am, not what I am.
We go hide because of what's going on inside of us, not necessarily outside. It's not the world's fault. I'm talking to myself here, too.

 

[Joshua the Writer]

An ADS-friendly world/society would be impossible. That would require citizens to purchase items that would reduce noise in some items such as firearms suppressors, headphones so that audio would be personal-listening only, and much more. It would require people to be pretty quite in public places, events, and gatherings. That would be a ton of bills to pass, so it's 100% impossible.

 

[pamelaperejil]

Mine would be a world where other people don't approach each other or talk unless it's absolutely necessary and lying would be highly frowned on. Playing the radio (except with earphones) would be illegal except in your own home or in certain venues. You would have to be a certain distance from others before talking on your cell phone.

 

[Ylva]

Grabbing someone's earphones off would be an assault crime.

Interrupting someone who's reading would be frowned upon.

Being quiet would be socially accepted.

 

[pamelaperejil]

You would need expressed permission before touching another person, except in crowded venues.

Making assumptions would be frowned on and presuming to represent the views or thoughts of another person without direct evidence would be included under the definition of "slander/libel".