#MisfitsUnite!—An Aspie’s Call for Social Change

[AGXStarseed]

(Not written by me. Read the full article at the source link below)

Matthew Rozsa discusses why people with Asperger’s Syndrome, and all so-called “misfits,” need to unite.


I’ve been writing about living with Asperger’s Syndrome for more than three years, and during that time I have received a curious response from many readers outside of the HFA (or high-functioning autism) community. Although many of them strongly identify with my descriptions of not understanding “the game” behind social interactions and therefore struggling to “fit in,” they’re not sure what to make of the fact that they have these problems but aren’t autistic themselves. Three questions usually arise:

1. Do my arguments imply that most of these misfits are on the autism spectrum but simply haven’t been diagnosed?
2. If not, what is my explanation for why so many people aren’t able to fit in?
3. What do I think should be done to help all misfits, as opposed to merely those who are on the autism spectrum?

The first and second questions can be addressed with the same answer. Although psychology and neurology have made great strides over the past century, the human brain remains one of science’s great unknown frontiers. Because we currently understand so little about the mind, it is impossible for anyone to effectively comprehend the complex challenges facing those who for one reason or another are regularly marginalized, rejected, and abused just for being themselves. I boldfaced and italicized the phrase “for one reason or another” because, while autism is an explanation for some of these individuals (including those who haven’t been diagnosed), there are plenty of people whose social difficulties are caused by entirely unrelated conditions – including, I suspect, many that haven’t been discovered yet.

Even though our knowledge of the psyche remains incomplete, though, that doesn’t mean we can’t take steps to improve the experiences of misfits everywhere. In fact, I would argue that the three lessons society should learn from HFAs – i.e., the attitudes and expectations that, if they became the norm instead of the exception, would make it exponentially easier for us to fit in – would actually benefit everyone whose internal wiring has turned them into outcasts.


SOURCE: http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/misfitsunite-my-call-for-a-social-empathy-movement-mrzs/

 

[ChrisC1983]

a "good" thing about depression is all the inward thought you get to do. a lot of it is negative and you create your own blocks which keeps the depression going..... but you get to learn a lot about yourself.

one thing i do believe.. is that cities are terrible for humans. when you're in the suburbs where your house has a driveway and a front/back yard (and you own the house) people are more social. good or bad.. you directly see people more often during their "mundane" activities. be it a child playing in the yard, an older man shoveling his walkway, or anything. it creates social situations just by being out and doing something.
but cities demand A to B situations.. you go from your home to work or the movies or a bar or whatever location you want to "hang out" in. crime is high and common so nobody roams up to anybody just to be nice. and many "homes" are apartments or condos which lack outdoor space, increase difficulty to go outside (those "mundane" tasks now require numerous stairs. so if you just wanted to hang outside you end up inside (either in your apartment or inside a bar or movies ect)

of course that doesn't happen just because you live in an apartment. you need some kind of other problems.. be it honest mental problems, honest physical problems, or just trauma of some sort (be it family based or school based. enough bullying will make a kid stay inside all the time. and by the time they're out of school, they spent most of theiir life going from home to school and then home again.. so now? that's what they know, that's what they do. that's their schedule and comfortable pace