Autism is normal in men

Have you ever noticed how autism is far more prevalent in males than females? There is a reason for this, it is because mild forms of autism are actually normal for men. Symptoms include hyper-focusing (or "obsession") on a specific pursuit or task, to the exclusion of social interaction (video game addiction among young men is a modern manifestation of this); perceived lack of empathy or "callousness"; hyper-rationality and apathy, to the point that one may neglect frivolous, unnecessary friendships; lacking the ability to form deep emotional/social bonds; extreme introversion and being absorbed in seemingly trivial, strange, or tedious hobbies; extremely methodical, structured, and mathematical way of performing tasks; meticulous attention to detail.

Mild autism is a normal male trait. In this hyper-feminine, hyper-social, emotionally driven society that we live in, the normal males with mild autism are given the short end of the stick. The autists are rather suited to a harsher, less forgiving existence.

a reply to: Cruithneach

I look after people with autism and yes we have more males with the condition but no most males have no sign of autism on any scale of the spectrum.
You are generalising even people with autism can be very different than you have described.

a reply to: boymonkey74
Have you considered the possibility that the average male today is the equivalent of the average grocery store produce? A pale domesticated shadow of their natural strengths and potency.

We are all developing in a profoundly sick environment in both visible and invisible ways. To take the current average person as a baseline for normal is a mistake that is killing us. It's a race to the bottom.

Your username is genuinely profound.

OP is pointing to the moon... and tonight is a super moon!

a reply to: GetOutOfMyLight

I don't consider myself like that do you?

Symptoms include hyper-focusing (or "obsession

I wasn't aware that you know me.

originally posted by: GetOutOfMyLight
a reply to: boymonkey74
Have you considered the possibility that the average male today is the equivalent of the average grocery store produce? A pale domesticated shadow of their natural strengths and potency.

We are all developing in a profoundly sick environment in both visible and invisible ways. To take the current average person as a baseline for normal is a mistake that is killing us. It's a race to the bottom.

Your username is genuinely profound.

OP is pointing to the moon... and tonight is a super moon!

Yes, for all it's alleged qualities and comforts, this modern incarnation of civilization can be deeply dehumanizing, for some of us. Some are more suited to it than others. Some people despise needless excess and lazy stagnation, while others revel in it. No use arguing it though, I've found, because people can't understand what they refuse to accept.

originally posted by: rickymouse
Symptoms include hyper-focusing (or "obsession

I wasn't aware that you know me.

Do you have autism?

a reply to: Cruithneach

Do you?.

originally posted by: boymonkey74
a reply to: Cruithneach

Do you?.

Probably not. I was just listing symptoms from information I've read about the disorder. I was struck by the fact that some of them could be perceived in the mild form to be normal among certain people.

a reply to: Cruithneach

Many people go their whole lives not knowing they have the condition because they have fully functioning lives.
I believe we have the same percentage of people withh it than years ago ot is just that we can diagnose much better now.
The thing is also it can be a gift to have a mild form.

a reply to: Cruithneach

I get carried away. Reading probably over seventy thousand research articles on multiple subjects over the last six or seven years is just a tad bit excessive compulsive. I have always been that way, learning everything I can so I wouldn't get bored.

I think the definition used to be nerd before, not autism.

a reply to: rickymouse

I agree lol.

I was diagnosed as high functioning
I have a hard time with most social interactions and I can't even look at people in the eyes when I talk to them. I don't believe this is normal for most men

a reply to: boymonkey74

Just to add the myth of people with autism not havong emotions is bs. They can be very emotional but display it in different ways learning these ways os how we help them.

originally posted by: Cruithneach

originally posted by: boymonkey74
a reply to: Cruithneach

Do you?.

Probably not. I was just listing symptoms from information I've read about the disorder. I was struck by the fact that some of them could be perceived in the mild form to be normal among certain people.

I wouldn't take the list of symptoms quite so literally if I were you. I'm autistic and female--shocking, isn't it? My son is autistic (moderate) as well and, lol, he'd actually be pretty disturbed by your post. You see, he sees gender differencing in and of itself to be over-hyped. People are people and should be who they are in the way that brings them the most comfort and contentment. In fact, he got really mad at me when I jokingly said that his helping me lift something heavy would make him "mui macho" and he went on a fairly epic rant about it. At least, until I observed that I also said the same thing to my daughter when she lifted something heavy.

Most men aren't like my son or one of the other more "mild" autistic male friends that I know or even me for that matter. A lot of times, people see the tendencies and think they understand it, just like you, and make a lot of assumptions. You're wrong. To put it quite bluntly, how is it manly to feel like the world is ripping you apart? How is that strength? How could we be better suited for a harsher environment when the current one crushes us into silence and seeming apathy on a daily basis? Every autistic I know feels these things but instead, people rely on those interpretations of what autism is and misunderstand it entirely.

And boymonkey74--as always, thank you. So glad you chime in on these kind of threads. I hope you know how much my family appreciates it.

originally posted by: boymonkey74
a reply to: Cruithneach

Many people go their whole lives not knowing they have the condition because they have fully functioning lives.
I believe we have the same percentage of people withh it than years ago ot is just that we can diagnose much better now.

Oh, I think I'm definitely on the spectrum. Wished they diagnosed when I was a kid. Probably would have helped me and the teachers.

My family seems to have an inherited type autism. Probably Aspie leaning.

Brilliant minds, but can't seem to apply it. Or at least not in a successful monetary way.

originally posted by: WhiteAlice

originally posted by: Cruithneach

originally posted by: boymonkey74
a reply to: Cruithneach

Do you?.

Probably not. I was just listing symptoms from information I've read about the disorder. I was struck by the fact that some of them could be perceived in the mild form to be normal among certain people.

I wouldn't take the list of symptoms quite so literally if I were you. I'm autistic and female--shocking, isn't it? My son is autistic (moderate) as well and, lol, he'd actually be pretty disturbed by your post. You see, he sees gender differencing in and of itself to be over-hyped. People are people and should be who they are in the way that brings them the most comfort and contentment. In fact, he got really mad at me when I jokingly said that his helping me lift something heavy would make him "mui macho" and he went on a fairly epic rant about it. At least, until I observed that I also said the same thing to my daughter when she lifted something heavy.

Most men aren't like my son or one of the other more "mild" autistic male friends that I know or even me for that matter. A lot of times, people see the tendencies and think they understand it, just like you, and make a lot of assumptions. You're wrong. To put it quite bluntly, how is it manly to feel like the world is ripping you apart? How is that strength? How could we be better suited for a harsher environment when the current one crushes us into silence and seeming apathy on a daily basis? Every autistic I know feels these things but instead, people rely on those interpretations of what autism is and misunderstand it entirely.

And boymonkey74--as always, thank you. So glad you chime in on these kind of threads. I hope you know how much my family appreciates it.

Don't get so worked up about the thread. I think you misunderstand my words. I don't pity people with autism, nor go out of my way to be kind to them. And I don't think your life is any harder than mine.

Autistic traits occur more frequently among scientists, and at higher rates in Northern European populations (the rates peak in Finland) and less frequently among people of African descent. I bet you didn't know that, did you? Do you think it's simply a coincidence? The fact is, autistic traits remained in humans for a reason, similar to how sickle cell anemia persisted in sub-saharan Africans for a reason, to protect them from malaria. I'm 99% sure Autism has (or used to have) actual benefits that we are currently unaware of.

You need to think about this logically and not emotionally. What I'm saying may be "disturbing" to you, but you shouldn't take it so personally. We learn things from debating and discussing new ideas, even if they are somewhat "indecent" or radically departing from common beliefs.

Autism is not the crutch you think it is. You should simply know that you have autism for a reason, that it very well could be an evolutionary trait. Autism is not a crutch, only self-pity is.

originally posted by: WhiteAlice
I'm autistic and female--shocking, isn't it? My son is autistic (moderate) as well and, lol, he'd actually be pretty disturbed by your post. You see, he sees gender differencing in and of itself to be over-hyped. People are people and should be who they are in the way that brings them the most comfort and contentment. In fact, he got really mad at me when I jokingly said that his helping me lift something heavy would make him "mui macho" and he went on a fairly epic rant about it. At least, until I observed that I also said the same thing to my daughter when she lifted something heavy.

Most men aren't like my son or one of the other more "mild" autistic male friends that I know or even me for that matter. A lot of times, people see the tendencies and think they understand it, just like you, and make a lot of assumptions.

I'm helping raise my (now 6 years old) grandson. He has Autistic behaviors. His preschool teacher requested he be tested when he was 18 months old. He's been in a special school program for 3 years.

The average person would probably not notice anything different about him. He's very friendly, outgoing, and likes to talk a lot.

He taught himself to read when he was 3, from videos and the internet. But, it's only recently that he will have a real conversation.

a reply to: WhiteAlice

I say we gang up on the so called 'normal' people and take over the world!
Yes Pinky, we will rule and be rulers.

It might be helpful to remember that Autism is considered a spectrum disorder.

There is a very wide variety of presentations for those considered autistic or on the spectrum. ADHD is part of the spectrum.

Though the spectrum may not be a helpful tool, for now its what we have. Nobody really has a grasp on the causes or mechanisms of autism and associated spectrum disorders. This leads to just lumping a bunch of symptoms together and calling it autism spectrum. Kind of like fibromyalgia.

This is an inherent problem with mechanistic reductionism aka the western medical model. The goal is to diagnose, aka name it. Great now we've called all these seemingly inter-related problems something, what do we do about it? Drug it. Except we don't know what the actual problem is. Really drug it. Ok, amphetamines for the kids, righto.

But that is the state of affairs and I'm not directing biomedical research, NIH funding etc. So we are stuck in this paradigm right now of name it and claim it. And we have this great spectrum called autism.

On one end we have severely mentally handicapped individuals, and on the other end, like another member pointed out, we have nerds.