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#Autism, Isolation, and Misanthropy
#ActuallyAutistic people aren't accommodated to join in most of society's activities, our social differences often mean long term isolation which has profound effects on our worldview
#CripTheVote
- A Thread/
#ActuallyAutistic people aren't accommodated to join in most of society's activities, our social differences often mean long term isolation which has profound effects on our worldview
#CripTheVote
- A Thread/
Autistic people usually require some level of accommodation to be included
This could be having someone help them introduce themselves, or having extra time at breaks, or giving others extra instructions to avoid confusion and conflict
Important to think about equity
This could be having someone help them introduce themselves, or having extra time at breaks, or giving others extra instructions to avoid confusion and conflict
Important to think about equity
There are a number of activities that are by name accommodating of especially physical disability
Many people have no problem acknowledging the need for a wheelchair ramp or grail to get up the elevator but when it comes to not judging others for social actions it gets difficult
Many people have no problem acknowledging the need for a wheelchair ramp or grail to get up the elevator but when it comes to not judging others for social actions it gets difficult
For the earliest age autistic people start making social mistakes, depending on how we are brought up these mistakes often deeply affect our self-image and relations to others
Usually it means poor quality emotional attachments to others and building of emotional independence
Usually it means poor quality emotional attachments to others and building of emotional independence
As we age into adulthood we recognize the limited amount that others are willing to tolerate our failure; we also become more aware of their judgements and the resulting isolation
This makes our teenage years difficult; when we want to start being seen as adults
This makes our teenage years difficult; when we want to start being seen as adults
One major problem with #Autism in media is that our behavior is infantilized
For those of us with more restricted communication tools we might be called "kiddo" well into our 30s; the infantilization spreads across the spectrum though
For those of us with more restricted communication tools we might be called "kiddo" well into our 30s; the infantilization spreads across the spectrum though
As our brains mature into adulthood we are still treated by society as childish. This blanket rejection of our maturity means hard and fast barriers to positions of power and influence
It means that we learn not to rely on others and to be wary of connections
It means that we learn not to rely on others and to be wary of connections
This rejection usually leads to autistic people being isolated for long periods of time; makes us shape our goals around those social limitations placed on us by stereotypes
This is the average intro to adulthood for autistic people; rejection and reduced expectations
This is the average intro to adulthood for autistic people; rejection and reduced expectations
Most Autistic people I have met are very thoughtful and kind; once they realize they hurt someone they want to make it better
Exclusion embitters us and pushes us away from empathizing with others; makes us focus on protecting what we have desperately
Exclusion embitters us and pushes us away from empathizing with others; makes us focus on protecting what we have desperately
Many Autistic people have a strong sense of social justice
When you combine the mis-treatment individuals have received with this appreciation for suffering of others it leads you to a place of disliking a vast majority of humanity; leads you to lack respect for most people
When you combine the mis-treatment individuals have received with this appreciation for suffering of others it leads you to a place of disliking a vast majority of humanity; leads you to lack respect for most people
Most Autistic adults I have talked to about this co-miserate about Misanthropy; it's an easy place of common ground to find with other autistic adults
Most #ActuallyAutistic advocates have a long struggle to counter-act misanthropic biases and many do a great job fighting that
Most #ActuallyAutistic advocates have a long struggle to counter-act misanthropic biases and many do a great job fighting that
So..
Next time you see a take from an #ActuallyAutistic advocate that seems negative or insular try to empathize with the likely years of isolation that pre-date that comment
I think a lot more people can empathize with long-term isolation now, we live isolated long-term
Next time you see a take from an #ActuallyAutistic advocate that seems negative or insular try to empathize with the likely years of isolation that pre-date that comment
I think a lot more people can empathize with long-term isolation now, we live isolated long-term
This pandemic lockdown has essentially just reduced social pressures around my lifestyle, it's been normalized for now
I have isolated this way since transitioning into adulthood a decade ago; the only difference is wearing masks to stop infection and sanitizing
I have isolated this way since transitioning into adulthood a decade ago; the only difference is wearing masks to stop infection and sanitizing
I think most #ActuallyAutistic advocates have accounted well for their misanthropic biases and channel that towards better outcomes/higher standards
I am speaking to the vast majority of autistic adults that you will never hear from; getting involved in advocacy is a risk for us
I am speaking to the vast majority of autistic adults that you will never hear from; getting involved in advocacy is a risk for us
Most people don't recognize the unique risks of being an #OpenlyAutistic Self-Advocate
There are many people willing to target and abuse autistic people online because our reactions are seen as more amusing and we often mess up putting up appropriate boundaries against abuse
There are many people willing to target and abuse autistic people online because our reactions are seen as more amusing and we often mess up putting up appropriate boundaries against abuse
This trend established in real life data over decades of propensity to be abused plays out online as well
Our often naïve and straightforward communications attract abuse and learning to put up boundaries took me years; another thing that pushes us towards misanthropy
Our often naïve and straightforward communications attract abuse and learning to put up boundaries took me years; another thing that pushes us towards misanthropy
I don't judge my peers who are actively embracing their misanthropic views
I had to work very hard to get myself out of this cycle and expand my circle of empathy actively
Don't judge Autistic people for being misanthropes, judge the society that rejects and infantilizes us
I had to work very hard to get myself out of this cycle and expand my circle of empathy actively
Don't judge Autistic people for being misanthropes, judge the society that rejects and infantilizes us
It's really telling how society seems to co-miserate with each other for abnormal behaviors caused by isolation right now like binging media, lack of hygiene etc.
It's embittering to see isolation behaviors become socially acceptable after years of being punished for them
It's embittering to see isolation behaviors become socially acceptable after years of being punished for them
We have hard barriers to political positions, romance and dating, leadership and being employers
Misanthropy tells me everything will go back to being judged harshly, that those barriers will stay up
It's probably right, it's a hard bias to dismiss
Misanthropy tells me everything will go back to being judged harshly, that those barriers will stay up
It's probably right, it's a hard bias to dismiss
