Quote:
Originally Posted by Tyler
The medical community has certainly dubbed it an appropriate medical condition.
However, I'm hesitant to concede that these types of "high functioning autistic conditions", where the main concerns are being shy and not socializing very well with other people, in lieu of having no other discernible learning impediments, are anything more than 21st century fluff.
|
People with AS are not shy and reclusive. They are the exact opposite. They can babble on about something for hours, to complete stranger, without any inclination as to the effect they are having on the other person.
Quote:
The lack of demonstrated empathy is possibly the most dysfunctional aspect of Asperger syndrome.[2] Individuals with AS experience difficulties in basic elements of social interaction, which may include a failure to develop friendships or enjoy spontaneous interests or achievements with others, a lack of social or emotional reciprocity, and impaired nonverbal behaviors such as eye contact, facial expression, posture, and gesture.[1]
Unlike those with autism, people with AS are not usually withdrawn around others; they approach others, even if awkwardly, for example by engaging in a one-sided, long-winded speech about a favorite topic while being oblivious to the listener's feelings or reactions, such as signs of boredom or haste to leave.[3] This social awkwardness has been called "active but odd".[3] This failure to react appropriately to social interaction may appear as disregard for other people's feelings, and may come across as insensitive. The cognitive ability of children with AS often lets them articulate social norms in a laboratory context,[1] where they may be able to show a theoretical understanding of other people’s emotions; they typically have difficulty acting on this knowledge in fluid, real-life situations, however.[3] People with AS may analyze and distill their observation of social interaction into rigid behavioral guidelines and apply these rules in awkward ways—such as forced eye contact—resulting in demeanor that appears rigid or socially naïve. Childhood desires for companionship can be numbed through a history of failed social encounters.[1]
The hypothesis that individuals with AS are predisposed to violent or criminal behavior has been investigated and found to be unsupported by data.[1][14] More evidence suggests children with AS are victims rather than victimizers.[15]
|
Popular cultural examples of people with (suspected) AS are Chloe from "24" and House from "House".
I'd have a hard time calling either of them shy and reclusive. They simply lack the cognitive ability to empathize with another human being. They know they are (unintentionally) jerks, but their brains just won't allow them to be anything else.
There's even one episode of House where he's treating a kid with Autism and actually bonds with the child. At the end of the episode, Wilson makes a point that the reason House was able to bond with this patient (since he "hates" patients) was because House envied the child for having "true" Autism and, thus, not being expected to reciprocate social norms.