Post #809706

2026-03-22 13:12 UTC

“Researchers measured autistic people against neurotypical expectations and called every difference a deficit. They tested empathy by measuring in-group preference and missed commitment to universal fairness. They measured creativity by counting the number of ideas and missed originality. They saw moral consistency and called it rigidity. They saw deep engagement and called it rigidity. They saw sensory richness and called it disorder.” https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/positively-different/202601/what-the-world-got-wrong-about-autistic-people

Replies (9)

@jrdepriest@infosec.exchange 2026-03-29 15:02

@peter Thank you so much for sharing this article as it beautifully articulates what I've known for years after active, deep introspection. I believed them. I believed the lies and misinterpretations. Sometimes I thought I couldn't be autistic. I thought I was just broken and stupid. Other times I thought, "maybe I am autistic and I'm just wrong about how my own mind works". It turns out they were wrong and were too busy pathologizing our behavior to trust the data. Standard practice for neurotypicals if we are being honest. And standard practice for autists to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume good faith. Must mean we are naïve and foolish not that they are prone to self-deception and prejudice.

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@kirakira@furry.engineer 2026-03-29 19:40

@peter sentiment toward autism makes sense once you realize that western culture only knows how to measure for sameness and adherence to norms

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@Nephrite@gamedev.lgbt 2026-03-29 20:05

@peter Society when autists ignore peer pressure, traditions and authority: "Something is wrong with these people."

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@aanee@mastodon.online 2026-03-29 20:24

@peter This is why diversity is needed of all kinds everywhere. So one clique of people don't get to decide to sterilize and put "different people" in institutions. Like 60+ years ago!

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@lritter@mastodon.gamedev.place 2026-03-29 22:12

@peter tbh i'd rather be underestimated than feared for my abilities. we are being protected, by making us look like we are common pebbles rather than diamonds in the rough. so we can work our abilities. the last thing i need is more self esteem. i just need the world to be ok.

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@Susan60@aus.social 2026-03-29 23:03

@peter Most of the “problems” associated with autism seem to be autism + issues - autism + trauma, other disabilities, mental illness, substance abuse, poverty etc, etc etc. And some autistic people suffer from acute sensitivity to certain stimuli, although in some cases that too might be related to experiences of trauma, anxiety etc. Autistic children certainly be a challenge to parent, but ignorant, defensive parents, often themselves neurodivergent, under supported by community & pressured to resort to abusive approaches such as ABA can make matters worse. And then there’s the issues that arise from discrimination & refusals to accommodate needs, in ways that would often be beneficial to other somewhat less sensitive souls. These in turn can result in un/underemployment, poverty, housing insecurity etc.

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@UndeadMinotaur@infosec.exchange 2026-03-30 06:37

@peter And THAT is why so many despise NT people....

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@falcennial@mastodon.social 2026-03-30 08:17

@peter hold up, "they tested empathy by measuring in-group preference and missed commitment to universal fairness." well then no. that is a cruelty test. presented in bad faith as an "empathy test." by a literal sociopath. that is is beyond fucked. what is the sociopath's name?

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@jason@logoff.website 2026-04-02 13:55

@peter @theory this is why I’m a reactionary about this shit.

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