(Edit: The point of this comment was to flip stereotypes inside-out. Yet, providing this perspective seems to have put some folks on the defense. To make it easier to see where these comments are coming from (and that none of this is meant as an attack on anyone), I’ve provided additional information behind each point.)
An AuDHD perspective:
Neurotypicals tend to lack curiosity and passion for interests.
Clarification
This is opposed to autistic people “having intense interests.” If a high level of interest in a particular topic is my “normal,” then other people’s levels of interests seem very low by comparison.
They’re less in-touch with their senses, sometimes needing mind-altering substances in order to appreciate basic sensory stimuli.
Clarification
This is opposed to autistic people “stimming” in various forms. Exploring textures, staring at interesting lights, engaging in repetitive physical movements, and more are all examples of “stimming.” A lot of neurotypical people wouldn’t wave their hands between their eyes and a light just to enjoy the visual (and physical) sensations that arise from it - unless they’re tripping balls. Some people can’t seem to appreciate a super soft blanket, or how strange their own body feels, until they’ve taken some kind of mind-altering substance that heightens their sensory experience. Yet, this stuff is part of my “normal.” Even just on thoughts and ideas alone, I can’t count how many times I’ve said things that made people go, “What are you smoking? (And are you willing to share?)”
Not only that, but they are overly-invested in “following the group” and “blending in,” even if it ends up harming them.
Clarification
When you’ve always stuck out, the idea of “blending in” is laughable. I’ve never had the luxury of being a wallflower. I’ve come across so many people who have had good reason to speak up or stand out, yet they’d been terrified of breaking from conformity. From the perspective of someone who lacks the compulsive need to align themselves with an in-group, being so scared of “standing out” feels rather silly.
Is this supposed to be a description about a person with adhd or a person without cuz that description was spot on for some of my relatives with adhd in that they can’t hold attention on one thing too long so passion and interest was very brief. And if we’re studying one relative I had in particular, she was constantly trying to fit in, follow groups, cults and buy things to fill a void. It did much harm. ADHD was only one of the comorbidity she was struggling with along with addictive personality and dyslexia.
As far as drugs, she was into them in spades. Went most her life undiagnosed so she self medicated with drugs. Probably even more so than the neurotypical in the fam who could hold interest for long periods of time as they don’t require medications to get through studies and didn’t have to struggle with learning disabilities such as dyslexia.
Perhaps the people you are witnessing whom you assume are neurotypical and self medicating with mind altering drugs are secretly struggling with something mental or behavioural that hasn’t been diagnosed yet. Addiction is often hand in hand with undiagnosed depression as well. And people who are vulnerable and trying to blend in or follow the herd, join cults etc are often overlooked when it comes to proper help. That is often an outcome of family abuse or very low self esteem or both which can make a person very susceptible to gangs and cults.
might not watch tv and buy a diamond but If anything being atypical can make a person more vulnerable as they can be a target quite easily by local predatory con artists looking to pay a bit of attention and help a person fit in.
It’s a description of “neurotypical people” from the perspective of somebody who has autism/ADHD.
Neurotypicals tend to lack curiosity and passion for interests.
This is opposed to autistic people “having intense interests.” If a high level of interest in a particular topic is my “normal,” then other people’s levels of interests seem very low by comparison.
They’re less in-touch with their senses, sometimes needing mind-altering substances in order to appreciate basic sensory stimuli.
This is opposed to autistic people “stimming” in various forms. Exploring textures, staring at interesting lights, engaging in repetitive physical movements, and more are all examples of “stimming.” A lot of neurotypical people wouldn’t wave their hands between their eyes and a light just to enjoy the visual (and physical) sensations that arise from it - unless they’re tripping balls. Some people can’t seem to appreciate a super soft blanket, or how strange their own body feels, until they’ve taken some kind of mind-altering substance that heightens their sensory experience. Even just on thoughts and ideas alone, I can’t count how many times I’ve said things that made people go, “What are you smoking? (And are you willing to share?)”
Not only that, but they are overly-invested in “following the group” and “blending in,” even if it ends up harming them.
When you’ve always stuck out, the idea of “blending in” is laughable. I’ve never had the luxury of being a wallflower. I’ve come across so many people who have had good reason to speak up or stand out, yet they’d been terrified of breaking from conformity. From the perspective of someone who lacks the compulsive need to align themselves with an in-group, being so scared of “standing out” feels rather silly.
my neighbour’s son has autism with adhd. Their son was preyed upon by a gang. and my nephew has autism with adhd but presents very differently. Hopefully he will grow to not be so easily taken as the neighbour’s son. it’s so tragic.
my niece has adhd. Their father had adhd but again, very different.
No two are exactly the same.
It’s a massive stretch to say simply being atypical means you’re invulnerable to peer pressure. If anything it’s been quite the opposite.
And as per my question above regarding descriptive criteria of atypical, are we or are we not including even just adhd as part of the argument here for what is described as ‘neurotypical’? Cuz if so I would beg to differ that we’re just randomly calling out criteria of what defines as ‘neurotypical’ such as drug use and predatory cults. My friends and relatives with adhd (struggling with addiction) would be the last to use ‘neurotypical’ to describe their experiences when it comes to how it’s been diagnosed and picked out in school years.
You edited your original post. I thought you were unaware of what AuDHD meant. I’m not for or against anything anyone else wrote, mostly because I’m half-reading while intermittently socializing with inlaws on Christmas eve.
Carry on.
Edit: wait, it’s christmas right now. whatever. Happy hannukah.
I like to call it Attention Surplus Disorder. It’s crazy to me how most people can just focus on something for 50 hours a week that they’re not interested in at all, and this doesn’t set off warning bells in their head.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of antiwork neurotypicals, but it seems weird how many people actively support it.
I think for most people it’s just a matter of tradeoffs. You don’t have to be interested in the act of doing something in order to be interested in the consequence of doing that thing.
Someone who doesn’t like driving may still drive, and concentrate on driving the entire time, to get to a destination where they want to end up. For someone who doesn’t like to cook but wants to eat hot food, cooking is a means to that end.
Now, if you’re saying that you don’t think that tradeoff is worth it to you, maybe that’s true of them if they stop to think about it, too. But I’m not sure that’s what’s going on for most people who continue to work jobs they don’t like.
Idk, dude. I’ve met people I swear are autistic but social but they’re overly rigid about social norms and being polite. I don’t buy it (what you’re saying). Anyone can be interested in anything.
Yeah, but I’m responding to a comment that says that neurotypical people aren’t curious or passionate about the things they’re interested in, and I think that’s too narrow of a way to define “interest.”
I’d reject that way of thinking because that principle could be weaponized to accuse some neurodivergent people of not caring about people by misreading why they might not be great with social cues or things like that.
That’d be a problem if people were using blanket statements, but that’s not how the comment is worded.
If someone said, “Autistic people tend to have strong, specific interests,” nobody would be getting insulted. We’d be like, “Yeah, that tracks.” Even if somebody autistic lacked that particular trait, the phrase “tend to” allows for exceptions to the statement - it’d be understood that not every autistic individual fits that description, but many often do.
Which is why it’s interesting that when an autistic person flips that exact same sentiment around to show what “normal” people look like from their perspective, neurotypicals are taken aback.
(Edit: The point of this comment was to flip stereotypes inside-out. Yet, providing this perspective seems to have put some folks on the defense. To make it easier to see where these comments are coming from (and that none of this is meant as an attack on anyone), I’ve provided additional information behind each point.)
An AuDHD perspective:
Neurotypicals tend to lack curiosity and passion for interests.
Clarification
This is opposed to autistic people “having intense interests.” If a high level of interest in a particular topic is my “normal,” then other people’s levels of interests seem very low by comparison.
They’re less in-touch with their senses, sometimes needing mind-altering substances in order to appreciate basic sensory stimuli.
Clarification
This is opposed to autistic people “stimming” in various forms. Exploring textures, staring at interesting lights, engaging in repetitive physical movements, and more are all examples of “stimming.” A lot of neurotypical people wouldn’t wave their hands between their eyes and a light just to enjoy the visual (and physical) sensations that arise from it - unless they’re tripping balls. Some people can’t seem to appreciate a super soft blanket, or how strange their own body feels, until they’ve taken some kind of mind-altering substance that heightens their sensory experience. Yet, this stuff is part of my “normal.” Even just on thoughts and ideas alone, I can’t count how many times I’ve said things that made people go, “What are you smoking? (And are you willing to share?)”
Not only that, but they are overly-invested in “following the group” and “blending in,” even if it ends up harming them.
Clarification
When you’ve always stuck out, the idea of “blending in” is laughable. I’ve never had the luxury of being a wallflower. I’ve come across so many people who have had good reason to speak up or stand out, yet they’d been terrified of breaking from conformity. From the perspective of someone who lacks the compulsive need to align themselves with an in-group, being so scared of “standing out” feels rather silly.
So yeah, you might be onto something.
Is this supposed to be a description about a person with adhd or a person without cuz that description was spot on for some of my relatives with adhd in that they can’t hold attention on one thing too long so passion and interest was very brief. And if we’re studying one relative I had in particular, she was constantly trying to fit in, follow groups, cults and buy things to fill a void. It did much harm. ADHD was only one of the comorbidity she was struggling with along with addictive personality and dyslexia.
As far as drugs, she was into them in spades. Went most her life undiagnosed so she self medicated with drugs. Probably even more so than the neurotypical in the fam who could hold interest for long periods of time as they don’t require medications to get through studies and didn’t have to struggle with learning disabilities such as dyslexia.
Perhaps the people you are witnessing whom you assume are neurotypical and self medicating with mind altering drugs are secretly struggling with something mental or behavioural that hasn’t been diagnosed yet. Addiction is often hand in hand with undiagnosed depression as well. And people who are vulnerable and trying to blend in or follow the herd, join cults etc are often overlooked when it comes to proper help. That is often an outcome of family abuse or very low self esteem or both which can make a person very susceptible to gangs and cults.
might not watch tv and buy a diamond but If anything being atypical can make a person more vulnerable as they can be a target quite easily by local predatory con artists looking to pay a bit of attention and help a person fit in.
It’s a description of “neurotypical people” from the perspective of somebody who has autism/ADHD.
This is opposed to autistic people “having intense interests.” If a high level of interest in a particular topic is my “normal,” then other people’s levels of interests seem very low by comparison.
This is opposed to autistic people “stimming” in various forms. Exploring textures, staring at interesting lights, engaging in repetitive physical movements, and more are all examples of “stimming.” A lot of neurotypical people wouldn’t wave their hands between their eyes and a light just to enjoy the visual (and physical) sensations that arise from it - unless they’re tripping balls. Some people can’t seem to appreciate a super soft blanket, or how strange their own body feels, until they’ve taken some kind of mind-altering substance that heightens their sensory experience. Even just on thoughts and ideas alone, I can’t count how many times I’ve said things that made people go, “What are you smoking? (And are you willing to share?)”
When you’ve always stuck out, the idea of “blending in” is laughable. I’ve never had the luxury of being a wallflower. I’ve come across so many people who have had good reason to speak up or stand out, yet they’d been terrified of breaking from conformity. From the perspective of someone who lacks the compulsive need to align themselves with an in-group, being so scared of “standing out” feels rather silly.
Does that help make more sense?
AuDHD refers to simultaneous autism + ADHD.
Some symptoms appear to “cancel out” each other from an external perspective.
my neighbour’s son has autism with adhd. Their son was preyed upon by a gang. and my nephew has autism with adhd but presents very differently. Hopefully he will grow to not be so easily taken as the neighbour’s son. it’s so tragic.
my niece has adhd. Their father had adhd but again, very different.
No two are exactly the same.
It’s a massive stretch to say simply being atypical means you’re invulnerable to peer pressure. If anything it’s been quite the opposite.
And as per my question above regarding descriptive criteria of atypical, are we or are we not including even just adhd as part of the argument here for what is described as ‘neurotypical’? Cuz if so I would beg to differ that we’re just randomly calling out criteria of what defines as ‘neurotypical’ such as drug use and predatory cults. My friends and relatives with adhd (struggling with addiction) would be the last to use ‘neurotypical’ to describe their experiences when it comes to how it’s been diagnosed and picked out in school years.
You edited your original post. I thought you were unaware of what AuDHD meant. I’m not for or against anything anyone else wrote, mostly because I’m half-reading while intermittently socializing with inlaws on Christmas eve.
Carry on.
Edit: wait, it’s christmas right now. whatever. Happy hannukah.
What self-important bullshit 🤣
That’ll be the autism.
Average neurotypical reaction. Can’t expect them to understand 🤷
Imagine thinking normal people don’t have hobbies and then acting superior about it on the Internet…
Imagine
No no you guys have hobbies! You’re valuable members of society and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
You literally can not expect them to understand.
Says the guy who just had his feeling of superiority threatened.
I like to call it Attention Surplus Disorder. It’s crazy to me how most people can just focus on something for 50 hours a week that they’re not interested in at all, and this doesn’t set off warning bells in their head.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of antiwork neurotypicals, but it seems weird how many people actively support it.
I think for most people it’s just a matter of tradeoffs. You don’t have to be interested in the act of doing something in order to be interested in the consequence of doing that thing.
Someone who doesn’t like driving may still drive, and concentrate on driving the entire time, to get to a destination where they want to end up. For someone who doesn’t like to cook but wants to eat hot food, cooking is a means to that end.
Now, if you’re saying that you don’t think that tradeoff is worth it to you, maybe that’s true of them if they stop to think about it, too. But I’m not sure that’s what’s going on for most people who continue to work jobs they don’t like.
When the interest at issue is human relationships and social norms, I think it flips the other way around.
Better to characterize things by what type of interests tend to appeal to which.
Idk, dude. I’ve met people I swear are autistic but social but they’re overly rigid about social norms and being polite. I don’t buy it (what you’re saying). Anyone can be interested in anything.
Yeah, but I’m responding to a comment that says that neurotypical people aren’t curious or passionate about the things they’re interested in, and I think that’s too narrow of a way to define “interest.”
I’d reject that way of thinking because that principle could be weaponized to accuse some neurodivergent people of not caring about people by misreading why they might not be great with social cues or things like that.
That’d be a problem if people were using blanket statements, but that’s not how the comment is worded.
If someone said, “Autistic people tend to have strong, specific interests,” nobody would be getting insulted. We’d be like, “Yeah, that tracks.” Even if somebody autistic lacked that particular trait, the phrase “tend to” allows for exceptions to the statement - it’d be understood that not every autistic individual fits that description, but many often do.
Which is why it’s interesting that when an autistic person flips that exact same sentiment around to show what “normal” people look like from their perspective, neurotypicals are taken aback.