Great list!

The definition of neurotypical is actually not neurodivergent,  it’s not synonymous with non autistic. The word that you would be looking for is allistic or non autistic.

This is a really important distinction as the identity of neurodivergent is not only for us autistics/ADHDers but anyone who diverges from neuro normativity including but not limited to people with mental health needs, learning disability, traumatic brain injuries etc and many others.

Here is a graphic that explains my point perfectly:

It's not the next stage, it's always been there. Temple Grandin believes if it wasn't for autistic people, humanity would still be sitting around in caves chatting. Perhaps an extreme view, but I believe we need both neurotypes. This is a.list I sent my colleagues in autism acceptance week, to highlight the strengths of each:

Neurotypical abilities

Good verbal communication skills
Communicates non verbally with facial expression & body language
Recognises & responds to another person's facial expression & body language
Can shift attention from one task to another
Multi-tasking ability
Able to work collaboratively
Can perform well under pressure
Can tune out multiple environmental stimuli (sounds, smells etc.)
Able to see the "big picture" (Complete & overarching idea)


Autistic abilities

Attention to detail
Able to focus intently on a topic or goal
Observant
Good long term memory
In depth knowledge
Methodical & analytical approach (can spot patterns & repetitions)
Good at problem solving
Creative thinker
Able to work effectively in isolation

Teams incorporating both both neurotypes can achieve more than neurotypical only teams.

I wouldn’t say, that we are next step in evolution. I’m sure that autistic people have been here all along, just now we got recognized. But what I can say, the neurodiversity is a gift for humanity. In many ways. We can learn each other’s differences, use different skills as a collective, because of our spiky skill sets and heightened senses we are often innovators, creators, inventors and the whole collective benefits from this. I wish next generations of ND people will be treated with respect and appreciated instead of being bullied. I wish our suffering does not go to waste, but helps educate everyone about diversity in many ways. It’s just up to us as humanity, how much of our potential we can use as a collective. 

There has been talk about the link between childhood vaccines and autism but we have not yet seen enough evidence to validate this claim 

I am autistic. I think that we are either a throwback or an early evolution; either way, we don't mesh well - we are not in our time.

As an older Irish gay man with autism and as a traditional Catholic, I have strong views on both this, related moral and ethical issues and recent scientific advancements, which are nothing more than Satanism dressed up as “science” - the traditional teaching of the Catholic Church has always been that all human life begins from the moment of conception - recent scientific advancements such as test tube babies, sperm/egg banks have already led to designer babies, artificial sperm/eggs, artificial wombs and DNA editing, all of which is in direct contravention of traditional Catholic doctrine - on the surface, it may appear that using DNA editing to determine the gender of a child before conception, “editing out” physical and mental health conditions (such as autism) and (as the gays insist on this) that gays are “born this way” (which I fundamentally disagree with the existence of a gay gene) but regardless, it is still wrong to do this before conception - mankind has no right nor entitlement to unsurp nor replace the role of God in the story of creation despite having the ability to do so - we know that the “state” seeks to replace the role of parents in bringing up children and given these advances, also wants to control how children are brought into this world in the first instance - if a child is born with a disability or health condition, this is fundamentally the will of God and comes from the hand of God, mankind has no right to interfere in the story of God’s Creation - during Covid, we came across some really wild conspiracy theories (that we thought so at first) that the globalists wanted to bring in, now they don’t seen as far-fetched anymore as we the first forays into AI and transhumanism, things which I am also fundamentally opposed to, as it will ultimately lead to the end of humanity 

Glad you're doing okay. That's not very encouraging since there's no way of knowing whether it's a normal cold/flu or Covid-19. She should really be self-isolating if she has a cough.

Im fine thanks, the whole virus thing doesn't really bother me that much, it takes a lot to worry me, I just take each day as it comes. Though today at Tesco's a cashier was coughing and spluttering, she tried to reassure us that she didn't have the virus and it was just the flu, I didn't buy her story and Im surprised she was allowed to work in such a public space.

How are you doing at the moment? I know it's an extra worrying time for us all - must be especially tough on carers.

True, Id like the autistic traits of thinking differently without the negatives, no idea on what it would actually do if anyone tried such therapies. Saying that gene therapy might be useful for those on the spectrum who are not so lucky. I was reading a paper where they where using gene editing to give sight to blind people who had some sort off genetic eye disorder. 

I know editing eyes dna vs brains are totally different, but it can be done, I guess the ethics of altering a persons genome still needs caution.

I'm ok, been stressful two week as I'm a carer for my GF too, I have some time to my self at last lol.

I agree Clear, 

It seems more likely for me any way that i am the old model, as everything I find relaxing seems to indicate this.

It’s an interesting thought but I dont think we’re the next stage of human beings for reasons like social difficulties, trouble going out, constant anxiety and so. I’d like to think that the next stage of human evolution will be better than me lol

There is no ‘next stage’ in evolution. Even if autism was an evolved trait for some ‘advantage’ it’s not the next stage. That is what people think evolution is, some linear thing where species slowly evolve to be ‘better’ but it doesn’t work like that so no autism’s isn’t the ‘next stage in evolution.’  

My sister was born without any wisdom teeth. The dentist told her that she should check whether she had an appendix, because being born without the troublesome parts that many people have to have removed, she was probably the next step in human evolution 

I reckon it's the MMR jab.

If you go to the Natural History Museum they have an interesting area dedicated to human evolution and how prevalent Neanderthal genes are. The exposure to them is geographic and I'm not aware of any prevalence of autism in those places.

I'm answer to your question, I don't believe that autism is the next stage in human evolution any more that any other generic variation. Humanity needs a mixture of different skills and mind sets. Thousands of years ago people needed to hunt so if you were short sighted you would probably die. In modern times we value mental abilities at least as much as physical ones.

Stephen Hawking was not the next stage of human evolution but he made a significant contribution to our knowledge and understanding of the universe. Humanity didn't have to be moving towards autism as the norm to be able to benefit from and value the condition.

No problem - there's so much information out there, it's hard to know where to start sometimes

I struggle with anxiety too - I know it can be tough sometimes. Hope you're doing okay.

I'm aware of the implication of DAT1 in the reuptake of dopamine and it's implications in tics in ADHD and Autism. I also read a paper just the other day that suggests an abnormality in the myelination of brain circuitry in Autism, although they didn't specify what gene coded for it. My youngest is on the waiting list for genetic testing, myself, her dad and her siblings will all be tested too so I will some day soon have a full genetic profile of us all, but not yet. NHS waiting list time dependent!  

I'm not a fan of Autism cures though! I personally think that if our brains are wired differently then it is as it is. feeding a retrovirus into your brain via an IV line seems very risky! Probes being inserted into brains seems rather risky too!! 

I don't imagine that the gene therapy would work on an adult as how would it undo the brain circuitry already in place? Perhaps it might be better to look into ways of managing your symptoms rather than undertaking anything dangerous?

Thankyou. :)