• Replies 20 replies
  • Subscribers 92 subscribers
  • Views 2504 views
  • Users 0 members are here
Options
Related
Hints and tips
  • To quote someone's message, first select/highlight the relevant text, and then use the Quote button that appears
  • To "mention" someone, type @ followed by the start of the forum name, and choose from the list; that person will get a notification of being mentioned

What's so important or special about social interactions anyway?

Cece

Hi,

Ever since I can remember, I have always had a dream of being super rich so I can buy my own island!

I want to have my own island, big enough for a house and for leg room and beautiful landscape and a landing area for a helicopter, that's it.

This "dream" doubles up as my happy place if I need to escape or zone out for whatever reason.

It has no people or social interactions of any kind, the idea of not even having to talk and completely rely on picking fruits etc for sustenance is incredibly relaxing to me.

I know it is unrealistic, hence the helicopter backup to keep me grounded but I can't help but often wonder about the big deal of social interactions.

Why is it assumed that humans are social creatures and that any AS individual that doesn't agree is mistaken and either have to mask/fake it or be outcast?

Why isn't the truth for humans NOT to be social and those wanting it are the odd ones out that rely on a third party to exist or feel better about themselves rather than be self sufficient?

I'm curious what the community thinks if this.

Thanks

Parents

  • I do want social interactions, albeit on my terms (not overwhelming, not as frequent as many would like). I'm getting married to someone who connects with me and, like me, is willing to spend time together, but doing our own thing.

    Inasmuch as wanting to be social is the norm, it's how we evolved. Our nearest relatives, chimpanzees and gorillas are social animals. Statistically, most people do want social interactions. Our autistic brains are wired differently and we don't, or not to the same extent. But statistically we're in the minority, so we're not the default option. That's democracy, I guess.

  • in reply to Luftmentsch

    Do we know for a fact that we are the minority?

Reply Children
  • in reply to Cece

    I think there are more than we realise.  However if we were the majority do you think supermarkets would be so annoying? Or TV adverts would be so annoying. ...or there wouldnt be more appreciation for the natural world in general. ..or that we wouldnt need to mask as much as we do.

    I'm getting confused on my woulds and wouldn'ts but you get the gist.