Are people with ASDs more tollerant of other autisic people than NTs are?

I do sometimes wonder if our personal experience of being misunderstood and misinterpreted, makes us more likely to give someone the benefit of the doubt when we are on the receiving end of communications which appear less than tactful.

Are we any good at spotting others on the spectrum?

For a while, I have been encountering a guy who to me appears unfriendly and prickly. These are critisisms which are sometimes levelled at people with asd. It has occured to me, that he may be on the spectrum, but I do not know if I am wasting my time being polite to someone who does not want to be friendly, or just has difficulty with it.

Parents
  • I worked in IT in the 70s and my husband did all his working life. I now suspect that I knew/know many people on the spectrum, which is maybe why I did not recognise my problems as so unusual. I think it runs in my family too.

    If autism affects 1% of the population and we drift towards the same types of work, I suppose it is inevitable that we will encounter many like ourselves.

    If you get prickly with others at times, is it because you would rather they left you alone, or would you prefer it if they forgot about past issues and tried again? I have read that women with asd are more sociable than their male counterparts, so is it better to be distantly polite only. I blow hot and cold on the company thing. I have days when I cross over to avoid chatting and days when I seek it out. This causes offence without me even opening my mouth.

Reply
  • I worked in IT in the 70s and my husband did all his working life. I now suspect that I knew/know many people on the spectrum, which is maybe why I did not recognise my problems as so unusual. I think it runs in my family too.

    If autism affects 1% of the population and we drift towards the same types of work, I suppose it is inevitable that we will encounter many like ourselves.

    If you get prickly with others at times, is it because you would rather they left you alone, or would you prefer it if they forgot about past issues and tried again? I have read that women with asd are more sociable than their male counterparts, so is it better to be distantly polite only. I blow hot and cold on the company thing. I have days when I cross over to avoid chatting and days when I seek it out. This causes offence without me even opening my mouth.

Children
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