Fast Thinking vs. Slow Thinking

Curious if anyone else has the same experience.

Daniel Kahneman's book, "Thinking Fast and Slow" https://www.neurosciencemarketing.com/blog/articles/thinking-fast-slow.htm talks about instinctual processing vs. a more deep logical reasoning. I am wondering if there is a link between autistics default mode being a little more locked into this second system of reasoning.

I took a logic course which changed my world quite a bit. It didn't help with social nuance, but I could better read books on social nuances. And then I started discovering other tools of reasoning which, like learning the discipline for any natural talent, created a huge shift in my daily life. As a child/teen I had been told I was accident prone, had bad 'timing', I felt as though I lived in a permanent fog. I felt withdrawn but had trouble focusing.

Once I learned communication techniques to stop other humans 'rushing' or interrupting me, learned to afford a moment to breathe (improv or yoga skills), tools and rules to slowly process and think-through a thing, learned to be conscious about aesthetics (I don't need extra anything, just one of the right thing -making me a terrible 'consumer') I discovered I had been held back from my true state of being my whole childhood. I began to feel more natural and function a little more 'fluidly' day to day. However, my natural state IS slower more logical reasoning. I had simply been in a state of severe stress most of my life. The more I allowed myself to live in this state, the easier things have been. Though I still have trouble with social exchange and identifying when defence mechanisms are necessary.

My ex constantly would get upset if I started discussing what he considered a "deep" problem too early in the morning. Friends who are not close but closer than acquaintances have sometimes responded on repeat, 'you know most people don't think like this'. Because while deciding to be true to my inner core / being, I hadn't considered this wasn't normal.

Does this resonate with anyone else?

Parents

Peter over 4 years ago

JuniperFromGallifrey said:
Once I learned communication techniques to stop other humans 'rushing' or interrupting me,

The problem is to the extent that these techniques work they only really work in one on one conversation. Not so much in say a group of 5 in a noisy bar. The only way I know not to get lost in that sort of conversation is to turn off your mental filter ... at least partially, enough to keep up. And we all know what happens when autistic people turn off their filter.

they get pilloried by some sensitive soul Who’s world you’ve just crushed by saying something they found offensive. Possibly because they miss understood What you’re trying to say or possibly because sensitivity is hard at the best of times and tends to go out the window when the filter comes off so you can express an idea in ‘real time,’ instead of having to rehash your choice of words several times over.

sorry if I’m coming off grumpy but I’m kind of in a bad mood right now.

Reply

Peter over 4 years ago

JuniperFromGallifrey said:
Once I learned communication techniques to stop other humans 'rushing' or interrupting me,

The problem is to the extent that these techniques work they only really work in one on one conversation. Not so much in say a group of 5 in a noisy bar. The only way I know not to get lost in that sort of conversation is to turn off your mental filter ... at least partially, enough to keep up. And we all know what happens when autistic people turn off their filter.

they get pilloried by some sensitive soul Who’s world you’ve just crushed by saying something they found offensive. Possibly because they miss understood What you’re trying to say or possibly because sensitivity is hard at the best of times and tends to go out the window when the filter comes off so you can express an idea in ‘real time,’ instead of having to rehash your choice of words several times over.

sorry if I’m coming off grumpy but I’m kind of in a bad mood right now.

Children

JuniperFromGallifrey over 4 years ago in reply to Peter

I wish I knew what you meant by turning off a filter to utilise techniques. Noisy bars are quite difficult. Also, I have learned to add in clauses to everything I say. I was madly in love with someone who eventually rejected me because I couldn't communicate my thoughts appropriately and told me I need to use phrases that don't create black and white statements. I'm also very keen on saying sex rather than gender because usually I only mean physiological or biological specifics when referring to issues. But fundamental logic and fundamental implications of a word doesn't always work. So strange how easily people can be offended.