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What's your PDA?

Damojo

How does your persistent drive for autonomy (PDA) manifest itself? (Or pathological demand avoidance, as the medics call it.)

I suspect I might have a bit of it, but I'm not sure. I seem to have (and always had) an instinctive resistance to social pressure, rather than a desire not to do what someone asks:

  • I hate whatever is "fashionable". I will go out of my way to be unfashionable. Including, but not limited to:
    • Manufactured pop music (cause of my most recent meltdown)
    • Clothing trends (jeans and a T-shirt have done me since the 80s)
    • Reality TV shows (unless narrated by David Attenborough)
    • Anything made by Apple
    • New/wrong words or phrases (like "irregardless" or "going forward")
  • I refuse to do things "just because". There has to be a reason. I won't ...
    • Panic buy toilet roll when there's a pandemic
    • Eat at McDonald's (it's garbage)
    • Admire royalty
    • Wear fancy dress
    • Do the ice bucket challenge
    • (I make an exception for red wine; it is its own reason)
  • I hate whatever is heavily advertised. Sure, it might not be a bad product, but I'm not paying extra to fund being advertised at really irritatingly. If they persist, I'll make point of never buying their product—ever:
    • Gillette razors
    • Any major brand of washing powder and, even more-so, those capsules kids love to eat
    • Anything that solves a non-existent problem (bottled water, "detox" anything)
    • Kellogg's anything
    • Insurance comparison sites
    • Every single online gambling site (don't get me started on that one)

Anyone got anything like that? Is that even PDA or am I just a cranky old fart?

Parents

  • I think you have described more of an autistic personality than PDA. If you have decided there is no real logical reason you MUST follow the trends for the sake of copying everyone one else that definitely sounds autistic to me because I’m very similar. There will be times when everyone in society seems to be wearing the same brands on their clothing and I just don’t understand why?. I believe this is down to a difference in social motivation and NT’s are more inclined to follow suit to be part of the pack.

Reply

  • I think you have described more of an autistic personality than PDA. If you have decided there is no real logical reason you MUST follow the trends for the sake of copying everyone one else that definitely sounds autistic to me because I’m very similar. There will be times when everyone in society seems to be wearing the same brands on their clothing and I just don’t understand why?. I believe this is down to a difference in social motivation and NT’s are more inclined to follow suit to be part of the pack.

Children
  • in reply to Autismman
    Autismman said:
    I think you have described more of an autistic personality than PDA

    Yeah,  (below) has been putting me straight. It's probably just my literal, black-and-white, less-socially-motivated, autistic brain. I see all the little logical fallacies in the ads, too, and they drive me insane. That makes everything seem like a con job to me and I refuse to cooperate or be taken in. Show me an ad and I'll show you where they're wrong or lying!