Could autism be a thing of the past?

If we go back to being monkeys in the trees, its easy enough - natural selection. The weaker ones will get marginalised out or worse, because for the pack (or whatever collective noun is apt) to survive they have to work in coordination and cannot afford to be let down by one weak member.

Diversity is important in the process of natural selection, but would not be seen as an advantage by a pack of monkeys. Its about conformity, though not necessarily with the best role model other than the pack rules

To return to human social groupings there remains an extraordinary fear that someone might not be "pulling their weight" in which case more work for others, or someone might be a threat to the status quo, or someone might do silly things that "show up" the sub-group concerned in front of others. So there is a very strong will to get rid of any non-conformists.

It is amazing to watch this process in work settings. Employers seem very blinkered to what goes on unless it threatens themselves directly. They are afraid to intervene in case it leads to unrest that will undermine profits.

However what employers miss is the scale of sabotage and wrecking that goes on - various activities to fiddle expences, waste time etc., but compounded by the efforts to marginalise people who don't fit into this by undermining their value to the employer. Its totally amazing what goes on, and is a far bigger drain on profits than absenteeism (though one by product is victims taking time off work through stress).

Bullying and rivalry within British workplaces is universal. But it is still denied by managers and left to fester unchecked.

One direct consequence is that disabled employees rarely get allowed to co-exist. Forget disability discrimination here - the employer may be liable but it is much harder to prove constructive discrimination when a group of "workmates" decide they don't want a disabled colleague.

People on the spectrum really stand little chance of holding a job, unless they develop enough confidence and resilience to survive.

Yet the politicians and the professionals rabbit on about how people on the spectrum should be able to find work. Yet they themselves must have had bad run-ins in the workplace, just they were more resilient. The idea that disability could make someone less resilient doesn't enter their heads.

If we go back to being monkeys in the trees, its easy enough - natural selection. The weaker ones will get marginalised out or worse, because for the pack (or whatever collective noun is apt) to survive they have to work in coordination and cannot afford to be let down by one weak member.

Diversity is important in the process of natural selection, but would not be seen as an advantage by a pack of monkeys. Its about conformity, though not necessarily with the best role model other than the pack rules

To return to human social groupings there remains an extraordinary fear that someone might not be "pulling their weight" in which case more work for others, or someone might be a threat to the status quo, or someone might do silly things that "show up" the sub-group concerned in front of others. So there is a very strong will to get rid of any non-conformists.

It is amazing to watch this process in work settings. Employers seem very blinkered to what goes on unless it threatens themselves directly. They are afraid to intervene in case it leads to unrest that will undermine profits.

However what employers miss is the scale of sabotage and wrecking that goes on - various activities to fiddle expences, waste time etc., but compounded by the efforts to marginalise people who don't fit into this by undermining their value to the employer. Its totally amazing what goes on, and is a far bigger drain on profits than absenteeism (though one by product is victims taking time off work through stress).

Bullying and rivalry within British workplaces is universal. But it is still denied by managers and left to fester unchecked.

One direct consequence is that disabled employees rarely get allowed to co-exist. Forget disability discrimination here - the employer may be liable but it is much harder to prove constructive discrimination when a group of "workmates" decide they don't want a disabled colleague.

People on the spectrum really stand little chance of holding a job, unless they develop enough confidence and resilience to survive.

Yet the politicians and the professionals rabbit on about how people on the spectrum should be able to find work. Yet they themselves must have had bad run-ins in the workplace, just they were more resilient. The idea that disability could make someone less resilient doesn't enter their heads.