Alternative + Asperger's

Anyone a combination of any kind of 'alternative' + having Asperger's syndrome on here?

What I mean by alternative is anyone who's a bit of a goth, metal-head, punk or just plain prefers black and leather over white and polyester. Trench-coat for the win? I look like Neo? I'll take that as a massive compliment thanks!

I do art (much of it nerdy and video-gam related):

I also used to be a huge great big goth and am highly 'alternative' in terms of my look and culture.

I even did a bit of alternative amateur modelling when I was younger:

That's like 3-4 years ago I think? Whatever I'm not counting. It was for friends at uni who were doing photography, helped me to come out of my shell...

What I Actually Wanted to Talk About

I sometimes find it really hard to get through to my psyciatrist. On the whole he's actually amazing and has in many ways completely changed my life for the better (work, home, hobbies, friends - all areas much improved). That being said, I'm also an 'alternative' human being.

A lot of therapy revolves around helping me to feel that I fit in. Only one issue there: I couldn't give less of a damn about fitting in :') I'd like to not have meltdowns and feel (socially) a bit easier in certain situations, at my own discretion. That being said I have no interest in being a 'normal' (inb4 someone says "... but what IS normal..?" in a mystical old-man hipster-guru voice).

Does anyone else alternative and autistic ever feel pressured away from alternative culture due to their condition? How do you approach it? What do you do about it?

Will be interested to see what people write...

Oh and also tell me what music and stuff you are into. I know I write like an elitist but really I'm not one (promise!) just looking for some fun new music to enjoy on Spotify / Last.fm or whatever.

  • I agree about Eastenders, I'm not a great TV watcher I used to love Top Gear (tho it doesn't float my boat when Chris Evans took over. I love Ice Road Truckers, I don't think I can get Game Of Thrones, but would like to see them.
    I would say I'm quite eclectic in my music, I know I've listed much of the  music I like above.
    I#ve got this vision of folks in the 70's taking off due to wearing flares. AS regards clothes maybe I can dress rather straight when I have to, tho I dislike doing so. I would love to walk around all the time looking like Janis Joplin tho I do find that I've set fire to my sleeves with candles or joss sticks, or when cooking, or the sleeves get wet washing up . so day to day I do tend to calm it down, perhaps changing clothes for going out.       

     

  • Hi viceversa and vometia - interesting conversation.

    Viceversa, I'm a female Aspie in my 50s. Didn't know I was an Aspie until less than a year ago, when suddenly the pieces of the puzzle that has been my life started making a picture, if you know what I mean?

    As a teen I was quite keen to be "alternative", but lacked the confidence to dress in a style other than mainstream. I was a bit different to my school friends in choice of music though - at the ages of 14-16 I was into Queen, Pink Floyd and David Bowie while most of my friends liked The Bay City Rollers (a dreadful 70s boy band) or if they were a bit more daring, T Rex. At the end of the 70s I got into punk, including The Sex Pistols and the Jam, although I quite liked Status Quo too. Other bands / musicians I have liked over the years include: Gary Numan, The Clash, Kraftwerk, The Human League, Duran Duran, Bryan Ferry, Big Audio Dynamite, The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, Fat Boy Slim, Daft Punk...

    Another " unusual " trait I've always had (for a woman) is a love of science fiction and fantasy. I adored the Narnia Chronicles as a child. As an adult, my favourite books have included Asimov's robot series, most of Ian M Banks' work, Stephen Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant and The mirror of her dreams, and a lot of Stephen King's books (the ones which are more fantasy rather than pure "horror", like Under The Dome)

    My favourite movies have mostly been SciFi/ fantasy, particularly when a bit of humour is thrown in, like Men in black, Independence Day, Paul, and Ghostbusters. I like some films with what might be considered silly male humour too, such as Anchorman, Step Brothers, Team America and Ted.

    Some women don't know what to make of me - I don't like watching soaps, reality TV, or soppy dramas like Call The Midwife. But I am interested in clothes and fashion, and food and nutrition, which gives me " safe" topics for chat with female colleagues.

    You said "A lot of therapy revolves around helping me to feel that I fit in". I don't think that would help me, as like you I don't want to " fit in", I like being different and individual. I like to be in control of the situation I'm in, or at least know what to expect, but I have now taught myself to "expect the unexpected" and do a quick assessment of a change to adapt to it as well and as quickly as possible. The main thing I say to myself is: Does it really matter that this has happened? How can I incorporate this change into my immediate plans?

    I find group social situations tedious and stressful so mainly avoid them. I don't go to my work evening Xmas party. But I do like my colleagues, so I've compromised by agreeing to attend a pre Xmas lunch with the other ladies. Most of them know I'm an Aspie, so I don't get pressured into doing stuff I don't want to, so I make my own decision and feel in control. 

    Yeah, that word again - control. It sounds a bit megalomaniac possibly, but it's the key to me feeling secure.

    Pixie

  • Maybe flares won't make a comback as such, unless they're called "bootcuts" these days. I remember in 1984 I was 13 my mum got me these jeans for a school trip.I think they were straight legs, but  I had the pee taken out of me for wearing "flares". Since then I had to have tight jeans , skinnys, drainpipes, until I bought a pair of bootcuts c 2003/4 and since then every pair of jeans has had to flare out in lower leg, I'll reject a pair if they don't go wide enough.
    Yes I agree maybe the Mighty Boosh was also partly responsible for a surge in Numan's popularity. I'm not very good at singing, I would say crap at it, tho at home if I play Queen I feel I move like Mick  Jagger or Freddie Mercury!!! I know a few chiords on a guitar , tho I think I;ve mastered the ukulele better, and maybe ukulele playing has a certain eccentricity about it!!! I think headbanging is rythmically moving your head to Metal music Judas Priest seem to have it to a fine art!!!! www.youtube.com/watch    

  • Yes I'd say I'm rather alternative. I've seen Motorhead twice once on the 1916 tour and then again in 1995.  I like to base my fashion stle on me, and also is a mix of Janis Joplin (wish I could belt the blues like she could), Stevie Nicks and Brian Jones (blame my Dad for getting me into the Rolling Stones) , and 70's Queen think flared trousers, and the Zandra Rhodes tunics (I try and find something similar). I do tend to go for the hippy/rock/metalhead look, OK probably not so much metal these days, tho I do the headbangin'. I guess if you go through my music collection you'd find everything from Reggae to the Blues to Rock Metal and Classical, Glam  and Prog , and some 80's pop/New Romantic, yes |I was into Duran Duran, til I began to discover Queen and other Rock bands, also some Jazz, I love the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band. and some New Wave/Electronica, I love how Kraftwerk's Autobahn soars and soars, and also Gary Numan, I saw him live in Cambridge in 2009 and WOW what a concert !!!
    I love the humour of Monty Python and Laurel and Hardy, my Mum doesn't always understand if I quote a line from Stan & Ollie to her.

    I guess being into heritage railways and railway preservation is possibly alternative as I'm a female.               

  • Well that's very interesting! :) myself I don't feel I was pushed into the alternative scene, moreso that I just genuinely love black and leather haha. Everyone should have a trench-coat!

    No worries I can understand your post just fine. Huh you do 3D modelling? That's really cool! I used to mess around with Maya, 3DSMax and ZBrush (which is awesome!)

    Interesting musical tastes I actually saw Motorhead perform live in Demontfort Hall in leicester, they were really good! Lemmy was still about then, God rest his soul. Don't know much about new-wave pop but often listen to Futurepop. Same thing?

    What RPGs do you play? Morrowind? :)