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kfisherx
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20 Dec 2010, 3:35 pm

Just found this description of engineers that I find awesome

http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~sums ... ineer.html

Ironically also fits Aspergers to a large degree. I would say that many, many of us geeks at Intel have Aspergers....



wavefreak58
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20 Dec 2010, 3:50 pm

I like trains.

(url forwarded to fellow techies ...)


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leejosepho
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20 Dec 2010, 3:57 pm

Great find!

I especially liked this part:

Quote:
To the engineer, all matter in the universe can be placed into one of two categories: (1) things that need to be fixed, and (2) things that will need to be fixed after you've had a few minutes to play with them. Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems. Normal people don't understand this concept; they believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it [has yet to be fully developed and tested].


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Last edited by leejosepho on 21 Dec 2010, 8:08 am, edited 2 times in total.

kfisherx
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20 Dec 2010, 4:15 pm

My question is....

Is it really a "disorder" if you have earned the title of "engineer"? :D :D :D



leejosepho
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20 Dec 2010, 4:20 pm

kfisherx wrote:
My question is....

Is it really a "disorder" if you have earned the title of "engineer"? :D :D :D

Being an engineer or doctor or lawyer or whatever else would not prove a presence of emotional or social intelligence or "order".


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Asp-Z
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20 Dec 2010, 4:25 pm

Quote:
To the engineer, all matter in the universe can be placed into one of two categories: (1)things that need to be fixed, and (2)things that will need to be fixed after you've had a few minutes to play with them. Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems. Normal people don't understand this concept; they believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.

No engineer looks at a television remote control without wondering what it would take to turn it into a stun gun. No engineer can take a shower without wondering if some sort of Teflon coating would make showering unnecessary. To the engineer, the world is a toy box full of sub-optimized and feature-poor toys.


*looks down at my jailbroken iPhone on which I'm currently installing a Java runtime environment and my iPod touch which is running a hacked version of Android*

Nah, I don't fit that description at all... :lol:



kfisherx
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20 Dec 2010, 4:27 pm

Interesting that MIT and other colleges (as of just last year) are beginning to offer "social skills for engineers" programs due to the pressure put on them from companies such as mine. It is actually a fairly known issue. Ironically as well, a large percentage of children around high-tech areas are dx'd autisic..... Makes one go... Hmmmmmm....



Asp-Z
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20 Dec 2010, 4:28 pm

kfisherx wrote:
Interesting that MIT and other colleges (as of just last year) are beginning to offer "social skills for engineers" programs due to the pressure put on them from companies such as mine. It is actually a fairly known issue. Ironically as well, a large percentage of children around high-tech areas are dx'd autisic..... Makes one go... Hmmmmmm....


Yep, there's loads of Aspies in Silicon Valley, or so I hear.



kfisherx
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20 Dec 2010, 4:47 pm

Asp-Z wrote:
Quote:
To the engineer, all matter in the universe can be placed into one of two categories: (1)things that need to be fixed, and (2)things that will need to be fixed after you've had a few minutes to play with them. Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems. Normal people don't understand this concept; they believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.

No engineer looks at a television remote control without wondering what it would take to turn it into a stun gun. No engineer can take a shower without wondering if some sort of Teflon coating would make showering unnecessary. To the engineer, the world is a toy box full of sub-optimized and feature-poor toys.


*looks down at my jailbroken iPhone on which I'm currently installing a Java runtime environment and my iPod touch which is running a hacked version of Android*

Nah, I don't fit that description at all... :lol:


Guilty of both... Now quit bothering me... I gotta write some code. Bwaaa Haaa Haaa



Laz
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20 Dec 2010, 4:49 pm

Father was an engineer

Grandfather was an engineer

Great grandfather was an engineer, before he was a coalminer

My autistic spazz credentials just went up a notch



Asp-Z
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20 Dec 2010, 4:50 pm

kfisherx wrote:
Asp-Z wrote:
Quote:
To the engineer, all matter in the universe can be placed into one of two categories: (1)things that need to be fixed, and (2)things that will need to be fixed after you've had a few minutes to play with them. Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems. Normal people don't understand this concept; they believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.

No engineer looks at a television remote control without wondering what it would take to turn it into a stun gun. No engineer can take a shower without wondering if some sort of Teflon coating would make showering unnecessary. To the engineer, the world is a toy box full of sub-optimized and feature-poor toys.


*looks down at my jailbroken iPhone on which I'm currently installing a Java runtime environment and my iPod touch which is running a hacked version of Android*

Nah, I don't fit that description at all... :lol:


Guilty of both... Now quit bothering me... I gotta write some code. Bwaaa Haaa Haaa


*looks up from my HTC Desire HD on which I'm flashing the new CyanogenMod 6 nightly build*

Sorry, what? I was busy :lol:



silver22
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20 Dec 2010, 5:49 pm

I work as an engineering geologist and work with a lot of civil and structural engineers. From my experience, engineering and ASD goes hand in hand. They are really pushing engineers to do subjects in project management these days, which helps with the communication/people side of things. I'm sure computer science / IT has similar issues.



sillycat
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20 Dec 2010, 9:37 pm

Don't we get no Mc Lovin'? We're part of the Geek nation too right?



sillycat
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20 Dec 2010, 9:42 pm

Don't we get no Mc Lovin'? We're part of the Geek nation too right?



Callista
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20 Dec 2010, 11:25 pm

kfisherx wrote:
My question is....

Is it really a "disorder" if you have earned the title of "engineer"? :D :D :D
Well, actually, it still is. Just because you're good at something doesn't mean you can't possibly be disabled.

It all comes back to the stereotype of disability meaning that you're horrible at everything, in all ways inferior, that there can't be any positive aspects to it and it can never give you an advantage in any way. But that's not true. Put a blind guy and a seeing guy in a dark room and you'll see who's better off. Well, an engineering lab is a lot like that dark room to many techie Aspies. That it can be an advantage doesn't mean that it's not a disability, but in order to see the full picture we've got to re-evaluate the incorrect assumptions we make about disability and competence in general.


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buryuntime
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20 Dec 2010, 11:42 pm

That doesn't really sound anything like Asperger's except social awkwardness and honesty.

There's a difference between AS and being a geek.