the benefits of Aspergers

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Diane Kennedy, an author and advocate for Asperger Syndrome, writes, "They are our visionaries, scientists, diplomats, inventors, chefs, artists, writers and musicians. They are the original thinkers and a driving force in our culture."

Hans Asperger, the German doctor who discovered the syndrome, would agree with Kennedy's assessment. He believed that "for success in science or art, a dash of autism is essential. The essential ingredient may be an ability to turn away from the everyday world, from the simply practical and to rethink a subject with originality so as to create in new untrodden ways with all abilities canalized into the one specialty."

Likewise, Dr. Temple Grandin, an adult with autism who became a successful engineer, academic and speaker, believes that her disorder is an asset. She once famously called NASA a sheltered workshop for people with autism and Asperger Syndrome. She believes that people with autistic spectrum disorders are the great innovators, and "if the world was left to you socialites, nothing would get done and we would still be in caves talking to each other."

from here .. http://www.yourlittleprofessor.com/benefits.html

Kewl.

True, consider then that Einstein did his most remarkable work at a time in Vienna which he later referred to as "Splendid Isolation" (or what was sheltering himself from the pollution of others minds in the Scientific community.) Did he have Aspergers? I have no idea - but interesting that he shows strong characteristics which would seem to fit the profile.

savant autistic people were they called

If the right people are out there for your obbession then you are able to go on and take your knowledge even further!

I'm highly creative, I like to experiment with different techniques, using my free Artweaver programme, and I'm not afraid to try different things, in that regard. I also have a mind of my own, and it's a pretty powerful mind. I'm also able to be my own person, and I'm not easily persuaded to be a trend follower. I have the ability to know, what I like, unlike a lot of NTs, who only see what's in front of their noses. I'm not afraid to be different, and the best part is, that I don't try to be different. I'm also very independent. I can hold my own, in the Real World. I also have unique tastes in movies, for somebody my age. I'm also intelligent enough to decide, weather I want to be cured, or not, which I don't. I also have enough matter between my ears, to know that I would never be happy, as a trend follower, or a sheeple. I can also stand my own ground, and I refuse to let people push me around, with their bodies, or their words.

The benefits of AS are directly related to its negatives, see:

All absorbing narrow interest
+ you know the facts (specialisation)
- you don't really want to know much else, nor do you care (can lead to one unable to adapt to modern academia and vocational pursuits as they adopt an all or nothing approach; know what we want you to know, even if it's not related to your interest)
Social impairment
+ you don't care what you say (truth seekers without care for social status to people who don't know how to behave at all; the latter is a negative for the most part)
- it's self-evident

Besides the obvious intellectual abilities that aspies have, I have found that the aspies I know (I'm NT) are really funny. I think this is because they have an intellectual facility with words, ideas, concepts, that are so completely off the wall compared to NTs. My oldest son is REALLY funny in an amazingly unconventional way. It has helped him get through an NT world. I've read a lot of posts on this forum that reinforce this idea of humor in aspies -- sometimes I'll be reading a post, and somebody will have written something funny, and I'll literally laugh until the tears roll down my face!

Kris

I'm wondering how an anti-social makes a good diplomat.

from what i've read not all aspies are anti-social. many are just not socially 'aware' all the time, but many still have the desire to be very social. and social skills are like cooking skills, you can learn them.

You can obviously learn them, but can you put them to good effort?

Would an AS make a good car salesman? That requires great social skills, not just saying "Hi, buy this car."

no, it doesn't actually, it requires great negotiation skills. the ability to see any situation from every angle. and the ability to out talk others on a subject.

also, most diplomats are male and have a spouse that is very social

I can see through social norms and cultural customs, which too many people blindly accept as part of the "natural order of things." My aspie obsessiveness allows me to see the implications of new ideas and theories everywhere. I am not afraid of new or unconventional theories as long as they can be tested.

Great negotiation skills on what actually? The diplomat or the car salesman?

whatever is your area of expertise.