Could autistics become the majority in the distant future?

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protest_the_hero
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23 Dec 2008, 12:57 pm

It is genetic, so theoretically, given the right circumstances, through "evolution", could we? Just a thought.

skafather84
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23 Dec 2008, 1:07 pm

there's certainly being more reports in recent years but that could just be due to awareness of it and not necessarily a real surge in the population.

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Orwell
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23 Dec 2008, 5:59 pm

No.

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DeanFoley
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23 Dec 2008, 6:05 pm

Orwell wrote:

No.

Letum
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23 Dec 2008, 6:37 pm

protest_the_hero wrote:

theoretically, given the right circumstances

"theoretically, given the right circumstances" almost anything is possible.

skafather84
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23 Dec 2008, 6:59 pm

Orwell wrote:

No.

you're a certain shirley, aren't you?

you absolutely positively 100% sure?

Orwell
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23 Dec 2008, 7:19 pm

We've had this argument before, and I don't feel inclined to rehash the various points about how badly evolutionary theory is generally misunderstood anyways. 100% sure? No, you can never be 100% of anything outside mathematics. But I am confident enough that I consider the chances of me being wrong to be negligible.

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23 Dec 2008, 7:25 pm

I agree with Orwell. I, however, also think that Autism rates have been static (mostly, with some increase in the past 50 years), and the reason we find more diagnosis is because of the broadening criteria and understanding. I can't even imagine a world where Neurotypical people are the minority. I don't think it would be a good thing.

skafather84
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23 Dec 2008, 7:27 pm

Orwell wrote:

misunderstanding of evolution aside, there's other factors that you seem to not be considering...like that with the proliferation of technology and the internet and modern media, the way a child's brain develops and how connections are made changes. such a change in the developmental stage could result in more frequency of cases on the spectrum.

i don't think it's probable right now (short of some studies stating otherwise with good evidence)...but it's not such a firm "no."

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23 Dec 2008, 7:38 pm

skafather84 wrote:

...but it's not such a firm "no."

It is a very firm 'no' unless Aspies start breeding prolifically and vast numbers of NTs are killed off by something that does not kill aspies.
Neither are likely at all.

sanndr
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23 Dec 2008, 7:42 pm

DeanFoley wrote:

Orwell wrote:

No.

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23 Dec 2008, 7:56 pm

skafather84 wrote:

The Internet's not gonna make NTs turn autistic in droves. Some borderline cases might be pushed onto the diagnosable spectrum, but even that is doubtful.

And what Letum said. Unless Aspies start having a lot more babies on average than NT's, we're simply not going to be the majority, ever.

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skafather84
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23 Dec 2008, 8:04 pm

Orwell wrote:

The Internet's not gonna make NTs turn autistic in droves.

reductio ad absurdum.

technology's involvement in our lives goes far beyond simply "the internet".

Letum
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23 Dec 2008, 8:27 pm

By what process do you think technology will turn NTs into Aspies?

The vast majority of NT have no problem with technology at all. The
majority of technologies where invented by, and are operated by, NTs.

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23 Dec 2008, 8:27 pm

skafather84 wrote:

Orwell wrote:

The Internet's not gonna make NTs turn autistic in droves.

reductio ad absurdum.

technology's involvement in our lives goes far beyond simply "the internet".

That wasn't a reductio ad absurdum, and even if it were, reductio ad absurdum is not a logical fallacy but rather a legitimate method of disproof.

Anyways, if anything people are getting more social, not less, as technology advances, so again, I don't see how neurotypicals are going to become autistic, especially given that autism has an extremely high heritability which would suggest a stronger genetic than environmental component.

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skafather84
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23 Dec 2008, 10:01 pm

Letum wrote:

i'm not saying that there's a problem with it. i'm saying that it's going to affect and gradually change the way people think and the way our minds are wired and considering that does somewhat mean a cut in inter-personal relationships and verbal discussions, this could lead to a development gradually into something similar to what would be seen on the spectrum.

not saying specifically aspie, not saying full blown autism but most likely something that would fit on the spectrum as it's defined today.

i'd say give it some time but it'll be far too long for you to witness it (surprise surprise, such changes in a species aren't seen overnight).

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