What if all NT's where Aspies?

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[quote="DGuru"

The Neanderthals did not split up talking and singing. It was all controlled by the same parts of the brain. This makes sense. Simply Neanderthals relied heavily on "singing" to convey meaning instead of things like body language and nonverbal cues.

They can't know 100% sure, but the evidence suggests Neanderthals sang a lot or at least were built that way, and if they were able to sing it makes no sense that they wouldn't have used it.

Most of us are capable of murdering someone but very few do it. I find your reasoning far from convincing.

ruveyn

I take it you haven't read much on evolution or natural selection.

Traits evolve only when they have a purpose to evolve.

What if instead of NT's there where only Aspies, what would the world be like?

Dead wrong. There is no teleology or purpose in evolution. It is a purely physical process in which consciousness is NOT involved. Those characteristics which impart a reproductive advantage are transmitted to the next generation or are more likely to be transmitted than those characteristics that either do not produce a reproductive advantage or produce a reproductive disadvantage. Survival of the fittest refers to reproductive fitness.

Evolution does not perfect anything in the sense of carrying out a purpose. Good characteristics come through the way potatoes of various sizes make it through a potato sorting machine. It is purely physical.

ruveyn

Just because you can't imagine that neanderthal "singing" could confer some sort of reproductive advantage, doesn't mean it didn't.

The fact is, if Neanderthals did sing, then that means that trait either conferred a reproductive advantage, or was tied to another trait that did.

Dead wrong. There is no teleology or purpose in evolution. It is a purely physical process in which consciousness is NOT involved. Those characteristics which impart a reproductive advantage are transmitted to the next generation or are more likely to be transmitted than those characteristics that either do not produce a reproductive advantage or produce a reproductive disadvantage. Survival of the fittest refers to reproductive fitness.

Evolution does not perfect anything in the sense of carrying out a purpose. Good characteristics come through the way potatoes of various sizes make it through a potato sorting machine. It is purely physical.

ruveyn

I never meant to imply "conscious purpose" by "purpose". I meant "reproductive purpose" with no consciousness necessary.

Imagine a world where Aspergers was the norm, and non-autistics or neurotypicals were the minority. Let's try it: Those who feel the need to constantly be with a variety of friends are considered fickle. Those with no propensity for computers and science are called geeks. Those with no special interest are thought to be ungrounded and lost. Those without obsessive focus have to take classes to cultivate it.

Those who insist on saying ‘have a nice day' and other polite exchanges of fairly empty niceties are taught to be honest and say what they think. People who go to shake hands are simply thought unhygienic. And of course, you would never be expected to hug someone just because they shared an ancestor or a common acquaintance.

Teens who live for the mall are not as cool as those who read, write, draw, invent and play instruments all day. People who feel the need to dress like others are conformist and unimaginative. Girls who spend hours a day straightening their hair are recommended for counseling. People who never rock or squeal in public are considered repressed. People who talk about what other people are up to are gossips, while those who monologue are fountains of knowledge to be shared by anyone who cares to listen.

People who hold conversations over loud TV sets and who install fluorescent lights in their homes are insensitive and coarse. People who need soft fabrics and heavy blankets are revered, like the girl in the story "The Princess and the Pea". Those without strict rituals are disorganized and chaotic. Those who come early, work hard and don't hang around the water cooler are gurus to be respected and emulated.

Are you offended by this post? Does it sound strangely bigoted to you? Why? We aspies are expected to take social skills classes. We are expected to be team players. We are called geeks because we can throw together a system after just reading a manual or watching one Youtube video. We are weird because we can recite the entire script of the Holy Grail, or name every saxophone player of consequence in the history of jazz.

We are expected to say hi, nice to meet you, shake hands and even receive hugs and kisses because NTs (neurotypicals) think that is appropriate. We are expected to look, sound and act like our peers to some degree, and to repress our most innate urges to stim because others think it is creepy. I'm not saying Aspies are perfect, far from it, I'm just providing a different vantage point.

I wonder how much of this social skills stuff is really necessary. I sing jazz, so I understand the value of being a team player when it's called for; listening and respecting the role of others is crucial to being a good musician. But I'm talking about the little rituals that NTs seem to require with a mindless zeal. I can put on the happy face, I can say and do what is expected of me for a short time, but eventually the real me must come out. I wish everyone would read about Aspergers, stop judging those who are different just as different races have had to learn to respect one another, and just as men had to learn to deal with women when they entered the work force and demanded respect and equal rights.

Just because you can't imagine that neanderthal "singing" could confer some sort of reproductive advantage, doesn't mean it didn't.

The fact is, if Neanderthals did sing, then that means that trait either conferred a reproductive advantage, or was tied to another trait that did.

As you said above: "Those characteristics which impart a reproductive advantage are transmitted to the next generation or are more likely to be transmitted than those characteristics that either do not produce a reproductive advantage or produce a reproductive disadvantage."