Dexter?

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One of the many many things that falls neatly into place since recognising myself is an aspie is the slightly concerning familiarity I always felt to the character Dexter in the eponymous TV series. Obviously I am not saying that I ever plotted killings or any of that but the aspects of the character that has to hide in plain sight and behave in an unnatural way to blend into society and difficulty with emotions and personal connections. I suppose some of the familiarity has to come from good writing and good acting. After all, the show only works if we can like and relate to the anti-hero to some degree.

Now I know I have AS, it's quite a relief to discover that all those similarities to Dexter's mindset is not something i need to worry about.

Has anyone else felt that odd feeling, before understanding AS, of relating to Dexter or a character like him?

Si

I discovered Dexter after my diagnosis, but yes I do feel a kind of similarity between our situations.

Good. As long as it's not just me

Yes, but only with those aspects you listed and it was always a "similar but obviously different" kind of relation. I am definitely not a sociopath and I don't plot the homicide of people (well, other than my own, on occasion) but I can relate to the situation of feeling as if you must hide your true nature by nurturing a facade that creates the illusion that your abnormal self belongs in the realm of normalcy. I suspect that all outcasts of society feel the need to blend in with the pillars of society; it actually seems like somewhat of a "fight or flight" thing if you really think about it. As dramatic as it may sound, it's almost like we must do so for our own protection (from exile, abuse, discrimination, etc.).

[Moved from General Autism Discussion to Television, Film, and Video]


ETA: Duh, Typo.

Last edited by Cornflake on 09 Oct 2012, 10:57 am, edited 1 time in total.

O.o Why?

Because the thread is speculation about a fictitious character in a TV program.

My bad, when I posted that it said it was moved to the same forum it was already in. That's why I asked. Confusion is cleared now.

Yeah, sorry about that: a brain-fart and entirely my fault.
I must have become distr... Ooh look - shiny!! !
*wanders off*

Yeah, there are some aspects of how Dexter behaves where I feel I can relate. But I definitely do not have a Dark Passenger!

Obviously not. Not for a second saying we are all psychopaths I just used to be a little concerned (before I had made the AS connection in myself) given that I seemed to share quite a few of his lesser serious traits.

N.b. For the record, Si_82 is NOT a serial killer ...and now slightly regrets mentioning all this as I may end up alienating myself from a community of people who meet to discuss their alienation. Lol

Actually, watching Dexter ended a long running phobia I had about TV shows like that and the homicidal characters in them. I still remember the night season 1 premiered here in Australia. I went into another room because I couldn't watch but I still broke into cold sweats in the parts that sounded gruesome or violent. I used to get kind of blue and gloomy when my mother or sisters watch Law & Order or read horrible true crime trash about serial killers. I never related to people like that, I just feared that I was one of them. This is something I've since heard many people on the spectrum say (including John Elder Robinson in Look me in the Eye). After season 1 ended someone I knew bought it on DVD. One day I watched an episode mid season (by myself really nervously like I was doing something wrong like watching porno or something) and was instantly relived by the bright colourful cast and settings and the offbeat black humour which make the weird contrast to Dexter's mind and actions. The story sucked me in and being forced by a TV show to relate to those people I most feared being (by making him an anti-hero) made me confront it and realise I was not like them. In fact just worrying that you might be such a bad person probably means you're not as they couldn't care less or they're even proud of what they are

I love the show, it's one of my all time favorites. I suppose it is because there are some similarities between his condition and AS, as far as having to cope in a world that doesn't really accept you for who you are. Gruesome stuff doesn't bother me except when it's taken too frivolously (slasher horror movies).

I just always thought Dexter was an intriguing character and wanted to have a talk with him. I suppose I related to his situation, yes.

Love this show. Hated the plots for the most part in season 5 and 6. Season 7 so far is awesome and actually has you beleiving that Dexter's actions could very well cost him another family member.
Dexter has been the biggest influence in the series of stories I am working on so far.

I never miss an episode.