Sheldon from Big Bang, makes aspies look bad?

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Maybe I'm the only person who considers Sheldon more extrovert than introvert?

Obviously he hates parties and socializing with people like Penny but he is never alone, he is always with his friends and he misses them easily, he loves to speak in public to demonstrate he is a genius, he doesn't seem to need loneliness to recover himself of all the socializing. Moreover he is very narcisistic, a bit megalomaniac and has fearless ambition. He is highly competitive and knows how to handle the academic world. He is perfecty integrated and lives on his own without problems at 26 (the age he was in the first season).

He is a bunch of clichés from here and there, but those cliched traits don't affect his job and life, as he is completely happy. He never feels frustrations or long periods of anxiety (it is a comedy, so...).

I understand the deny of the producers and Jim Parsons when people ask them if Sheldon has Asperger. In fact, Sheldon has exaggerated traits of very different origins.

But he is funny .

I agree, but Aspies aren't necessarily introverts. We can also be vain, arrogant, and ambitious. I know that I for one have no problem with public speaking (I actually speak publicly on ASDs). You can have all of those traits and still meet the criteria.

I also agree that he seems to have no problems integrating himself and if he seems to not be debilitated either socially nor in his career. Now, THAT would make ineligible for a diagnosis as no problems=no disorder. However, since we're talking about a sitcom character and not a real human being, he can be made to integrate by writers for the sake of plot and to avoid being downright sad. In the real world, I don't a character like Sheldon would fare so well.

I think Sheldon is a little bit stereotypical but I am not offended by him at all.

Now Glee's depiction of Asperger's is what's offensive...
...and to think that people actually think that show's about embracing people's difference.

Anyone ever watch BOSTON LEGAL? Remember Jerry Espenson and how it was revealed that he had Asperger's?

IMO, that was handled very well. I think, if the creators of BBT wanted to do the same thing, they could also.



Wonder if they would explore those implications on a sitcom?

I never watched that show but I have mentioned Aspergers on a few dating sites I've used & some of the few women who did message me talked about him a little & I was asked a few questions like if I was good with computers like Sheldon was & things like that. 1ce I told the women that I wasn't; I never heard from them again. i think the women were expecting or hoping that I would be good at the same things Sheldon was

I love Sheldon. I can relate with him so much it's unbelievable.

It's annoying that he clearly is AS and would be diagnosed in seconds, but I can see why the producers would be reluctant to label him. We know he is and it gives us someone to look up to, in that he is incredibly successful and is himself dispite the fact that he is often disliked.

I think he makes us look good, not bad. There are plenty of worse representations out there.

I'm a Sheldon fan, actually I've just finished re-watching Big Bang Theory seasons 1-5 only recently, so it's still fresh in my memory. I think it's lazy to say he's simply an aspie, sure he has the logical / literal thing, OCD and generally nerdy interests, but as said already he's more than that, an amalgamation of many character traits. His arrogance and insensitivity are actually handled well, as they're almost made into endearing qualities as he "can't help it", so I think this helps us in how we are perceived and often misunderstood. He's a larger than life cartoon character with everything turned up to 11 for maximum effect, he's she super geek, super ego.. it's not just about autistic traits, you don't have to be on the spectrum to be a nerd or have a large ego.