Treat NTs as a different culture

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For the most part I've felt more accepted by non-native Anglophones (as opposed to those who refuse to attempt the language of their host country) and I tend to find myself more patient with them, virtually hanging on their every word. I know for them to process a thought and vocalize it in English, that their words are automatically going to have real value and more honesty.

That wasn't the original direction of my reply but I wanted to chime in on how our unconventional clothing and speech patterns immediately mark us as different although not as an obvious foreigner would, THAT'S where people need to mean what they say about diversity

We're already alienated. Go on, keep trying to fit in, and ignore the experiences of other aspies who spend their lives trying and still fail...

Anyway, the trouble is that they won't see us as a different culture. If they would just think of us as foreign visitors, and cut us some slack as they do for them, things would be much easier. When I'm in a foreign country people are usually more forgiving and accepting of my weirdness, but actually I'm just as much a fish out of water at the grocery store down the street.

Wow, actually, it seems a lot of people are interpreting this as a negative thing. "I treat everyone the same"... ? Being aware of culture does not imply thinking yours is superior. Pretending it doesn't exist just means you're denying a part of the other person's world view, background and identity, assuming it's the same as yours. An NT has a way of viewing the world that's probably more different from ours than an Aspie from the other side of the world, and we'd work with them more successfully if both sides acknowledged that.

Some of my best friends come from different cultures. My husband comes from a different culture. I've probably connected more with people from other cultures than from my own. For me to treat NTs as a different culture would mean viewing the differences as neutral, forgiving them for not easily understanding me, and working to understand their point of view instead of resenting it. It would be a lot better than how I see them now.

I fit in better with NT's than I do with some people with AS. Just because you have AS doesn't mean you can never fit in with or find friends who are NT.

I agree with your statement about seeing us as a different culture, but I don't think people really are much more forgiving, they may act it so they don't appear to be racist or whatever, but I've heard things said about foreigners much worse than those I've heard about people with AS.

Well, like I said, I don't think that you can't fit in with or find friends with people from a different culture, either.



I don't think you can really use a country where there's such controversy over immigration as a typical example. I hear plenty of bad things about Mexicans and Puerto Ricans here, but that doesn't mean it's the attitude toward foreigners in general.
Although I suppose NTs, if they did view us as a different culture, could end up thinking of us that way. There does seem to be a trend toward portraying us as a threat.

It seems that someone thinks that "different culture=something alien that's to be rejected and not thought about".

I get on with many NTs, once I get to know them. I can get on with people from different cultures too.

It seems like most of the people on this thread think that, which is kind of sad.

The core idea here is good. Communications between cultures are often hobbled by different languages and different levels of understanding different ideas. And, we have the problem as well.

But, communicationg across language and cultural differences is an enormous pain in the ass for many people (autistic or not). This problem is magnified when either person simply does not understand a topic.

Of course, when dealing with other cultures, diplomacy is a good move. I have found that it helps in day to day interactions as well.