Do many Aspies think there are superior to NTs?

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I am speaking of AS specifically here.

Apparently they think we have "trouble understanding the big picture" which I do believe hints at an aura of feelings of superiority.

Personally I do feel this phrase is rather insulting as it implies that the person who conceived this statement feels that my perception of the world is more narrow than what it should be, as if somehow they could possibly know enough about me to make this statement.

And here I am conflicted, as I don't wish to be rude or come across as arrogant in any matter, but it shouldn't go without saying, that if there is a "big picture" I don't get, which I'm sure there is, then there is certainly a "big picture" which they don't get.

Perhaps I indeed "cannot see the wood for the trees" but they cannot see the stars from the forest. Do they even know there are stars in the sky? Do they even comprehend we are in a galaxy? And the size of that galaxy? And the sheer number of galaxies in the universe? For the most part, probably not.

But you do not see me making Youtube videos of my NT relatives with still images put to some horribly mushy song while I blab about being devastated and feeling sorry for them and start making assumptions about what they can and can't, and will and will never do.

To the parents who have done such things of their AS children. Your child is likely very intelligent and they will probably not appreciate such videos when they are older.

I don't think that many actually believe that. I think they're just louder than those who don't. (And, in places like this where aspie supremacy isn't explicitly disallowed, they can look like a majority when the reality is it's just a minority who like to talk incessantly about their superiority.) However I do think most nonautistic people feel superior to autistic people, because that belief is so much the norm that even to say we are equal is:

1. Treated as if we are saying we are superior (to have assertions of equality taken as assertions of superiority is one of the surest signs of a power imbalance in the opposite direction) and/or

2. Treated as if we are saying something utterly ridiculous.

Threads like this don't really help .

This makes me angry. No human is inherently better than any other. I believe that Asperger's and autism are disorders, deviations from the norm. It doesn't make us "less than," but it certainly doesn't make us "more than" either.

It hurts when the people who are supposed to be supporting us, especially professionals, have a subtle patronizing tone about them. Maybe it's my own protective arrogance/insecurity projecting but I often feel like people don't fully appreciate my level of awareness/intelligence since I don't always have an easy time communicating it. Sometimes I feel like my own family subconsciously talk down to me and I start feeling the need to retaliate in a display of anger. Yet they remain oblivious as to the cause of my anger and claim that I'm reacting irrationally.

In some ways I think I'm superior to NTs but I'm sure lots of NTs feel superior to me. I feel I'm superior because I do NOT need things like popularity or recognition from others. I spend quite a lot of time by myself & I do not mindlessly fallow popular people like a heard of sheep. I'm different/unique, I have my own opinions & I do not want to conform to anyone else. I do NOT need things like money to be happy so I guess in a way you could say I do feel superior to others because I'm comfortable with myself.
But in lots of other ways I feel like NTs are much more superior to me because they do not have to think about things & they are accepted & much more apt to get in positions of power over Aspies. NTs run the world NOT Aspeies & NTs tell Aspies how to live

I think we are equal but different.
Unfortunately the world is geared towards NTs, which leaves us at a disadvantage.

A major component of this discussion seems to be about the issue of intelligence. There are lots of different kinds of intelligence, and smart most certainly does not mean better, but a major component of it is, Do you learn from your mistakes.

As for am I "better?" See my followup post on the Aspie glossary for an answer to that question.

We aren't superior or inferior, just different. Maybe the reason some aspies think they are superior is because of their anger at how some NT's shun aspies and victimize them for being different. I could understand it if the NTs were all un-accepting, but the thing is alot of NTs out there are kind people. Instead of tarnishing them all with the same brush, we should give respect to the ones who are kind and accepting.

But the NTs who think they are superior should just go forth and multiply.

Sounds like a koan: While the view of a forest may be obscured by all the trees, one can not see the stars from a forest.

I'm curious what definition of "big picture" is used there... cause, I understand some REALLY big concepts pretty damn well, perhaps they mean to imply that society is the big picture?



By Thor, that is a fantastic idea.

Don't forget to mention what a terrible burden they've been on your life, and how NT-ism is a monster coming to take your children!

Superiority, pushing as much meaning as possible into a high IQ or ability, judging others based on the areas that they lack in ability or in others mistakes or in others attitudes or in another's position, is a self defense mechanism for low self esteem. It can also help a person keep a positive grip on their self identity when they spend their lives being misunderstood, not valued for their abilities and judged by their mistakes.

It isn't a good self defense mechanism as it is deflecting from the problem of being misunderstood and having low self esteem. It can enable a person to convince themselves that they don't have low self esteem and it can protect somewhat from the knocks. The difficulty is in finding other ways in valuing your abilities and not taking your failings so harshly. The difficulty is in finding ways in explaining to others the way you are effectively enough so that you are not misunderstood so often. Sometimes the difficulties are out of your control and keeping a sense of superiority isn't.

Sometimes just acting like certain NT behaviour is stupid or acting like certain AS behaviour is superior is simply because it is less or more agreeable and nothing more is really meant.

How ever as I am British I am automatically and repeatedly proven right that I am superior to Americans. The British , The Americans , .

there? where?

i think people are just fed up with a lot of troubles they recieve. not liking those things isnt feeling superior

I don't mind being weird too much, but I would love to be more normal and have an easier life. I don't understand NT people too well. My family's full of Aspies. The only NT person is my mom and we don't understand her. We think she's totally nuts, but apparently she's very popular everywhere she goes and has many good friends.

I'd gladly drop 15 IQ points in exchange to be "normal". Ok actually I'd drop 15 IQ points just to be able to sleep like normal people do every night.

perhaps, there are bigots in all groups right? and even normal decent people often have a fault of feeling their group is superior in some sub-conscious sense.

There are a whole lot of such people in Mensa.

ruveyn