High Cognitive Minds

I have a question to ask, not just of Catana, but of your readers as well. This is a bit of an awkward question and if it weren't for this place being semi-anonymous I'm not sure I'd even ask it. Also, I feel this question may be constructive here since both you and what I've read of other people who respond here seem to be the more level-headed misanthropic type.
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What I'm trying to get to is this: how do you experience normal people? Do you experience them as being delusional?
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The times I've been around other bright people are the times I've felt the most connected with other human beings - so I know it can be done. But when it comes to most people... I just can't bridge the gap between my mind and theirs.
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While I don't fall on the autism spectrum myself, I found this website to be eerily similar to how I see most people: http://isnt.autistics.org/ It's a good laugh, too.
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To quote: "Neurotypical syndrome is a neurobiological disorder characterized by preoccupation with social concerns, delusions of superiority, and obsession with conformity.
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Neurotypical individuals often assume that their experience of the world is either the only one, or the only correct one. NTs find it difficult to be alone. NTs are often intolerant of seemingly minor differences in others. When in groups NTs are socially and behaviorally rigid, and frequently insist upon the performance of dysfunctional, destructive, and even impossible rituals as a way of maintaining group identity. NTs find it difficult to communicate directly, and have a much higher incidence of lying as compared to persons on the autistic spectrum."

The question isn't creepy, but since I'm actually on the autistic spectrum, I'm not sure how representative my response would be. The relationship between autism (actually Asperger's) and how some gifted people regard normals --or neurotypicals-- is actually worth pursuing, and it's something I've been working on for some time. But I'm not sure whether it's appropriate for this site, so I've put off discussing it.

As for my personal view, there are some areas where I consider the average person delusional, but mostly just limited in their perceptions and understanding. I always thought that was specifically due to differences in intelligence. As I learned more, I added different cognitive abilities to intelligence. And now, I seriously think about the possibility that the overlap between high level autistic thinking and gifted thinking is more than just a coincidence. But I'm probably more likely to write about my developing thoughts on that subject on my other blog: Spectrum of Minds.

Not to be weird: but are you sure you're autistic? Misdiagnosis of the gifted seems common from reading websites on the sbuject.
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Also, have you posted a link for your other blog?
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I also agree with you -- the overlap between gifted and autistic seems like it would be one very odd coincidince.
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While I certainly do fit some of Asperger's, I don't fit enough for me to believe I am. Also, after reading about what people are going through on that website "Wrong Planet" I must say that my life wasn't / isn't like that.

"Not to be weird: but are you sure you're autistic? Misdiagnosis of the gifted seems common from reading websites on the sbuject."

I do have Asperger's, but there's still debate over whether it's part of the autism spectrum or completely separate. My self-dx wasn't a casual conclusion, but took more than a year, which included dredging up my childhood. The symptoms have to be apparent at an early age. The diagnosis also finally explained what wasn't covered by giftedness.

"Also, have you posted a link for your other blog?"

The link is on the About page. I haven't been pushing the blog since I've been in the processing of deciding how to slant it.

"I also agree with you -- the overlap between gifted and autistic seems like it would be one very odd coincidince."

There are a good number of quotes about the relationship (theoretical) between autism/Asperger's and scientific creativity. It's very easy to draw parallels, but not easy at all to find proof.

"While I certainly do fit some of Asperger's, I don't fit enough for me to believe I am. Also, after reading about what people are going through on that website "Wrong Planet" I must say that my life wasn't / isn't like that."

People on the spectrum vary quite a lot, from severe multiple disabilities to a few mild ones. I'm very much at the mild end, which made an honest, objective self-diagnosis more difficult. I have most of the diagnostic requirements, plus a good number of "comorbidities," which aren't yet official signs, but are almost always present. Understanding of the spectrum is in a process of rapid development and greater sophistication which isn't yet reflected in the official diagnostics. For me, the importance isn't the labels, but understanding my mind and how it works, and understanding my various disabilities.

I agree with you about lables. Even on the job I don't really care about a "title". I'd rather my "title" be my actual name.

"Oh what does George do? Well... he does George things!" I'm so amazing no title can contain me! (That's a joke.)

I do like your post regarding "Breeds of Men", Breed 1 is how I experience most people. http://spectrumofminds.wordpress.com/breeds-of-men-a-summary/

Do you write books?

Regarding the connection between giftedness and HFA/Asperger's... do you think that maybe with one or both of these things that Mother Nature is breaking a whole lot of eggs trying to make an omelet? Yes, I realize that Nature doesn't *intend* in the way that people do. But maybe the first time human beings walked upright looked like a real mess too. Maybe some people could kind of only stumble-upright and it looked silly to the others who couldn't walk upright at all. Their bodies wanted to walk upright but no one knew how to teach them or help them and maybe they were the only ones in their little isolated communities at first.
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Also, congratulations on being 70, I never would have guessed by how sharp and up-to-date you are.

If there is a real connection, it's just one of many variations. There are many differences from the norm that are consistent enough not to be regarded as mere accidents or coincidences -- left-handedness, homosexuality, giftedness, etc. There is far more variability in nature than most people realize.

Reagarding autism, particularly Asperger's syndrome, some students rebelled to psychologists (you might have seen this article):

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/20/health/20autism.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1216376134-zwFQGNi5eETpUG/fhQH2RA

I've only been aware of autism and asperger's for the last couple of years, so it's interesting to find that the neurodiversity movement goes back at least as far as 2004. That's a good article, mainly because it points up the problems: defining autism and asperger's, and the differing goals of parents with autistic children, and adult autistics themselves.

The two biggest stumbling blocks to any resolution are the comparative lack of research into causes, and the poor communication between the factions. The people who get the attention are sometimes simply the ones who are most outspoken, but aren't necessarily the best communicators.