<![CDATA[Deficit or difference?]]>Deficit or difference?

There are a few things about autism that it takes quite a lot of ingenuity to consistently frame them as negative.

I've listed some of them here...

A thread 🧡

⬇️

1/13

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/topic/7c0f4209-b1e7-4474-a3a0-dfb447aa9b8a/deficit-or-differenceRSS for NodeMon, 22 Jun 2026 10:24:38 GMTSat, 13 Jun 2026 17:52:57 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 19:04:46 GMT]]>@KatyElphinstone Thank you for the write-up! (And the linked article) I once took the TT-38 personality test and was assigned the Rightous Crusader trifecta talents - basically, high morality, high judgement and they were very confused when I took that as a compliment πŸ˜‚.

It was supposed to teach me that I should loosen my standards 'to be agreeable' - nevermind that the runner-up talents were cooperation, supporting others and teamwork.

You helped me understand this bewildering experience!

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://helvede.net/users/tofticles/statuses/116750017242867183https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://helvede.net/users/tofticles/statuses/116750017242867183Sun, 14 Jun 2026 19:04:46 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:53:00 GMT]]>@KatyElphinstone As a corollary to the power AND the understanding thing - most autistic people I know are highly individual in their choices, e.g. media, clothes, etc. Their tastes are less susceptible to advertising manipulation. This is a deeply threatening trait for a capitalist system.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://toot.community/users/GinevraCat/statuses/116749735056812328https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://toot.community/users/GinevraCat/statuses/116749735056812328Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:53:00 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:46:24 GMT]]>@KatyElphinstone Also, I am personally able to perform those if I have to, (mostly). I understand the dynamics at play - I don't believe in them, though.

I have *never* experienced this as a negative.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://toot.community/users/GinevraCat/statuses/116749709113124652https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://toot.community/users/GinevraCat/statuses/116749709113124652Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:46:24 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:28:40 GMT]]>@fabienmarry

πŸ˜₯

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116749639397380875https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116749639397380875Sun, 14 Jun 2026 17:28:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 15:28:35 GMT]]>@KatyElphinstone I don’t think I’ll ever get over the immense sadness from learning that actually giving a shit about a topic or a cause is considered pathological by the majority of humans.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/fabienmarry/statuses/116749167195209510https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/fabienmarry/statuses/116749167195209510Sun, 14 Jun 2026 15:28:35 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 13:35:11 GMT]]>@fabienmarry

πŸ˜‚

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116748721316973305https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116748721316973305Sun, 14 Jun 2026 13:35:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 11:48:51 GMT]]>@KatyElphinstone I had β€œI’m NOT stopping in the middle of the street! I’m stopping at 2/3 of the street!”…

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/fabienmarry/statuses/116748303163114690https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/fabienmarry/statuses/116748303163114690Sun, 14 Jun 2026 11:48:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:12:34 GMT]]>@KatyElphinstone
my read is that "the autism epidemic" is actually the breakage of our "normal" with a normality that is drifting away from sustainability even on a personal basis. And autists are just the canaries in the coal mine.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tooot.im/users/eladhen/statuses/116747924564478241https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tooot.im/users/eladhen/statuses/116747924564478241Sun, 14 Jun 2026 10:12:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 09:42:50 GMT]]>@eladhen

Yes.... it's very Wizard of Oz. Hidden, and assumed. Invisible in plain sight. And not a very reachable target. Much more satisfying to kick down & have your blow connect with something satisfyingly soft. 😬

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116747807649699791https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116747807649699791Sun, 14 Jun 2026 09:42:50 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 09:01:00 GMT]]>@KatyElphinstone of course. But the system is invisible. You need a mental model of it to start seeing it, and our society did a lot to help us forget and naturalize the system.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tooot.im/users/eladhen/statuses/116747643175761017https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tooot.im/users/eladhen/statuses/116747643175761017Sun, 14 Jun 2026 09:01:00 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:56:35 GMT]]>@eladhen

Which is a very good point. But instead of attacking the autistic person.... one could try attacking the system instead. πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116747625779010095https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116747625779010095Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:56:35 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:54:49 GMT]]>@KatyElphinstone
I feel like most of the time when people challenge my Autism they're saying "why should you be treated like humans and not like normal crap of the earth like the rest of us?"

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tooot.im/users/eladhen/statuses/116747618837946122https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tooot.im/users/eladhen/statuses/116747618837946122Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:54:49 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:51:14 GMT]]>@CassandraVert

Super inconvenient. And then it looked so awful to shoot her down because she was a child.

@undefined_variable

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116747604764208396https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116747604764208396Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:51:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:50:51 GMT]]>@CassandraVert

Hehe I love this! πŸ¦™

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116747603279478208https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116747603279478208Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:50:51 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:50:33 GMT]]>@MyLittleMetroid

Ooh they really, really do. Ouch.

@CassandraVert

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116747602083492005https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116747602083492005Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:50:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:50:10 GMT]]>@dsri

Yes! Assuming equalities between parties. I actually prefer your way of putting it.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116747600575540723https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116747600575540723Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:50:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:47:25 GMT]]>@eladhen

Exactly this. Very well put.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116747589771916763https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116747589771916763Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:47:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:19:38 GMT]]>@KatyElphinstone
the problem is, in current society, a "normal" person cannot be exempt from the harsh judgement of our lord and savior, the market. If you're Autistic you need to decide if you're on the exempt side (all bad) if you're on the not exempt side (aren't we all a bit...).

That's why self diagnosis is so reviled. Trying to get exempt from the market without a doctor? What if everyone wanted to be exempt?!

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tooot.im/users/eladhen/statuses/116747480520901585https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tooot.im/users/eladhen/statuses/116747480520901585Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:19:38 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 04:59:28 GMT]]>@zigi_now9

Ooh ouch. I just did it. I mean, if anything it made me realise that's an even worse bind to be in (in my view, at least) than for autistic people. It's like you're so close to the machine that you're living inside it all the time.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116746693414783800https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116746693414783800Sun, 14 Jun 2026 04:59:28 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 04:56:46 GMT]]>@Tooden

Indeed it's true, that all this represents quite a threat to the status quo.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116746682814666107https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mas.to/users/KatyElphinstone/statuses/116746682814666107Sun, 14 Jun 2026 04:56:46 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sun, 14 Jun 2026 00:37:56 GMT]]>@KatyElphinstone Now let's describe allistic people using the same framework. >:3

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://autistics.life/users/zigi_now9/statuses/116745665034571192https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://autistics.life/users/zigi_now9/statuses/116745665034571192Sun, 14 Jun 2026 00:37:56 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sat, 13 Jun 2026 23:11:30 GMT]]>@KatyElphinstone That’s a good list. A few of mine are slight rephrases: that I assume equality between parties (may be related to you social hierarchy one), that I assume people say what they mean (taking words seriously), and that people are capable of negotiating what they need (direct communication). My rule zero, though, is that I don’t intuitively prioritize performance of social agreeability with human social pack dynamics, and this seems to be the crux of my disconnect.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://opalstack.social/users/dsri/statuses/116745325127708742https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://opalstack.social/users/dsri/statuses/116745325127708742Sat, 13 Jun 2026 23:11:30 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sat, 13 Jun 2026 22:55:09 GMT]]>@KatyElphinstone Also, both my daughter and I will use the literal meaning of idioms to make jokes. (eg "two shakes of what?")

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://indieweb.social/users/CassandraVert/statuses/116745260886297338https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://indieweb.social/users/CassandraVert/statuses/116745260886297338Sat, 13 Jun 2026 22:55:09 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Deficit or difference? on Sat, 13 Jun 2026 22:22:43 GMT]]>@undefined_variable @KatyElphinstone I mean because we don't think like they do, they can't use all the same controls. That's inconvenient for them. Someone like Greta Thunberg is inconvenient.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://indieweb.social/users/CassandraVert/statuses/116745133301565211https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://indieweb.social/users/CassandraVert/statuses/116745133301565211Sat, 13 Jun 2026 22:22:43 GMT