I Can Finally Prove it (almost.) The Reason I HATE Text Based Communication is Because I AM NORMAL! (*sheesh*)

Ok. That is another of my unclear starts. Yesterday, while waiting on line at the DMV for vehicle inspection, I heard a report on NPR about Autism. To set this up better, I should say that among the specific things associated with Autism Spectrum Disorders are inabilities and deficiencies with one-on-one, real world communication. Said simply, autistics often if not usually don't get all those subtle, emotional cues, like eye contact, and facial expressions, and tone of voice. (Personally I get lost without all that stuff, quite easily.)

So, in this one bit in the multi-part report, the one man said something about Autism and the internet that triggered the thought expressed in the subject line here. He said that the internet levels the playing field for autistics. All the subtly of eye, and face, and tone of voice and emotional cues are GONE! They do not exist.

That is hell for me. But it is heaven for an autistic person.

Now earlier today, I looked for a direct link to the NPR story, and could not find that specific bit on their website. But I found the following, elsewhere:


"Tech Fields A Haven For Some

Systems-Oriented Skills Of High-Functioning Autistics, Asperger's, Can Be A Good Fit

(WebMD) The Internet can be a social paradise for high-functioning autistic people and people with Asperger's syndrome. Here, the nonverbal niceties of social interaction that they find so perplexing don't apply. People who might strike others as gauche in person often fit in perfectly well on Internet message boards."

(more)

"It's been said that people with autism invented the Internet"

So yes (well not literally) it does seem that I am too normal to deal with all that text based shit.

Who knew?

I did.

I have been saying that for years.