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Der_Einzige | on: After 20 years, math couple solves major group theory problem
Unfortunately the average persons hatred of autistic or nerdy people implies that many believe the world would be a better place if “obsessive types” didn’t exist.

Hans Asperger could only save his Austic children from nazi death camps by convincing the nazis that they had value to produce rockets and bombs.

It’s quite remarkable that the USA is so advanced given how deep and ruthless our anti-intellectualism goes.

jonahx | parent | next
"the average persons hatred of autistic or nerdy people"

This is a wildly inaccurate picture of the average person. I don't even think this is true of 10% of people.

lanstin | root | parent | next
Probably enough for 90% of such folks to be tormented quite effectively during childhood.
bear141 | root | parent | next
This is a great point. If a small percentage of the population is openly and aggressively negative towards another part of the population, it makes sense that they would both artificially appear as if they are a larger part of the population, to each other. I think it goes both ways.
macbem | root | parent | next
Anyone who's a bit different has a high chance of having been bullied at some point. It doesn't mean that society hates this specific group of people.
LPisGood | root | parent
I _highly_ doubt 90% of nerdy people were tormented during childhood. Have you spent time in/around academia? These people are massive nerds and horrendous childhood torment is pretty rare.
ted_dunning | root | parent
It was 100% in my personal experience.
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MrMcCall | root | parent
Our son was specifically chosen to be in his 4th Grade class because it spent part of the day hosting the spectrum kids within their "regular" class. He was chosen for that honor because of his kindness.

He has been taught to love others since he was born, and the Path of Love has borne fruit for all those around all four of us.

All the people who say it can't be done have never tried consciously evolving with Divine help.

{Complete lyrics} --Sinead O'Connor in Massive Attack's "What Your Soul Sings"

tim333 | parent | next
US intellectualism is patchy. Sure a lot of people are not into it but on the other hand you probably have more well paid academic posts than any other country.
Gud | parent | next
I don't think the average person hate autistic or nerdy people.
throwpoaster | root | parent | next
Yes, they do. They wouldn't say it, but look at how autistic people get treated by their peers, teachers, and bosses.
jonnybgood | root | parent
How do you know their peers, teachers, and bosses aren’t autistic too? Autistic people can’t be peers, teachers, and bosses? Autistic people can be assholes too. Maybe that’s what it really is: some people are just assholes.
throwpoaster | root | parent | next
Between 2 and 5 percent of people are autistic.
yifanl | root | parent
Extreme category error, try again.
MattGrommes | root | parent | next
Obviously everything is a spectrum but I agree. If anything, "a touch of the 'tism" is the new "I have OCD" because you like a clean desk, something people are fine with saying without regards to it being true.
parineum | root | parent
They absolutely don't.

The average person is probably uncomfortable around autistic people because they don't know how to deal with them and, when you see someone like that, it's usually best to avoid interacting with them. Not because autistic people are dangerous but people acting out of the ordinary sometimes are.

The lumping in of nerdy with autistic is ridiculous too. The average person just doesn't care about your interests unless they are in common. Nerdy typically just means having a niche interest or hobby.

Your parent reeks of a persecution complex.

mike_ivanov | root | parent | next
I guess you never studied in a school and therefore not aware of bullying and its stereotypical targets.
Der_Einzige | root | parent
It's shocking that you can just bury your head in the sand about the colloquial usage of "autist" (often happening at the same time as "Incel") replacing "retard" in the lexicon of the average zoomer.

It's not a persecution complex to identify the ways that hate gets used, deployed, and repackaged for a new generation. Putting your head in the sand about stuff like this is why Trump winning the election was SO shocking to some and extremely obvious to others.

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BobaFloutist | parent | next
Probably the most powerful man in the world right now openly self-identifies as autistic. Obviously there are very many autistic people who get treated very badly, but I don't think it's reasonable to say that the average person "hates" autistic people.
harrison_clarke | root | parent
that guy is arguably causing branding problems for less powerful autistic people
BobaFloutist | root | parent
Yeah I wouldn't want to be an autistic person that doesn't suck right now.

I imagine it's a lot like my experience of having ADHD and being trapped between wanting leeway and support but also wanting to be held accountable and considered capable of improving and watching the Tiktokification of my disorder force me to argue that actually people with ADHD can do things and no having it doesn't fully excuse you from ever meeting commitments or doing the fucking dishes, especially if you're rejecting all and any treatment or strategy.

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fullshark | parent | next
If anything autistic/nerdy people are lionized these days with tons of people larping as them online, claiming they are autistic because they sometimes feel awkward at a social event.
annzabelle | root | parent
I think the claim of being autistic is lionized but actually having detrimental symptoms of autism is still very stigmatized.
manoweb | parent | next
What are you talking about, why do you think that autistics are treated better in Europe, Africa, Asia? Also, people do not "hate" them, people in general hate everybody, don't play the victim
veidr | parent
Isn't it basically the same? Nazi Germany in 1934 was relatively advanced, too.

I think the difference is^W was that USA celebrated it in a Homer Simpson kind of "Ha ha! NERDS!" way, while meth-Hitler was like "let's sterilize them but try to extract math from them to... (whatever batshit goal)"

Anti-intellectualism seems to be a thing when the intellectual/moderately-competent people have already brought success. (Until then it's more like anti-witchcraft, or whatever...)