Steve Silberman on Autism
fivebooks.com
fivebooks.com
Also saying everyone is somewhere on the austic spectrum is questionable. I am skeptical of such claims and think behaviorial choices and self-fulfilling prophechies are to blame.
Scientists and engineers can be outgoing. Introverts can be gregarious. I resist the temptation to label ourselves, I'm this or I'm that. Or the temptation to indulge our emotions; "I just speak my mind".
You are whatever you limit yourself to be. Focus, being in the zone and being mathematically inclined is not Aspergers. We are all smart enough and human enough to know and feel emotions. We aren't robots no matter how much our intellect makes us hate society or become misanthropic or antagonist towards the opposite sex.
If Temple Grandin can do what she did, a shy awkward nerdy kid can learn confidence, can challenge himself to break out of pre-defined molds, and be anything and everything humanly possible and then some.
Being social isn't easy for anyone just like coding isn't easy for anyone. Except those who practice it.
When it comes to the spectrum - right now there are now strong arguments for AS being a binary condition, and many - that it is a spectrum. Sure, many people can have it with value "negligible".
Sure, engineers, mathematicians can be socially intelligent, outgoing etc. I linked to a paper showing experimental results than _on average_ STEM students have more autistic traits than other students (or the general population).
> You are whatever you limit yourself to be.
A strong claim for psychology (~"people with depression just don't like to be happy").
Exceptions cannot be used to define norms. "If she did it, anyone can" is demeaning to both the person who accomplished whatever "it" is, and to everyone else who hasn't done "it."
Unfortunately, you are not necessarily able to change those limits, even if they are 'yours'.
Thinking you have (or should have) control over your behaviour does not mean that you do.