Hacker News Reader

Asperger's precludes anyone from having the necessary toolbox to be even remotely considered 'streetsmart', as is mentioned in the article.

Interesting perspective however.

View on HN

Depends on where they are on the spectrum - one of the better salespeople I knew was diagnosed mildly AS. He was extremely smart, had gotten very good at reading people's mannerisms, and didn't get uneasy with that sort of manipulation - it's not a black and white thing.

And, frankly, "Street Smart" + "Murdered" = "Not Street Smart Enough"

Granted I'm not a psychologist but am extremely familiar with the literature/research on AS, and everything I can recall promotes a severe disability in recognizing, interacting, and making connections with/between individuals, groups and environments--which is how I would define 'streetsmarts.'

But you're absolutely right in saying that it isn't black and white. There are also plenty of misdiagnosed cases; and the research and criteria continually evolve.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com