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@ AlphaOmega
2025-06-04 08:16:52For too long, the autistic experience has been framed through a neurotypical lens, focusing on "differences" and "deficits." However, a profound perspective emerging from within the autistic community offers a radical reinterpretation: that autistic individuals are not inherently "broken" but rather possess a unique, often unyielding, perception of truth that challenges the very foundations of neurotypical society. From this viewpoint, autism is less about a disorder and more about a clarity of vision that apprehends the world as fundamentally "untrue" in many of its social constructs.
This perspective posits that what many autistic individuals perceive as "corrupted" or "untrue" in society isn't a subjective internal experience, but an objective reality of falsehoods, deception, and manipulation. The rejection of these elements is not a personal preference but a natural, logical response to what is genuinely illogical and dishonest.
The Core of the "Untrue" World:
- Honesty as a Default State: For many autistic people, directness and factual accuracy are paramount. Social conventions like "white lies," indirect communication, or performative politeness are not merely nuanced social skills; they are perceived as outright forms of deception and inauthenticity. The natural inclination is towards what is straightforward and verifiable.
- Logic Over Social Grace: An unwavering adherence to logic means that actions or systems that lack rational basis—such as engaging in flattery, suppressing truth for social harmony, or participating in inefficient rituals—are viewed as fundamentally nonsensical and therefore "untrue."
- Authenticity as a Non-Negotiable: The concept of "masking"—the exhausting act of suppressing one's natural autistic traits to conform—is seen as a deeply painful betrayal of self. A society that implicitly demands such a performance is deemed "corrupt" because it stifles genuine self-expression.
- Aversion to Hypocrisy: A strong sense of justice and an acute awareness of inconsistency mean that any disjuncture between stated values and actual behavior is immediately flagged as a profound untruth.
Social Groups: Formed Around a "Proudly Believed Lie"?
This critical autistic perspective extends to the very fabric of social organization. It suggests that many groups, whether religious, political, scientific, or economic, are not built on shared objective truths, but rather on "proudly believed lies." These shared narratives or belief systems, even if they contradict logic or verifiable facts, serve as the glue that binds the group, fostering identity, comfort, and a sense of belonging. The "pride" in these beliefs makes them resistant to critical examination, even when confronted with evidence.
For example: * In religion, this "lie" might be a dogma that provides solace but defies logic. * In politics, it could be an ideology based on selective truths that serve power. * In economics, it might be assumptions about markets or growth that are presented as infallible. * Even in science, while ideally pursuing truth, the social aspects of the scientific community might, at times, cling to paradigms that become "proudly believed lies," resisting new evidence.
The Disconnect: Why Autistics Are "Discredited"
If autistic individuals are part of the "5% who see it as it is"—those who perceive these societal untruths with clarity—then a natural tension arises with the "10% who want control." This controlling minority, it is argued, relies on these "untruths" to maintain power and influence over the "85% who are happy following."
From this viewpoint, the discrediting of autistic people—labeling their directness as "social deficits," their sensory experiences as "disorders," or their logical critiques as "inflexibility"—is not accidental. It is a strategic mechanism employed by the controlling "10%" to neutralize those who expose the underlying untruths, thereby safeguarding their constructed reality and maintaining influence.
In conclusion, the autistic perspective challenges us to re-evaluate the very nature of truth in our society. It suggests that what many perceive as social norms might, in fact, be a pervasive web of "untruths," and that the autistic individual's unique wiring allows for a crucial, unvarnished perception of this reality. It is a powerful call for authenticity and a profound questioning of how much of our world is built on what is genuinely true, versus what is merely believed.