Who here doesn't have Asperger's?

[kphoger]

My wife says I'm a "goober".
Is that kinda like Asperger's?

I think that's slang for Mexican.

Wow, I never knew...
Although I could see goober and ass burger being synonymous.

[TXtoNJ]

Some people among us have taken an interest in the demographics of roadgeeks. I would be intrigued by an unbiased study of contributors with over 100 posts to find:
* Percentage with Aspergers
* Percentage with autism
* Percentage gay
* Percentage bi
* Percentage MTF trans

It can seem like all of these categories are more heavily represented in roadgeekdom than in general population. Then again, I could add
* IQ

because I think overall we average well above 100. And there's a general correlation (no causation implied) between higher IQ and reported rates in the previous categories. Whatever societal or other factors weigh into that... there's a lot of sociology that could be done on our population to glean defining characteristics. I'm not sure that's necessarily the intent of the question being asked in this thread - it may have been at least a little sarcastic - but.

(I'm not sure how I want to end that thought.)

Can we add:

*Percentage Bronies

to the list?

[NE2]

Bronies, anime, what's the difference?

[formulanone]

Apparently, we (collectively, that is...neither interest me) had that battle at another forum, and the threat of bans was the only thing that kept their respective interests in line. It's the type of junk that happens on a forum about a video game series; never mind that it's also a pastime firmly rooted in make-believe, no matter how realistic the objects and places are rendered.

'Tis a silly place.

[vtk]

I've not seen MLP:FIM but I get the distinct impression I'm missing out.

[Dr Frankenstein]

Steve, that kind of demographics also interests me, and I agree with you on the heavier representation of Aspies, autists, gays and probably high IQs within the roadgeek community.

Regarding The Big Bang Theory and Sheldon, I did mean "caricatural", since the stereotypical traits are even exaggerated. I still think the show's funny. Yay for self-derision.

[Duke87]

If I meet any of you and you say you have Aspergers I will consider it entirely irrelevant. Based on the number of people I've met who have it, I think that it shouldn't have any impact on how you interact with anyone you meet.

From an onlooker's perspective, this makes sense as the tactic to take.
However, for someone who has the condition, it is anything but irrelevant. It is a very real handicap that can be very difficult to overcome, and many people never fully do.

Regarding The Big Bang Theory and Sheldon, I did mean "caricatural", since the stereotypical traits are even exaggerated. I still think the show's funny. Yay for self-derision.

I have never watched the show but my sister has compared me to Sheldon Cooper. Of course, siblings are going to make jabs at you. 

[AsphaltPlanet]

Agreed, I find the big bang theory very funny. I have yet to tire of the Sheldon /Penny dynamic, it's the best aspect of the show.

I have known of a few roadgeeks with aspergers, but I myself am a pretty average person, who also happens to be a roadgeek.

[Alps]

If I meet any of you and you say you have Aspergers I will consider it entirely irrelevant. Based on the number of people I've met who have it, I think that it shouldn't have any impact on how you interact with anyone you meet.

From an onlooker's perspective, this makes sense as the tactic to take.
However, for someone who has the condition, it is anything but irrelevant. It is a very real handicap that can be very difficult to overcome, and many people never fully do.

Regarding The Big Bang Theory and Sheldon, I did mean "caricatural", since the stereotypical traits are even exaggerated. I still think the show's funny. Yay for self-derision.

I have never watched the show but my sister has compared me to Sheldon Cooper. Of course, siblings are going to make jabs at you. 

You are not like Sheldon. Only Sheldon is like Sheldon because that's the only way "normies" can relate to nerds.

[agentsteel53]

The word you seek is "stereotypical." That show pisses me off tremendously because it portrays nerds in such a stereotypical light. Having spent five years among them, I can vouch that the show is completely inaccurate. Also, it makes fun of someone with a speech impediment for no reason at all.

I disagree.  I spent 5 years with a highly similar sample population, and I think a lot of it is fairly spot-on, albeit cartoonish.

[Darkchylde]

Can we add:

*Percentage Bronies

to the list?

I prefer the term "pegasister" myself.

[bugo]

I don't think I have it. In the past I have been mildly awkward in social situations but it's gotten better with practice, so I'm inclined to chalk it up to mere inexperience.

from my in-person interaction experience with you, I'd say we're approximately at the same level of having it.  I might have it slightly more than you.

(whee!  webAARoadsMD.com!)

I have it.
Self diagnosed when we first found out about it in 2008.

My symptoms:

Not a social person. Have no real desire to be. Have no friends. Don't need any.

Obsessed w/ roads, maps and signs since I was a little kid.

Don't like sports. Don't like to watch them, couldn't play them even if I wanted to. I think they are a boring waste of time, i don't understand why so         many people like them.

I was really f-ed up as a kid. i could not behave "properly".

When i was a kid, i would not wear proper "cool" / "in fashion" clothing. That has changed. Also, my haircut was awful. it was a "Beatles" cut. Tha has also changed.

I was alot pickier about clothing than other children. i would not wear jeans until high school because they were "too stiff and uncomfortable"

When younger, i would call people "dumbasses" to their face if they did something stupid or didn't know something that I thought they should know. nowdays I just think it to myself.

I call my friends names far worse things than "dumbass" on daily basis.  That's just what we do.  That's a weak insult anyway. Don't let it bother you.

[texaskdog]

Probably, I don't deal with people well or connect with people other than a few, and I don't get "social cues". 

[texaskdog]

Agreed, I find the big bang theory very funny. I have yet to tire of the Sheldon /Penny dynamic, it's the best aspect of the show.

I have known of a few roadgeeks with aspergers, but I myself am a pretty average person, who also happens to be a roadgeek.

I stopped watching the show when she cut her hair.

[jeffandnicole]

I'm glad they mentioned the hair cut in the first episode this season.  Shows try to gloss over some clear observations, such as when a kid actor has grown tremendously from one season to the next.  In this case, it was acknowledged (twice, I believe).

In my carpool of 4, 2 of us like the show, 1 is neutral about it, and 1 hates it.  The hater has told us several times he saw 10 minutes of the show and didn't find it funny.  Mr. Neutral will point out that the hater probably saw way too much of himself in the show, and took it as a personal insult.

If I were to relate closely to a character, it would probably be Lenny.

Another thing I've noticed about the show (and maybe this is true in other shows, but I don't watch a whole helluva lot of TV anymore):  They will slightly obscure brand names...you pretty much know the product, but they slightly alter the actual brand.  Yet, they freely throw around brand names verbally.  The obvious example is Cheesecake Factory.  But anything else is fair game too...they would say something like Coke rather than cola, but the soda can which looks awfully like a Diet Coke can would only say cola.

[Zeffy]

I have it.
Self diagnosed when we first found out about it in 2008.

My symptoms:

Not a social person. Have no real desire to be. Have no friends. Don't need any.

Obsessed w/ roads, maps and signs since I was a little kid.

Don't like sports. Don't like to watch them, couldn't play them even if I wanted to. I think they are a boring waste of time, i don't understand why so         many people like them.

I was really f-ed up as a kid. i could not behave "properly".

When i was a kid, i would not wear proper "cool" / "in fashion" clothing. That has changed. Also, my haircut was awful. it was a "Beatles" cut. Tha has also changed.

I was alot pickier about clothing than other children. i would not wear jeans until high school because they were "too stiff and uncomfortable"

When younger, i would call people "dumbasses" to their face if they did something stupid or didn't know something that I thought they should know. nowdays I just think it to myself.

Huh, that's interesting. I have a personal hatred towards anything that aren't sweatpants or shorts - they aren't comfortable, they are restrict my movement, and quite frankly, I think they look ugly. All throughout grade school I wore shorts to school everyday, even when it was snowing. My legs are never cold. Guess what? Everyone thought I was crazy, or had some illness. My preferred outfit is a t-shirt, shorts, and that's it. If it's cold, okay, I'll wear a hoodie.

I wear my hair long and it definitely is almost always in my eyes, something which apparently means I must be some pothead, emo kid, or some other common stereotype. Why? Why am I judged on my appearance? I tried cutting it short - it looked like fucking shit. Like seriously, I had unbelievable anxiety and the lowest level of self-esteem I've ever had last year because of that experiment. It doesn't work on everyone. My #1 fear is going bald, and you can believe me when I say I will take every step I can to prevent that from happening. Also, apparently caring so much about your hair and being a male is grounds for being called feminine. That (and a combination of other things) caused me to get picked on at school.

My social interactivity is lower than most, I don't really "need" social interaction, but I prefer it sometimes, at least in the form of VoIP chat. I don't really need to see people to fill my social desire, talking to them is plenty enough for me.

So if those traits qualify me for aspergers, then maybe I have it. I never took the time to think it was caused by anything but my personality. Even if it isn't, it doesn't change a thing. Why can't people accept everyone for being different? It seems the only people who are respected are the slaves to society.

[Pete from Boston]

On the other hand, Sheldon Cooper is an extreme (or more appropriately, caricatural) aspie, with OCD thrown into that.

"That's MY spot!"

The word you seek is "stereotypical." That show pisses me off tremendously because it portrays nerds in such a stereotypical light. Having spent five years among them, I can vouch that the show is completely inaccurate. Also, it makes fun of someone with a speech impediment for no reason at all.

The first thing I thought when I saw this show (aside from "this is awful") was that I have lived near MIT for years and even worked there for several, and nobody I met there was as dull as the people on that show.  The real nerds are a far weirder group, in a good way.

[Dr Frankenstein]

I've met a (milder, but with very similar traits) Sheldon in college, believe it or not.

[KG909]

Nah

[Pete from Boston]

My apologies–I must have mis-sorted my "unread" list and didn't realize I replied to a 3-year-old thread.

[Alps]

On the other hand, Sheldon Cooper is an extreme (or more appropriately, caricatural) aspie, with OCD thrown into that.

"That's MY spot!"

The word you seek is "stereotypical." That show pisses me off tremendously because it portrays nerds in such a stereotypical light. Having spent five years among them, I can vouch that the show is completely inaccurate. Also, it makes fun of someone with a speech impediment for no reason at all.

The first thing I thought when I saw this show (aside from "this is awful") was that I have lived near MIT for years and even worked there for several, and nobody I met there was as dull as the people on that show.  The real nerds are a far weirder group, in a good way.

This.

[algorerhythms]

On the other hand, Sheldon Cooper is an extreme (or more appropriately, caricatural) aspie, with OCD thrown into that.

"That's MY spot!"

The word you seek is "stereotypical." That show pisses me off tremendously because it portrays nerds in such a stereotypical light. Having spent five years among them, I can vouch that the show is completely inaccurate. Also, it makes fun of someone with a speech impediment for no reason at all.

The first thing I thought when I saw this show (aside from "this is awful") was that I have lived near MIT for years and even worked there for several, and nobody I met there was as dull as the people on that show.  The real nerds are a far weirder group, in a good way.

As an actual physicist, it sorta drives me up the wall a bit when I meet someone, they ask what I do, and they respond, "Oh, so you're like the guys on The Big Bang Theory."

[US71]

My wife says I'm a "goober".
Is that kinda like Asperger's?

I think that's slang for Mexican.

Goober used to be a peanut butter & jelly spread.

[Molandfreak]

I'm not on the spectrum in any way, shape, or form. If anything, people have told me that I actually pick up social cues better than the average person does.

However, I have some social anxiety brought on by depression. I've never been bullied per se, but I often feel like everyone I talk to secretly thinks that I'm stupid or that I'm not worth their time. I really think I'm a good person, but I constantly worry about the mistakes I make as if they aren't forgivable. In a nutshell, I beat myself up because I worry what others perceive me as. I love all of my friends dearly, but it's like my own conscience always haunts me and I frequently apologize for things that aren't my fault or don't need apologies.

[Molandfreak]

My wife says I'm a "goober".
Is that kinda like Asperger's?

I think that's slang for Mexican.

Goober used to be a peanut butter & jelly spread.

It still is!