...wait, what?

Today, I was told about yet another self-help book with, surprise, a personality test attached. I took the test, looked up what it meant, found something that suited me as best I could figure.

But later, I started to get kind of pissed. Yes, the personality tests can sometimes help. Yes, to some degree people can be categorized effectively. Yes, that sometimes can mean some useful advice.

But I've taken probably dozens of personality tests by now, and I'm getting really sick of being shoved into a category. Being dissected and told "this is what you should do." Sometimes, that advice is useful. But for the most part, free advice seems to be worth the price you pay. 

I saw a cartoon once that said "there are only two kinds of people: those who make gross over-generalizations and those who don't." More and more, I'm starting to agree with it.

And really, I'm getting INCREDIBLY sick of people telling me what to do, especially when I don't ask for it. Everyone seems to have the answer to life. You just have to eat less, buy this book, accept Jesus as your savior, take this pill, etc.

How about you just let me figure it out myself?

My life is not your life. I have a different set of problems than you do. Frequently, you have no idea what my life has actually been like, or currently is like right now.

I hate to break it to you, but you DON'T have all the answers. Nobody does.

What I think, (I assume you want to know, since you're reading this) is that everyone has a little piece of the puzzle, which together connects into this backasswards thing we call life. Sometimes, the piece you have connects to the piece someone else has. And those are the people you can help, maybe. If they want it.

But my puzzle piece is very, very weird and convoluted. I haven't even really figured out what it is yet. But I'd kind of like to figure it out for myself.

Sure, I'm inexperienced. Sure, I make mistakes. Sure, sometimes following your advice would have helped.

But sometimes, I'm right.

So just let me try it myself, okay?

I know I have Asperger's, and because of that, I seem to miss things that seem obvious to you. But you miss things that are obvious to me, as well.

People don't realize it, but the truth is, the minute you say you have Asperger's Syndrome, or are Autistic, they listen to you less. When you're arguing with them, they are thinking "oh, they just don't know because of the Autism." Amd then we end up being right sometimes-- the truth is, we have about the same accuracy rate as Neurotypicals do, it's just not distributed the same way.

This thought process of "well, how would you know? You're autistic!" is EXTREMELY bad. That is NOT the right way to approach us AT ALL.

First of all, it's insulting. Second of all, it's actually discrimination. Yes, it really is. Discounting someone's opinion purely because of a diagnosis IS discrimination.

Here is how to approach this situation: try to have the Autistic person in question explain his or her reasoning. There is a chance there is something you missed. Or, if there is something he or she missed, explain what it is. If they don't believe you, then say "we'll see" and let it go. 

Really. Let it go. Holding a grudge is not going to be good for either of you down the road. Besides, it's not our fault, and you STILL could end up being wrong!

I will be the first to admit this is very, very hard. I am in a group with some other Aspies, some of whom have far less social graces than I do. 

Sometimes, it's all I can do not to leap out of my chair and strangle them to make them shut the hell up because they are being such a pain in the ass.

You know the definition of stress, right? "The overwhelming urge to choke the living shit out of someone who so richly deserves it"? 

Yeah. Join the club.

Instead, I content myself by imagining beating the crap out of them in creative ways. 

Possibly with a Rube Goldberg-type machine. 

Or something along the lines of the "Homer Humiliator" from The Simpsons. 

Or with Matrix-style Kung Fu.

*cough*

Hey, I never said I didn't have issues. 



So, remember kids, keep an open mind.