Yeah, I understand hierarchy but it's only a title, you're just a person like everyone else so fucking chill

I've been wondering for a while now whether loyalty to a group of people is a trait that is more commonly found in non-autistic people. Would explain so much.

My bet is that this is often the result of receiving more mistreatment than usual, or from simply being less likely to adhere to the already established social hierarchies because the social hierarchy just rejects you, which turn (pretty reasonable) attitudes that later become rationalised as anti-authoritarianism.

I wonder how much of that is a reaction to not understanding rules. Since transitioning, my sister has gone into the "everyone needs to submit to God" category.

Of course, God could be the only authority and every other authority is an idol.

Yep, like anything with the goal of changing behaviors it all comes down to what behaviors you're targeting, why you're targeting them, and how you're planning to discourage the targeted behavior and enforce the desired replacement.

It's great if you're trying to change behaviors that cause the autistic person distress and interfere with them living a fulfilling and happy life, but horrible if you're aim is to just enforce blind conformity for the sake of it.

My wife is autistic as are at least 2 of our 3 kids, with the third awaiting his own evaluation. She studied ABA in college because when you tell a woman with autism and severe OCD that actually a lot of human behavior is ordered and explainable if you understand the underlying reasons the behaviors exist she tends to jump on it to explain all of the "stupid social bullshit" she's had to deal with all her life.

Thanks for the warning and info.

I'm gonna go give myself some ABBA therapy after looking at that.

I never thought "With great power comes great responsibility" would be a lasting principle in my life, but hell if it isn't. I don't have a ton of "authority", but what I have I see as a responsibility to and for the people I delegate to, rather than the step up that some appear to view it as. Thanks, Uncle Ben.

Even so, that still sounds like a very low bar to respect someone as an authority.

You could actually print this somewhere.

Yeah I've lost jobs because "authority" figures wanted me to treat them like they're special and better than everyone else and I'm like "I'll continue to give you the respect you deserve until you start deserving more."

Yeah, the fact she's a teenager doesn't invalidate her perspective at all, no more than the fact she's a woman. Teenagers DO have more insight into the injustices of society than adults who have grown comfortable with their advantages in it. Wisdom and foolishness both develop early, and only rarely do they swap with age. Her insight is wise, and it's foolish of you to dismiss her.

The 15 year olds of the world often see the hypocrisy of people and society more clearly than those who are financially or socially motivated to ignore them. Their observations are not invalidated by their age.

If someone's job is to be an abusive authoritarian hypocrite, then they choose abusive power and financial gain over humanity. The Nuremberg defense is not valid moral shield.

This quote is almost a decade old now, and has gained recognition for its general insight countless times over. Why the naked, ageist contempt?

My son can be a hell of a smart ass at times as all 12 year old kids can be. He's autistic, was diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, the whole 9. But it's the damnedest thing, when I talk to him like he's a person with his own agency, treat him with dignity and respect, and explain to him why I want something from him he happily hops right up and does exactly what I ask. It's the craziest thing.

It's not a bullshit rationalization, she's absolutely right. And given her level of analysis, if her parents have a legit reason to ask her to fix her behavior they just have to say the actual thing instead of relying on trite bullshit.

You know the best way to get a teenager or a toddler for that matter to do something? Start by treating them like a person.

I bet you absolutely love listening to people as they refuse to treat you like a person, let alone acknowledge your bullshit rationalisation.

Try not to lick any boots on your way out.