I'm not a blind optimist. I have witnessed the disagreements we aspies have had even online, but perhaps we autistic people can cut through at least some of the problems a NeuroTypical social order poses. I have noticed, overhearing many of the conversations NTs have with each other, that many of their problems are over the most trivial of things, yet somehow they blow out of proportion, and people end up disliking each other over these trivialities.



Some NTs like to follow a principle even when the results are downright absurd. In my literature class, we read Antigone, and the character Croneus is a perfect example of this stubbornness, but it really happens every day in big ways and small. My university is burdened (it just so happens that my dormitory's resident fascissimo's last name is Burden) with an overabundance of policies that people follow without question (or thought, it seems). People will follow generally sound principles like the prohibition against lying even when the results are dire. Thus, following the letter of the law is valued above the whole purpose of the law sometimes.



NTs have pride. When they are wrong, they dislike admitting it. Obviously, this leads to many problems. People will end long-established friendships over wounded pride. Some people are very sensitive to possible affronts to their vanity and spend an excessive amount of time seeking out ways to bolster it before it sinks back down. Some of these same people generate conflict only to establish an image of moral superiority when the people in conflict look like buffoons. These people usually go to great lengths to protect the status quo, which they believe they are shining examples of. This is probably the connection between pride and stubbornness.



NTs seem to enjoy conflict for its own sake. Of course, NTs are not, by far, a bunch of personality disordered individuals who enjoy playing devious games with other people; but even the sane individuals engage in a little manipulation. They, of course, don't view their actions as the deception and manipulation of the more personality disordered individuals because it is within socially acceptable limits; but it is, nevertheless, qualitatively the same thing. They seem to feed off talking about conflicts; their movies, novels, and plays are full of it (in all senses ). I can't help but thinking these NTs know their actions are going to create conflict, but they choose to do it in full knowledge of the consequences.



NTs in general are skeptical of originality. They adhere to convention; so any break from the prevailing norms, which change like the prevailing winds, are seen as not only a threat to the society they are secure in but also their very sense of identity. For some reason, they can't contemplate an idea that goes against their cherished beliefs without a strong negative emotion being triggered. They believe in freedom of speech and freedom of conscience, but they are shocked when someone states they do not believe in a god. For them the Christian God is strongly associated with all that's right in the world, the establishment that they are comfortable in; they are blithely unaware that this same social order has wronged many individuals who do not fit its ideals.



We autistic people, on the other hand, are less likely to engage in lies and guile. We rarely use people as a means to a selfish end. Sure, we might not always have the most interesting things to talk about (according to most NTs), but we are masters of our minds. We do not have much need for self-aggrandizement or a compelling need to make other people see things our way for no other reason than we want things that way. There would be fewer wars, less violence, and a freer exchange of ideas if we had the power. Our society would not be perfect, but it might just be better, and that's worth something.