HAve you ever noticed someone to have aspergers?

I've noticed certain traits which are common to Aspergers in a lot of people I know actually, myself and my little brother included, probably why I get along with them I guess. I'm not sure I've met anybody who has actually been diagnosed with it though.

 

Now that I know a bit more about what this includes, yes, I do. All the time.

 

My fiancé is a primary school teacher and has taught many children diagnosed with autism and Asperger's; they all have their unique challenges but are wonderful kids to work with, as are all her students. Once you understand what's going on, it's much easier to see past it and appreciate the individual for who they are. A lot of people are too quick to be dismissive and think stuff like "Wow, that guy's a big jerk!"

Funnily enough, as a PhD student and now working academic, I've been encouraged to have very similar characteristics as someone with a form of autism spectrum disorder - behavior, interests, and activities that are restricted and repetitive, and abnormally intense and focused (i.e. pursuing specific and narrow areas of interest). This affects our social lives and a lot of us clever-for-a-living types develop difficulties in basic elements of social interaction, as well. My language is fine (I think) but frequent Internet forum misunderstandings make you wonder... And I think I get along with people okay!

 

I have it, but don't know anyone else with it.

What's your reason for asking?

 

Thank god for these intense and intelligent people. We (not the Americans despite what Hollywood says)) would never have cracked the German Enigma codes without such intellectuals.
I worked with a couple of people with Aspergers and also with children with autism and found them to be fascinating if a little odd.
Who knows, being given the cold shoulder by ignorant people may help them get on with whatever captivates them. I wish some of those ignorant, tabloid newspaper 'politicians' would leave me alone.
Someone asked me wether my girlfriend has aspergers. She does have some of the traits perhaps but I don'tcare either way. If anything it's a plus.

 

I thought the Poles cracked the code originally with the British cracking later variations?
I have two sons with PDD NOS which is a "kinda sorta" autistic-like condition. (It's considered to be within the autistic spectrum but lacks some of the key behavioral traits that one might see in autistic individuals). I'm convinced that I have something similar though back when I was in school, you just got punished for behavior like that..

 

The best guitarist I've ever known personally has Aspergers. You wouldn't know it by the way he types on facebook, but it's pretty apparent when you with him in person. He's a wealth of knowledge on all things metal and experimental, and he can play a guitar upside down and in a strange tuning better than I could ever play one after a lifetime of hard practice. If he finds a joke funny, He'll repeat it endlessly until someone lets him know it's lost its pizzazz, but he's generally a lovely person and a joy to hang out with.

 

How very odd.

 

You are correct to mention the Poles. As I understand it the Poles didn't crack it but they were the first to capture an enigma machine and an extremely brave Pole brought one to England. He apparrently stepped onto a Junkers transport plane under supervision and casually stepped straight off the other side and away to freedom. We all owe more of our freedom to the Poles than they ever get credit for.
Churchill wouldn't even let the Poles (who walked accross half of Europe and after having fought in the French air force then shot down more German planes during the battle of Britain than any of the other RAF squadrons) appear in the armistice parade in their medals or uniforms for fear of upsetting Stalin. They also took Monte Casino at great cost.
It's a travesty to not mention the Poles in the history of Enigma and I am thankful for your reminding me.
That U whatever number it was film was a cheap attempt to claim that it was an American ship which captured the enigma machine from the sinking sub. That film is not viewed very favourably in this country.
We sure as hell owe Roosevelt and the American people for helping us defeat the Germans ( we clearly didn't defeat the Nazis as companies like Hugo Boss and Siemens are still in business) but without Alan Turing and the people who worked at Bletchley Park and the listening stations around England a lot more people both English and American would have been killed and we may never have attempted the Normandy Landings without 'Ultra'.
Alan Turing was one of the key codebreakers and he was not only homosexual but autistic. That's good enough for me.

 

Still a bit more than just that in regards to teh Poles:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/...ign-for-Enigma-code-breaking-recognition.html

but yes, I agree on all counts. That war was won by teamwork and with the input of many many ingenious folks!
And that U-whatever film was incredibly goofy..

 

I like aspergers, but it makes my pee smell bad.

 

I've noticed tendencies in people that make the me think they have some form of it, but I can never know for certain without asking them.

 

To answer the topic of the thread, no. But one of my really good friends has it. He's very kind, funny, nice, and honest. A very awesome dude to call a friend. He is occasionally awkward, but I think he has things under control well, besides when he goes into relapses.

 

Also as a PhD student, there certainly seem to be a lot of people in my department who have what could be described as autistic traits. I'm fairly sure (in a casual sense) that a few of the lecturing staff are on the autistic spectrum, judging by some of their idiosyncrasies.

 

Thanks for the link relic.
Just goes to show that even people who try to read up on their history can be sold a distorted version of events. Seems Hollywood are not the only ones at it. At least Turings associates were actually really involved at all though. That U film was not even close apart from the fact that there was a sub and it was German lol.
So many people in this country complain about the number if Poles working here. Maybe if they knew how much they owed to them they would shut up and stop complaining.
The sad thing is I have yet another book here in front of me which only mentions the Polish contribution in passing.
As bad as this is it doesn't alter the fact that without the efforts of a large team led or at least, inspired, by a man with autism it's doubtful that many of us would ever have been born and the world would be a different place.

 

My guitar player has Aspergers