“2) We are innocent, naive, and honest. Do we lie? Yes. Do we like to lie? No. Things that are hard for us to understand: manipulation, disloyalty, vindictive behavior, and retaliation. Are we easily fooled and conned, particularly before we grow wiser to the ways of the world? Absolutely, yes. Confusion, feeling misplaced, isolated, overwhelmed, and simply plopped down on the wrong universe, are all parts of the Aspie experience. Can we learn to adapt? Yes. Is it always hard to fit in at some level? Yes. Can we out grow our character traits? No.”
Used with permission from @everydayaspergers. Originally published in Samantha Croft‘s -now former- blog, Everyday Asperger’s, as The Ten Traits.
It’s so complicated to write about one’s self, as it feels like those haunting times when belittled and patronized, you were forced into believing that standing out is never outstanding, that the biblically endorsed parental beating you were about to receive -again- was “justified” by your “gullible stupidity” in believing that the worthless toy you traded your brand-new toy for, it’s of equal value… And your attempt to save yourself by honestly saying that your “friend” told you so, just increased the number of blue stripes on your butts…
There you were, 11 years old, not really understanding why your maths teacher keeps slapping you and calling you an idiot for not understanding his lessons, unimpressed that you’ve found faults in the theory of a finite universe, which you can’t mathematically explain, but asked the simple question: “if this line would be the end of the universe, what’s the other side of the line made of?”
Because it’s hard to believe that your “best friend”, whom you’ve just saved from his self-destructive path, offered him a share in everything you had just to see him fulfilling his potential, finally left with your spouse, taking your apartment as well…
One of those days you suddenly realized that life on this planet sucks, and your only true “friend” lives right there, within the walls of your uniqueness, and the “us and them” has been irreversibly reduced to “me, and I don’t care who else”.
(to be continued…)
THEORETICAL PHILOSOPHY 
I have tended toward gullibility myself, and although I hope I’m becoming wiser to the ways of the world, I never want to become cynical, although I can sometimes resonate with your last paragraph.
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Well, cynical…
I think of it as rather some sort of deliberate, enjoyed meanness.
In my (and not only my…) case, a mechanism of self defence develops as a necessary survival mode after too much suffering and pain. And while it may sound and look like cynical sometimes, as it would go as far as ignoring any potential or perceived threat, it would be justifiable in order to avoid further frustration and pain.
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Yes! I can related to that mechanism of defense rising up within me at times due to the suffering and pain I have experienced. My desire is to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves”.
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I only wish that would be possible for real, but I sincerely hope it’ll be in your case 🙂
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