Sherlock is Autistic (Episode 11)

A: And he said, ‘It's quite a three-pipe problem and I beg that you won't speak to me for 50 minutes.’ M: The man knows his boundaries.  A: Right? Exactly.

In this episode of The Autistic Culture Podcast:

Sherlock Holmes’ status as an Autistic is hotly debated. What isn’t under debate is that Sherlock Holmes is an outsider. He isn’t like everyone else. And being misunderstood is a big part of Autisitic culture.

“So, Sherlock Holmes is an outlier and Autistic people often talk about how it feels like we're from a different planet and we're just dropped here and are expected to learn how to act like the locals. He definitely has that alien vibe.” —Angela

Hosts, Matt and Angela, talk about the Autistic good vibes that come from “alone time,” (Sherlock founded a club for people who want to be alone together), stimming activities (anyone into pipes?), the joy of information acquisition and research, and getting paid to do meaningful work within one’s special interests. The bottom-up processing and monotropic nature of being Autistic means we are uncannily suited to spotting details and uncovering deeper truths of the subject matter we are most interested in.

“We have a social battery and…We can totally socialize as long as, you know, it's something that we're interested in, but it drains us. Even the good stuff drains us. And when we don’t feel like socializing, when we have to recharge, pushing us past our social limit causes emotional distress. It causes physical pain. It causes us to break down…neurotypical people don’t experience this stuff.” —Matt

The hosts see generosity and moral “inflexibility” as positive Autistic traits versus being childish or naive, and they discuss a study that showed Autistics refused to cheat for money while allistics did.

Dr. Watson comes to appreciate Sherlock's loyalty and "great heart," bridging the empathy gap and relating to the Autistic experience. The hosts explore how allistics and autistics alike can work through the known “double empathy problem” that we face when mixing outside our native neuro-culture.

Which of your SPINs (special interests) would you love to turn into a career? Tell us in the comments!

Want to learn about a real-life Autistic scientist who was known for his methodical attention to detail? Check out: Episode 35: Sex is Autistic about Alfred Kinsey.

The Complete Sherlock Holmes

Episode 33: Andy Warhol is Autistic

Episode 41: Tim Burton is Autistic

and learn about the Autistic architect Benjamin Banneker and his Autistic friend, Thomas Jefferson in Episode 05: Washington, D.C. is Autistic

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Matt’s social media: Autistic Connections Facebook Group

Learn more about Angela at AngelaLauria.com and Difference Press

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