CaptainACAB wrote on July 19, 2021 at 3:13 AM (edited on July 19, 2021 at 3:14 AM)

Imagine having the power to have an unprompted conversation with an acquaintance/stranger without rehearsing what you're going to say in your head and choosing to use it for the diabolical purpose of small talk.

Or somehow ignoring the immense pain required to maintain eye contact and making it a sign of trustworthiness.

Raxalor wrote on July 20, 2021 at 12:50 AM

Welcome back to this episode of: Am I austistic or just raised by emotionally abusive parents?

CaptainACAB wrote on July 21, 2021 at 3:45 PM

The answer is "yes" for many autistic people.

groovygardener42069 OP wrote on July 21, 2021 at 9:42 PM

Yea lmao I'm over here like pourquoi ne pas les deux?

rot wrote on July 22, 2021 at 12:31 AM

we should really stop with the eye contact thing. if you're looking in my general direction I know your talking to me, stop looking into my eyes like we're married

CaptainACAB wrote on July 23, 2021 at 12:41 AM

It's a cultural thing, to be fair to non-western neurotypicals.

Some cultures avoid eye contact because it comes off as too aggressive and others don't even have small talk as a concept.

The trick for me is focus on one specific part of the face near the eyes and occasionally go back to the eyes in 4 second intervals; sometimes I turn my head in another direction as if I noticed something for a few seconds of respite.

rot wrote on July 23, 2021 at 12:42 AM

yeah i make brief contact just to meet the societal expectation.