There are important people, and less important people, right? There are people you look up to and whose authority you respect, and people you expect to do as you tell them. This is expressed by rank or grade hierarchies (such as we have in the Civil Service) or by some people having power and others not, or indeed by The Class System. Neurotypical brains seem to navigate these hierarchies instinctively – they can calculate the correct level of deference due to (say) someone rich or famous or in charge, and adapt their behaviour accordingly. Autistics not so much. My autistic brain is a bit of an egalitarian absolutist, treating everyone as an equal, which can be great for mixing it up and challenging authority, or can lead me to being a right pain to those whose position leads them to expect respect.
Tag Archives: authority
Who will rid me of this turbulent autistic?
There are important people, and less important people, right? There are people you look up to and whose authority you respect, and people you expect to do as you tell them. This is expressed by rank or grade hierarchies (such as we have in the Civil Service) or by some people having power and others not, or indeed by The Class System. Neurotypical brains seem to navigate these hierarchies instinctively – they can calculate the correct level of deference due to (say) someone rich or famous or in charge, and adapt their behaviour accordingly. Autistics not so much. My autistic brain is a bit of an egalitarian absolutist, treating everyone as an equal, which can be great for mixing it up and challenging authority, or can lead me to being a right pain to those whose position leads them to expect respect.
Autistic Civil Servant 