"Man you are so autistic."

Gentleman Gems·12/27/2015, 7:52:50 AM·91 votes·7,138 views

When I hear those words used in that negative connotation I feel a little hurt. I have high functioning autism and while that does mean I miss some social ques or fail to understand jokes, I still understand that my condition is being used as an insult. That being said I still have troubles understanding jokes and may be missing some bigger picture but I need to know, why do people call other people autistic, what is that person doing that deserves it, or how is it being used? I really don't know why autism is used as an insult, can someone enlighten me on the subject?

110 Comments

shyv12/27/2015, 7:59:12 AM31 votes

same, idk, most ppl don't think we're normal people like everyone else so nobody thinks that autistic people could be playing league or doing normal things because we're too stupid to function

MasterSomething12/27/2015, 8:38:09 AM25 votes

People use the insult to refer to as an autistic person is usually socially defunct. Some autists tend to be outcasts, awkward, and downright weird to other people. I have a weaker version of autism, and I can get some jokes of it, but when you use it as a genuine insult, I lose respect for you.

Only Play Darius12/27/2015, 9:58:27 AM19 votes

They are likely confusing autism with mental retardation, they wouldn't know the difference because they are illiterate

Anyone who would make jokes about either condition are worthless humans regardless

KaisadiIIa12/27/2015, 2:54:37 PM8 votes

For the same reason people use "black", "woman", "gay", "retard" [in the sense that it refers to people with Down's Syndrome], etc. as insults. Any condition that is not "standard" (to call it something), regardless of what it is, is used as an insult for people that claim to have nothing against that collective.

Jari12/27/2015, 5:36:08 PM6 votes

Because they think it's the new hip thing to say, but they won't do it in front of a person because they know they'll get their teeth smashed in.

I'm not kidding, someone actually did it at my school and got taken to the hospital.

DevilishMetal12/27/2015, 12:29:44 PM6 votes

I deal with a bit of autism as well (it runs in the family you see- aka NOT VACCINES) and i'd like you to know that any kind of autism is under no circumstances a bad thing. Embrace it, and find something you love to do and do it. It may be league (that's mine), legos, star wars, heck, maybe even school.

Also, if you reply with "Yes, yes I am" people just kinda shut up a lot of the time.

JedenVojak12/27/2015, 1:47:01 PM4 votes

Thing is, I don't understand why you're being insulted by being called autistic if you are autistic.

As a mildly autistic person myself, my only response to such a statement would be "Yes I am. And?"

Indominus Blade12/28/2015, 12:01:02 PM2 votes

People who are offended by words are why our species is trash tier, grow up, nobody cares if you are offended or not.

Seekêr12/27/2015, 12:09:35 PM2 votes

Autism doesn't even make you stupid. I don't get why people think it does. It just means you dont understand some basic social things and have a difficult time empathizing.

The 'insult' is just a result from lack of knowledge. Like people claiming to be a sociopath because they saw it on sherlock holmes :). Or people thinking they are antisocial because they sit at home and play video games. Don't use terms you don't know the meaning of kids.

Kairya12/27/2015, 3:58:27 PM2 votes

I thought I would use an example that is a bit more common: You know "girl/woman" can be used as an insult too and outside of cavemen-logic there is no good argument why "girl/woman" is an indicator for weakness/lack of courage. So I would argue that the insult is simply an established phrase, that has very little to do with reality, which is why females usually don't really care about it.

Similarly I believe "autistic" doesn't have much to do with actual autism, but is simply used to convey the image of something. It simply means " You behave abnormally, I can't understand you, you don't fit in". And I really think you don't need to let it get to you either.

In addition I think it also has something to do with how we use language and how we change language. As we all know the meaning of words can change (for example from gay: happy to gay: homosexual). And I think usually two meanings would coexist for a while and eventually one meaning would become more dominant while the other would start to disappear slowly. The problem is "autism" as a medical term has been very firmly defined for a certain kind of disorder and the term can't really change anymore (it's not going to disappear, yet it's not really dominant either since most people don't even know the medical meaning). Later "autism" as an insult was established - probably by people who understood it as " this is something to describe someone who is not normal (according to the values of a certain society)". So psychologists and the common flamer might both use the word "autistic" and it sounds exactly the same, but they have very different things in mind.

Certainly it would be much nicer if people used another word to insult others even with the same intended meaning. Let's take...granzu. I now define granzu to mean "You behave abnormally, I can't understand you, you don't fit in". Great. It's an insult, there is no reference to the medical term autism. But who is going to use this term? What kind of grammar does it have? How is it even pronounced? Humans can't just create random new words AND establish it. We tend to take already existing words and warp them into something else according to our needs. It happend to "autism", it happend to "gay", to "pig", to "girl" and to so many others. I think we just have to live with it.

EDIT: About the actual meaning of the insult and when to use it: I think you need to ask the people using it. Even my "definition" was just a guess as I personally don't use the insult. I looked it up later at Urban Dictionary and to me it seems people use it with the meaning "retard", which fits in with the references to Down-Syndrome others made in this thread. But I guess this especially shows how vague the meaning of the insult actually is, so I'll leave my original post as it is.

I GANK LANES12/27/2015, 4:32:28 PM2 votes

weird that there are so many autistic people on the boards... not talking as an insult at all but a good few of you seem to have it with the boards being a pretty small community. overdiagnosed and any relation to living an unhealthy lifestyle? eg not socializing, sedentary lifestyle, etc? totally off topic but yeah don't take offense i'm just curious, cuz i feel a lot of the mental diagnosis nowadays are a bunch of crap. aspergers isn't even considered a real health issue now

MillForMe12/28/2015, 1:08:18 AM2 votes

Hey guys, just wanted to chime in, because the answer was never really stated. Before I go into the answer, I'll just note I don't use, nor condone using, the insult nor anything used to label people in other situations as insults (gay, retarded, etc.)

So anyway, the insult of being called autistic, while it has devolved into meaning the same as "retarded", "idiot", "%%%", etc, didn't initially mean it. It was usually used for people who were shown going "too deep" into a topic. One of the more focused stereotypes of people with autism is their obsession with a specific topic, with the obsession going up to or beyond the levels of a person called a "geek." The second focus would be the tantrums and perceived overreactions to things going out of a person with autism's usual habits or expectations.

So, that person giving an in-depth complaint about a 5 minute fan-made cartoon would be insulted as autistic. The person questioning the use of specific verbs in a television show would be labeled as autistic. The person focused on stuffed toys from the 80's can be insulted.

Basically, if you were perceived as overreacting to a tiny detail that is usually negligible, or are focusing on a topic more than others, you can be insulted by trolls with it.

But as I said, the insult is now just thrown around by any person who thinks they are tough on the internet for any reason.

lovelyinspirit71/18/2016, 1:59:13 AM1 votes

hate when people use that term in a negative wayy, because it shouldn't be used that way. i've been called that too before because of a mistake while i was playing, idk how that even became an insult and oh so mainstream.

i'm sorry about those people

HavokDash11/13/2018, 12:14:27 AM1 votes

It doesnt bother me that much, and yeah I have asperger's syndrome. But that doesnt stop me from gleefully reporting them post game. and including quotable quotes in the report details. :D

Midder Scray12/28/2015, 6:31:46 AM1 votes

I've known autistic people who are way smarter, creative, and far more productive than people without autism, so I'm not really sure why it's used as an insult. I think when those toxic assholes think of "autism" they think it's the same thing as full-blown mental retardation, which I understand why someone would call someone that if they think they're dumb enough, but that still isn't really something that necessary to be used in a derogatory way

But don't let people get to you dude. I know it hurts when people push the right button, but they're just strangers on a video game who you most likely will never meet in person, and possibly never see them again in-game. Keep that in mind. These people aren't your friends and family sitting there making fun of you right in your face, it's someone sitting on their computer typing that shit. There's some people who call others %%%%%%s and retards (pardon the slurs, just using examples), and there's not much you can really do about it but ignore it. Ignorance and douchebaggery will always exist, especially on League

Lhostalis12/28/2015, 7:24:41 AM1 votes

Can we say "Why is your Downs Syndrome so bad?" In all seriousness though autism is described as a mental disorder, however it's responsible for producing some of the greatest minds this planet has ever seen. That alone, to me, is a reason to stop using it as an insult/derogatory term for people that are "different" from others.

To your question about why it's viewed as an insult, Any form of significant social abnormality is generally viewed as a sign of inferiority. That doesn't mean it should be, but unfortunately it is. Some of these significant abnormalities could be considered missing social ques/jokes, now does anything that I just mentioned justify using a disorder as a put-down? No, it just shows the need of society to over-validate it's own worth/competence by comparing it to something viewed as "Inferior".

PS. To all the people out there that use "autism" as a put-down to people that aren't preforming at the level you want them too, One of my best friends has Asperger syndrome (A type of ASD) and he's the smartest person I've ever known; his IQ was evaluated at 143, that's conducive to people like Nikola Tesla, and Thomas Edison. The average person tests in the range of 85-114. And IQ isn't a linear measurement either, the best term I can use to explain it is... Exponential. The best example I can give right now is myself Vs. my friend- I was evaluated at 121, this is classified as above average. At 143 he's leaps and bounds above me in terms of mental proficiency, I'm the guy people go to for answers on HW/study material, he's the guy people pay LOTS of money to write essays and give exam answers to them. ( I'm aware that's not a great way to compare IQ's but it's 2:20 in the morning and I'm out of redbull.)

And please excuse my horrendous run-on sentences/grammar.

Athenes Lulu12/28/2015, 8:48:20 AM1 votes

The best part is when people don't even know what autistic really means.

For those that don't know, being autistic means someone is just incapable of performing social skills and ability to express emotion, and is usually obtained through genetics.

But I always think of this way. If autistic people are commonly geniuses, and people use "autistic" as an insult? Gee, you are calling ME a genius, I'm flattered!

To answer your question, people are just silly, ignorant, and dumb. No other answers, really.

kaykalos12/28/2015, 11:17:06 AM1 votes

U dont call someone autistic for inslut, but because people sometimes refusing to communicate to a constructive dialogue Example (no offense) A: I am going in, k? B : No answer (u go in) A : Are u autistic?

But sometimes there are people that they want to prove their dominion and if u disobey them they call u autistic, even if ur reasons are different

At real life in a real job, i would talk like that example above, because i am not indebted to carry your burden (**If **the job has a structure that needs multiple levels of communication! )

But at league the moment that u agreed to play with 3 or more random people u are supposed to be nice on them and adapt on any gameplay behavior

(sry for my english)

God Complex12/28/2015, 12:05:29 PM1 votes

wew lad

Ryzing2Diamond12/28/2015, 6:58:23 PM1 votes

Being Autistic in a lot of ways can be a compliment. It can mean you can dedicate yourself to something and actually have the drive to finish it. It can mean you're super knowledgeable in certain topics. It can mean so many things that are abnormal in a good way, with the simple tradeoff that you will be bad at talking to people for people on the high-end. I was diagnosed with Autism recently and can verify that this is the case for me. Logically, I am better off with Autism than I would be without.

Meteor Driz12/28/2015, 7:17:32 PM1 votes

Video games should be a neutral place for everyone.

If you don't like what they say then put them on ignore and that's the end of it.

I'm not a supporter of racism or slurs or anything of the sort, but I do believe in freedom of speech especially as an anonymous person in a video game.

Stop trying to control other people through your victim mentality.

No one forces you to play this game.

Everyone should be able to say whatever they want whether you like it or not.

Virgil Kemp12/28/2015, 7:36:10 PM1 votes

It's good you raised this question on the forums. If you said something like this in game, you'd get reported and banned.

Dominick Destine12/28/2015, 7:38:28 PM1 votes

I still understand that my condition is being used as an insult

So what? being short is often used as an insult, being fat is often used as an insult..... "Hurt Feelings" is not an argument, just put them on ignore and move on.

Lord Fiddle12/29/2015, 4:02:05 AM1 votes

Nobody fucking cares I have an autism spectrum disorder and I don't phish for comfort and sympathy.

SuspendedTyRito1/17/2016, 8:51:22 PM1 votes

Idk man Everytime I get called that i just take it as a compliment. We see things in a different light and thats a blessing we were given so dont take it personally. No reason to stress over people you dont know talking shit on the internet.

Bladerunner777712/28/2015, 7:15:03 AM

Believe it or not this could actually be a good thing.

Remember a few years ago when the internet insults of choice were "retard" and "gay"? What happens when people say that now? "Dude its 2015 and ur still using 'retarded' and 'gay' as insults, ha %%%!" ("%%%" died out already)

Edit: wat. Apparently the word "flag" without the L is censored on these boards... oooookay

People stopped using it as insults because people would correct them by pointing out their insults don't make any sense. I remember the early adopters of people saying "autist" were seen as edgy and cool. Eventually the word picked up and it became a common insult to through around on the internet. I would be willing to bet if someone uses "autist" as an insult 10 months from now people would shun the fool and claim "it's 2016 and ur still saying 'autist'!"

So yeah, it's just a phase. The more people use it as an insult the more awareness drawn to it.

But that's just my speculation.