It's positively brain-dead how often autism is misdiagnosed and how quick people are to throw this diagnosis around like bird-seed or rice (in days long past) at a wedding.
Someone has a more reserved personality-type: HEY, that fucker is Rain Man!!!!
Someone doesn't express themselves verbally very much, doesn't express emotions often or markedly: get that autistic MF some medication!!!!
Hey, that guy is kinda quiet! He must be a closet-autistic!!!! Yank him out and drug him up PRONTO or his brand of keeping-to-himself will spread!!!
I know someone who certain people have tried to label as a possible spectrum-boy and it's absolute bulllllllllllshit. When he talks to them in certain circumstances, he guards his feelings and doesn't really want to talk to them and gets quiet and removes a lot of emotion from his voice, but other times he's not like that at all. Totally outgoing, expressive, emotionally active and capable, etc.. You don't flip autism on/off like it's a switch. You either have it or you don't.
All the talk about autism is whack-a-doodle nonsense. It's the flavor of the month, hip thing to do (diagnosing people or using the spectrum card).
