Honestly what wrecks me is these research studies are always like an evil mirror image of a Really Important Point we need proof for.

Heaps of Autistic people are living in poverty in capitalist society, now, & a big reason why?

We can't be bribed. The darn integrity.
Thread

Let me first say, contrary to that study about deficits/ over-thinking:

This isn't a failure of character, personality, willpower, social development, or anything else.
This isn't a lack of social cognition or debatably even self preservation.

This is a world unsuited for us.

Autistics often have trouble finding well-paying jobs bc we don't want to do work that hurts people. Can't make ourselves.

Many of us as are extra limited in capitalism bc we can't hurt animals/the environment either.

Most of the economy relies on exploiting people/ the planet.

Most of the economy™ relies on shallow lies, biased manipulation of information for profit, wage theft, and yes - straight-up bribery.
"We'll give you money & social capital if you do the economy™'s dirty work"

And we're in awe growing up watching NTs just....Take that deal!

We grow up shocked/numbed to/fascinated by the lies people will tell for money, the families people will evict onto the street for money, the guards that will beat the f out of people for money, the dangerous products on the shelves for money -- this is all contrary to our nature

And yes, all Autistics are different and have different privileges and experiences of capitalism ! That's important.

There are absolutely exceptions to all of this, normally quite rich, white, cis, male exceptions.

They cause the rest of us harm by their cruelty.

But I can't take a job where my work will cause harm. I can't cancel someone's insurance benefits, or tell someone they don't deserve housing bc they don't have the credit. I can't watch my boss steal tips. I can't work for a company that I know uses sweatshops or prison labour.

Non-autistics reading this may think I mean I don't *Want* to do these jobs. But I genuinely cannot. I *Can't* let that stuff slide, even if I try.
Believe me, I've tried. My brain and body shut down on me, I panic, I lash out at the system, I quit or get fired.

I lost a job I was great at as a Court Reporter a few years back bc I simply couldn't stay quiet when men who weild unfathomable systemic power over masses of people said horrible dangerous things.

I stopped bothering to try to work in fields where this was bound to happen.

Workers are expected to be good soldiers for their company and the economy™.

Autistics have something blocking us from being those good soldiers - integrity/ strong resistance to being bribed into causing harm.

So far in modern capitalism, here's where that leaves us;

>80% of diagnosed Autistics in each #Canada, the US, and the UK are unemployed, and it's not because we aren't good enough at anything to hire.

It's also obv not Entirely bc we can't be bribed -other disabilities/chronic illnesses/institutional bias +much more other factors,

But the fact that Autistics aren't susceptible to social and monetary manipulation absolutely does effect us in our every-day lives and career paths.

NOT because there's something wrong with us, just because the system we're forced to live in is a giant corrupt disaster!

This study could have been an admonishment of capitalism and it's sway over the "typical" worker.

Instead it declared that the folks unwilling to go along with the exploitative system are lacking strength.

I assure you. It's taken all my strength to survive you monsters.

I'm exhausted that #ActuallyAutistic folks have to keep tearing these gross studies apart because of how they hurt autistic people,

But I'm even more exhausted knowing HOW CLOSE the researchers were to a hugely important part of how Autistic culture interacts with the economy

Also I don't consider any things I said about myself or #actuallyautistic folks in general in this thread to be negative! ^

The economy™ bribing folks to cause harm is pretty f'd up though. Especially now that I know non-autistics have less natural defence to that manipulation.