Not All Autistic People Have a Superpower

So please don’t expect one

Bird flying above sea
Photo by Lars Kuczynski on Unsplash

Savant syndrome

I know of some autistic people with amazing abilities. One is a teenager who can play the guitar astonishingly well. Another can remember the names of everyone he meets.

It’s known as savant syndrome, and 0.5–10% of autistic people have it to some degree, according to this Wikipedia page.

The media love to report stories about autistic savants, who can do complex mental arithmetic, or perform an entire song after hearing it just once.

Perhaps this is why I’m sometimes asked what my superpower is when I say I’m autistic — despite it being statistically unlikely for me to be a savant.

Like many autistic people, I have a ‘spiky profile’. This means some of my skills and abilities are well below average, whereas I am well above average in other areas.

But I don’t really have a superpower.

* * * * *

My Abilities

Mathematics

I did well at mathematics in high school, college and university — but not genius-level well.

There’s still a lot of higher mathematics that I never fully understood. And I’ve never been very good at mental arithmetic.

Music

I‘ve written quite a few tunes over the years. But I can’t perform in front of an audience — not even a small one. And I still can’t read music.

With enough practice, I used to play simple songs at home. But I would soon forget if I took a break for a few days.

Technology helps me overcome some of my shortcomings — I can record myself, and correct all the mistakes.

Memory

People sometimes think I’m good at remembering dates. But I cheat, by using things that are easier to remember as anchors, such as where I was working, or what car I was driving.

Unfortunately, I can’t remember the names of people I meet, even if I tell them I struggle to remember, and they tell me a second time. I also struggle to follow stories involving lots of characters, especially if they have similar names.

Sadly, I don’t easily remember stories that friends and family have told me. And it’s not due to a lack of interest, as some people have cruelly suggested.

I desperately want to remember some things, such as the stories my late dad told me. But I simply can’t.

Programming and Electronics

Non-technical people used to think I was some kind of genius, because I could write software and design electronic circuits. And in many cases, I did come up with creative and efficient solutions to problems.

But most of it was just good engineering, rather than something outstanding.

In recent years, my interests have widened — I’m more interested in people, and I’ve drifted away from technology to some extent.

* * * * *

Final Thoughts

I’m not trying to put autistic people (or myself) down — I just want to be realistic about things.

The next time you meet an autistic person, please don’t ask them what their superpower is.

If they do happen to have superhuman abilities, that’s great.

But when you ask the rest of us that question, your disappointed expression upon hearing our replies makes some of us feel like we are ‘not worthy’.

And that’s wrong.

If it’s acceptable to expect the predominant neurotype to have an average range of abilities, then autistic people should not be expected to have something more.

* * * * *

Thank You

I hope you enjoyed reading this article. Please consider supporting me by:

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It really helps, and means a lot to me.

* * * * *

External References

Wikipedia page about Savant syndrome

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