Is Aspergers an excuse?

[shakeandbake]

For saying inappropriate things? I have a cousin and even though he is smart, he says a lot of inappropriate stuff to his parents, wider family, and to classmates in school.

The mother brushes it off as autism saying he doesn't understand social skills. Whilst I empathize, I also feel that mental illnesses/neurodevelopmental disorders are explanations but not excuses. Even though she may be accommodating to his behavior, the world will not once he reaches adulthood. Plus, he is high functioning (think of Elon Musk).

[Zeener Diode]

Considering this is your second post and second thread, may I recommend you focus on the other thread before starting new ones?

[SmartAleq]

And, like any other trait, disability or neurodivergency, autism may be a reason but it's not an excuse. Also, study up a tad more because Asperger's has been dropped from the DSM and is no longer used as a diagnostic category.

[Derleth]

Asperger's isn't in the DSM anymore, but the DSMs aren't gospel and gospel isn't unchangeable, either.

That said, an honest person apologizes for their missteps and tries to improve, even if it's hard for them. I was diagnosed with Asperger's and I try to be pleasant to be around, and I would be insulted by the idea that I couldn't avoid being insulting.

[thylacine]

Teenagers often have traits seen as anti social, it may be exaggerated in your cousin but it doesn’t mean he won’t change with growing up as most folks do. It is a hard way to live in the world and get anywhere. I have seen kids I knew as aspy change a lot with the first job for instance. Then there is first lust.

[stormie]

That said, an honest person apologizes for their missteps and tries to improve, even if it's hard for them. I was diagnosed with Asperger's and I try to be pleasant to be around, and I would be insulted by the idea that I couldn't avoid being insulting.
Truth.
I say this regarding all people, the neuroaverage to the neuro-5%
If a person has the insight and ability to control their behavior, they are responsible for doing to, if not the best of their ability (we all lose it sometimes), to the very good of their ability. This is important.

Some people cannot gain either the inight nor the ability. If that is the case, other people need to alter their expectations and responses to the very good of their ability.

[SmartAleq]

Asperger's is not used any more because of the understanding of autism as a SPECTRUM. It runs the gamut from nonverbal and with violent rages and extreme sensory overload issues on one end to the "high functioning" category at the other--but it's all basically the same thing. Having some special category of autism with its own name leads to people endlessly parsing whether or not a person "qualifies" as having "Asperger's" rather than plain old autism and it's not really helpful for, well, anyone.

And for reference, my first husband is both bipolar and qualified for an Asperger's diagnosis back when that was still a thing--it's easier to comprehend that he's just very high functioning autistic and operate accordingly. I personally rather like autistic people, I have some tendencies toward blunt honesty and plain speaking myself that gets me into trouble--I understand the emotional and social nuances just fine, I simply think they're silly and unnecessary in most cases. Autistic people are rather restful to deal with, I think.