Autistic Traits are Human Traits
Autistic Traits and the Pursuit of Complexity: Moving Beyond Survival and Reproduction
When someone says that autistic traits are "human traits," I take it literally. That’s just how my brain works—I have to go through all the literal options first before I can get to the layered, nuanced meanings. And the literal interpretation is this: if autistic traits are human traits, then they’re also animal traits. The behaviors and ways of thinking that we see in autism aren’t unique to humans, and they certainly aren’t "disordered." They’re core traits of intelligence itself.
To me, this isn’t about survival or reproduction, the usual benchmarks people use to define evolution. It’s about something much bigger: the pursuit of complexity. Life doesn’t evolve just to reproduce or survive—it evolves to increase its ability to manage energy, process information, and adapt to uncertainty. That’s the thread that ties it all together: energy. And it’s why current models of autism and human evolution are so deeply flawed—they miss the energy perspective completely.
Autistic Minds and Core Intelligence
Autistic traits, like hyper-focus, pattern recognition, or sensory sensitivity, aren’t deviations. They’re amplified versions of traits that are essential for all forms of intelligence. When Simon Baron-Cohen talks about "if this, then that" reasoning as something uniquely human, I can’t help but push back. That kind of reasoning isn’t uniquely human; it’s universal. Animals use it. It’s the foundation of intelligence because intelligence isn’t just about solving problems—it’s about conserving and allocating energy efficiently.
Think about it. A predator decides whether chasing prey is worth the energy cost. A bird calculates the best materials for its nest. Even a single-celled organism moves toward an energy source. This is intelligence at its core: managing energy, understanding emotions, and responding to the environment.
Autistic minds are no different. When we see patterns others miss or focus deeply on a single topic, it’s not a deficit—it’s an energy strategy. It’s about conserving energy by zeroing in on what matters most.
Why Survival and Reproduction Aren’t Enough
For so long, evolution has been framed as "survival of the fittest," as if life is only about who can reproduce the most or avoid death the longest. But that’s a shallow view of what evolution really is. Life evolves toward complexity. It’s not about surviving for the sake of it—it’s about creating systems that are more integrated, more adaptive, and more capable of managing energy.
Autistic traits are a key part of that complexity. When environments are supportive, those traits drive innovation. Pattern recognition reduces uncertainty, sensory attunement gathers high-fidelity data, and intense focus allows for deep exploration of complex systems. These traits expand what’s possible—not just for individuals, but for societies.
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The Law of Functional Information
If we shift our focus from survival to complexity, we start to see the bigger picture. Life evolves to increase its capacity to process, store, and act on information—this is the Law of Functional Information. Autistic traits fit perfectly within this framework because they’re not just about survival; they’re about pushing the boundaries of what systems can do.
Letting Go of Hierarchies
One of the biggest mistakes we make is assuming a hierarchy between humans and animals—or between neurotypical and neurodivergent people. This kind of thinking traps us in outdated ideas, where traits like autistic ones are seen as "deficits" because they don’t fit neatly into the average mold. But the truth is, life doesn’t evolve by conforming to averages. It evolves by embracing diversity, by experimenting with new ways to adapt and thrive.
When we shift from a survival-and-reproduction mindset to one centered on energy, complexity, and functional information, we can finally see autism for what it is: a natural variation that’s essential to the evolution of intelligence.
The Energy Perspective: A New Model for Autism
Autistic traits aren’t about disorder or dysfunction. They’re about energy. They’re about complexity. And they’re about expanding what’s possible. When environments don’t meet our needs or when the energy demands are too high, yes, those traits can lead to distress. But that doesn’t mean they’re broken—it means the system isn’t optimized.
By reframing autism through an energy-based lens, we can move beyond outdated medical models that focus on deficits. Instead, we can see autism as a key part of life’s evolutionary story—a story that’s not about surviving or reproducing, but about building systems capable of navigating uncertainty, reducing entropy, and creating something new.
Autism is part of this pursuit of complexity. And so are we.
Writer/Activist at Personal Campaign for Brain Injury Awareness.
2 个月Good words.