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Cloud Pining

 Imagine this: you pick up a thought to do something, something great. This something is so fantastic that it soon comes to occupy your every thought. Relationships take a back burner, and when you do talk to people, it is just about your obsession. Sounds autistic. And, perhaps, it is autistic. This is why autistic people are so overrepresented amongst great people. We obsess over ideas and work tirelessly at them until they are accomplished. At least, that is the stereotype. But unfortunately, it is not true for all of us. Many Autists are too consumed by societal rot to attempt to accomplish anything great. And this lack of trying is a shame, as it is our natural behavior to be innovators.

So, my hope, nay plea, is for Autists to get their heads in the clouds. It is time for us to get off our asses and get working. It is time for us to prove our worth, not to neurotypicals, but to ourselves. It is time we aspire to become Nietzschean Ubermensch, creating our own values and shunning the Last Man. The Last Man that all too many of us find ourselves to be, choosing comfort over danger. What danger? The danger of improving ourselves and the danger of social isolation.  Nietzsche, in Thus Spoke Zarathustra, had this to say about reaching towards the clouds, "This tree standeth lonely here on the hills; it hath grown up high above man and beast. And if it wanted to speak, it would have none who could understand it: so high hath it grown. Now it waiteth and waiteth,—for what doth it wait? It dwelleth too close to the seat of the clouds; it waiteth perhaps for the first lightning?"

This excerpt describes the experience of autistic thought to a startling degree. No one understands our obsessions and so we feel the need to be struck down, back to a level where the allists can understand us. This need for socialization is to our detriment. If we could overcome it, our accomplishments would be limited only by time and resources. But we are pulled back to the ground, time and time again, as we do not want to seem weird and lose our relationships. However, this is overcomable. Vincent Van Gogh, despite longing for socialization, largely gave it up and dedicated himself to his craft. He had this to say about the matter, "I wish they would take me as I am". Note how he wished for society to change to accept him, rather than trying to force himself to conform to society. Such a statement marks a man of character.

It is up to us to overcome our laziness and need for socialization and embrace Ubermensch values. Comfort is like a drug; it feels nice, but it is stopping us from reaching our potential. It is time for us to stop being the Last Man and embrace the chaos that comes from living dangerously. It is time for radical self-mastery, as those who cannot command must obey, and Autists should never be slaves.  


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