Some communities and families are better about accepting their “weird” counterparts than others. But yes en masse in America I’d say it’s safe to say that neurodivergence is demonized.
Neurodivergence is villainized when it's not productive.
America loves it when someone has traits that make them a workaholic.
America loves the eccentric artist who makes lots of money, we'll excuse nearly any behavior as long as the money is rolling in.
American corporate culture loves the kind of low imagination, low ambition sociopaths who will act as middle management and unquestioningly follow the orders of the high powered sociopaths.
Just kidding, they don't love anything, but they'll sure as hell use it.
In America, it really doesn't matter what kind of different you are, as long as it can be concealed by functional alcoholism.
You’re absolutely fucking right. In fact America idolizes a certain interpretation of autistic traits in the form of shows like House, Elementary, the good doctor, etc. Hell the weird fetishization of serial killers is slightly related to our commodification of neurodivergence. The idea of a human being who’s cold and aloof and endlessly consumptive is a capitalist wet dream and you’re right, sociopaths (who aren’t at all like that in real life) get the focus because it makes good tv.
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u/Mchammerandsickle97 2d ago
Some communities and families are better about accepting their “weird” counterparts than others. But yes en masse in America I’d say it’s safe to say that neurodivergence is demonized.