Does Autism Always "Incapable of Empathy?"

Lili Marlene, who keeps the blog Incorrect Pleasures, has written a long and well-researched article on the pop-science phenomenon  of equating autism with lack of empathy.

Writers of bestselling pop science books and articles in popular science magazines appear to have uncritically embraced this dominant view of autism as the condition that typifies a “lack of empathy”.....In books and articles written for a general readership it is common to see psychopathy and autism discussed as though the two very different conditions were almost interchangeable. This is the worst kind of intellectual sloppiness.

Autism has many faces. This is an important addition to the discussion of the effects of autism.

Comments

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My son is sometimes too empathetic, especially when other people are upset -- he gets even more so. Autism messes with his regulation and ability to read context; it does not prevent him from connecting with others' emotions.

Let's be clear: it's Leelo's mother who is the psychopath.