Autistic people are naïve
This idea that we are gullible fools is an insulting antiquated trope.
Gullible is defined as “easily deceived or tricked, and too willing to believe everything that other people say”.
In order to be deceived or tricked by someone, by definition, the other person has to be lying, obfuscating, or in some way being not entirely forthright.
Before I dive into that particular issue, however, I first want to address this pervasive stereotype that Autistic people are forever wide-eyed innocents.
I often say that neurodivergent people tend to have certain traits either turned up to 11, or turned excessively low. There is much less in-between for us as compared to neurotypical folks.
This is no different in terms of gullibility.
The definition of naïve is “showing a lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment”.
Many Autistic folks have too much experience with people who would take advantage of our differences for their own benefit. Rather than being naïve or gullible, we have developed trust issues and are highly skeptical.
I would certainly put myself in this latter category.
However there are certainly some who struggle to take incoming information with a grain of salt — meaning, filtering through the bullshit and believing only that which is credible.
Why is that?
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