My lived reality is just a crushing, unending, series of external asks that have all but obliterated my sense of self and autonomy. From the moment I wake up until I go to bed, I'm just running, performatively matching the constraints required of me to tread water. I used to be very self-driven, but after so many decades of this, I don't have a strong sense of being able to take care of myself. I would have been homeless at many times in my life had it not been for the generosity of friends and family.
Where this matters for me is that I've lost too many years to stuff like politics. I've learned recently that left and right just live in different realities. No amount of mental simulation will allow me to fully understand another person's context. Because they're not even thinking about the same problems I am, they're prioritizing other things.
For example, I was raised under a largely feminist/humanist framework and identify as progressive, so empathy dominates my decision making. But imagine you're in a hostage situation, who do you want to rescue you? Someone raised under positive reinforcement (left), or tough love (right)? I think most of us want conservatives dropping in from the ceiling and getting it done.
So I've been working on expanding my mindset to accept multiple points of view and leave behind us-versus-them winners and losers thinking. Opening my mind to notions like not knowing and letting go. Seeing the power in being wrong sometimes, allowing others to help, and delegating to be part of a stronger team. It's sure hard sometimes though.
Sorry if that's more than what you were asking, but hey, I guess I'm interested in it!
https://tendingpaths.wordpress.com/2022/12/12/updated-autism...
One common feature of high functioning autistics is an obsession with the memorization of minutiae (on some topic of intense interest) without at all understanding context.
For example, a former classics professor I knew told us about a relative of his who memorized the entire Persian king list for dozens of dynasties long. He couldn't tell you much actual Persian history at all, but the professor unabashedly admitted that almost no one of his colleagues outside of the actual specialists in Persian history could recite that list even with a gun to their heads, despite being capable of lecturing on Persian history due to their education.