What’s your most controversial opinion? **Read OP** **Mod Note in Post #3372**

People love to some form of a disorder these days and doesn't matter how mild it may be they'll wear it like some kind of badge of honour. Social media is the worst for it, people making it their whole personality. It's bizzare

I'd most likely fall into the category of somebody that lives a pretty normal life. However, my teenage life was pretty atrocious in part due to a lack of any diagnosis. Most of my personal issues are unknown to those around me. I pretty much almost gave my self a nervous breakdown due to exhausting myself from masking. I'll tell people I trust about it but that's largely it but it's been pretty important for me to understand how to look after myself and accept aspects of self that I tried to reject.

And I don't think anyone is lumping in all forms of autism together. The point is that it can largely manifest in different ways and openness about it means that people who do need supports can get them. Cause less extreme points on the spectrum can be incredibly difficult in their own way. Fyi, McClean got his diagnosis after his daughter's cause he had suspicions as a result.

Overall I'm not sure what impact it has upon you or anyone else. But for the people on the spectrum, it can be pretty important to identify it.

That's fair enough.

I suppose my post is about the people who with almost a sense of pride saying "I'm on the spectrum" as if it's an achievement.I just think there has been a fetisisation of autism like conditions where people are almost happy to have so they can appear like a more interesting individual.

One of my cousins hasn't stopped blabbing on about "since I got my diagnosis" when there is essentially nothing really wrong with her.

I suspect a very high proportion of people would be on the Autism spectrum if they got tested for it but most people don't even get tested. I have a lot of traits associated with mild forms of autism as I've noticed over the years and I suspect I could be diagnosed with autism as well (like my cousin above) if I went to be tested for it.

I don't hold it against them. I presume they felt a bit different all their lives and couldn't figure out why they didn't quite fit in. They have jobs and friends and partners, and still didn't experience the world the way most people do. That must be difficult, particularly the early years and adolescence.

And then they find an explanation for not quite experiencing the world the way most people do and it must be a massive relief.

I presume a lot of them thought they were failing in adolescence when everyone is figuring themselves out so they get a second chance to figure themselves out later in life. It's not unusual to talk about something something that significant in your life. And I imagine they'll settle and not talk about it so much a few years after figuring themselves out.

I'll never experience what they went through so I'm just guessing TBH. But I can't hold it against them. People have different experiences.

its ridiculous that Gardaí aren’t armed , with at least Tazers . Watching ITN news where a man with a samurai / knife, killing a 13 yo .While it’s not Ireland it took 22minutes to tazer him . If faced with a psychotic or mentally ill person doing the same in Ireland what can an unarmed garda to but tackle him with no weapon or call for backup from armed units. Ireland has moved on from the days when a firm warning from a Garda will suffice

If the shoe was on the other foot, if you had a band playing Loyalist sectarian tunes that would be roundly criticised and cancelled.

Nonsense… this is just normal life.

"my teenage life was pretty atrocious" - Every teenager ever..

"Most of my personal issues are unknown to those around me." - Again, - Every teenager ever..

"I'll tell people I trust about it " - Don't, they don't care about your feelings.

Do you understand that a "Diagnosis" is only an opinion?

Make the most of your life and stop looking for reasons (that it's not your fault) it's not as good as you expected.

Israel is by far the lesser of two evils in comparison to Islamic fundamentalist jihadists like Hamas and Hezbollah, and has an infinitely better way of life than what any Islamic country will ever offer, and is ultimately right to see this as a war of survival as the Palestinians have no interest in peace.

And that Irish people siding with Hamas and Hezbollah or chanting "From the River to the Sea" are too stupid to realise they're actually advocating for genocide.

Harsh. If someone tells me they have a diagnosis I generally just take them at their word. I don't ask for a note from their oncologist or whatever other medical professional.

What difference does it make anyway? You don't treat people with an autism diagnosis differently, they are the ones who have been adapting their behaviour all their lives. It only takes a small bit of empathy for others to get along just fine.

I disagree,
Do you really think arming all the Garda in this country is a good idea ? Do you know many Garda would you trust them to have guns & make the correct calls,

How many people would be shot over stupid incidents , How many Garda would get shot by there own weapons,, How many ordinary criminals would suddenly decide they must arm themselves with guns,

Sounds great in theory but would be a nightmare in practise ,

The amount of training to arm all the Garda & to keep them skilled would be insane,

Having ERU is fine for a country of our size right now , More ERU officers is the way to go not arming all Garda ,

Have contributed money to the Palestinian side and this has been a waste.

On the other hand, the Ayn Rand Institute UK YouTube channel clearly has an openly snarky sneering and unhelpful in any way attitude to the conflict.

https://www.youtube.com/%40AynRandInstitute

I personnally think folks who believe they know what impacts a particular issue may have on an individuals ability to live their lives without making any effort to understand the individual are the gobshites but what do I know

And plenty of people would have slipped through the gaps for diagnosis over the decades. So increased awareness will lead to others pursuing diagnoses and will give them a general better of understanding of themselves. And not limited to autism. Eg people who never realised they were dyslexic or had ADHD etc. Often those people were ignored or treated as if they were dumb/lost cause in the educational system.

So all those people sharing their personal experiences might annoy you but much of the time it can help others. So the net impact upon you is pretty minimal in the scheme of things.

I read somebody comparing the current situation in Gaza to the Warsaw ghetto during ww2, except now Israel is Germany and Palestinians are the jews. He was spot on with the similarities.