Autism and Fascism Have Crossed Paths Before—but Not How You Think
“Information wants to be free”, observed Stewart Brand during a discussion with Steve Wozniak at the 1984 Hackers Conference. In hindsight, it was a simple, almost cute mantra for us. Perhaps it should’ve been obvious that it would hold doubly true for mis- and disinformation. I think we just naively assumed that everyone sought to share the truth in accordance with science and reason. We were just trying to figure the machines out, no fear.
It’s not 1984 now, except it is. I hesitate to write this article, because the fear is real.
Crudeness, bullying, hatred and outright cruelty are being normalized before our very eyes. Positions against science, medicine, reason and inclusivity are becoming entrenched in society, government and business. The technology we built to crush borders and enrich all of humanity has become weaponized for the gain of the few.
The fear is real, but the option to stay silent is not.
A few years back, I decided to live my autistic life openly, accepting the risks, rewards and responsibilities that come with it. Since then, I’ve learned much about myself and others, and while I try to restrain my verbose self from tirelessly babbling about autism (or other special interests), today I shall babble. I have something to tell you about autism.
Autism doesn’t cause fascism, just like vaccines don’t cause autism.
The unemployment rate among autistic adults can approach or exceed 80%, even among those with higher education. Read that again. We don’t need more barriers to contributing to the economy and welfare of society. Between current toxic autism politics and the speech and behaviors coming from certain influential people, the autistic community risks great setbacks.
I’m not particularly concerned with whether these prominent figures are actually autistic. A couple have made headlines lately. One stated in the past they are a “person with Asperger’s” (we’ll circle back to this label shortly) and another recently said they have “a case of autism”. Both have overtly and repeatedly engaged in speech and behavior that is fascist-aligned and hateful and damaging to numerous groups of people.
I am quite concerned about one of them recently using their autism as an excuse for past, harmful utterances. Further, it’s alarming that an army of internet randos are explaining away these behaviors by blaming “autistic awkwardness”.
Misinformation wants to be free.
Autistic social awkwardness does not result in fascist salutes. Autism does not make you hateful. Autism does not affect your belief system. The obvious hate and more subtle vice signaling these characters and other hard-right “autistic tech bros” are engaged in are functions of other variables entirely.
The greatest irony of the “Nazi autist” concept is obviously that the Nazis sent autistic children and adults to their deaths early during the war, indeed as the precursor to the Holocaust. Other disabilities were targeted as well, everything under the Aktion T4 euthanasia program. “Life unworthy of life” per fascist judgment.
One of the pioneering researchers of autism, Hans Asperger, was a Nazi regime collaborator who contributed to the murders of people who were autistic or otherwise disabled. His scientific work was compromised by the Nazi regime’s racist and eugenic ideology, a case of belief and politics controlling science and medicine as opposed to the proper way around. (Since 2013, what we used to call “Asperger’s” is instead called Level 1 ASD.)
Many autistic people display, and can passionately describe, a heightened sensitivity to injustice as well as strong attention to rules and fairness. Some humorous situations can arise from these and other autistic attributes, but there’s nothing funny or accurate about using autism as an excuse for fascist speech or behavior. Fascists and neo-Nazis want us and other neurodivergent people gone from work, society and life. Do not throw us into their blood-stained bucket.
Disinformation wants to be free. Do you?