Just like many of you described, my father exhibits genius-level intelligence in some areas, and is completely clueless in others. He can rattle off facts and recite narratives in certain subject areas, and will remember entire passages from a book he read, but will not remember things like my major in college or what I do for a living.

He takes forever to relate a simple story. He will deliver hour-long monologues on his current subject of interest, but never asks questions about my life, or ask how my husband is doing. Anything a person tries to add to his monologue -- an opinion or fact -- he ignores. He is interested in delivering his speech about obscure subjects, but has no interest in other people's thoughts on his topic. And he can't even seem to recognize when his audience loses interst. I don't even know if it matters to him whether his audience knows, understands or cares what he's talking about.

He always seemed very self-centered, but not malicious and now I think I understand why. He does seem incapable of empathy. When I plan to spend time with him, he always makes plans that include activities in which I would have NO interest (like driving an hour away just to visit an electronics consignment store?). Anything I suggest, he ignores. It wasn't his idea, so there is no reason for him to do it.

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I also have Asperger's, and again, it made things really difficult for me when I was younger. The more people claim to have something, the less people sympathize with the truly difficult effects these disorders have on the lives of us that actually suffer from them.

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In retrospect, this had way more to do with being an only child living out in the boonies with two other houses in view of ours and no kids in the neighborhood. I had zero socialization, especially in comparison to kids from large families who lived in town. I did not understand the concept of teasing someone else for amusement. I am, frankly, still a little shaky on why it's supposedly fun.

I was really awkward as a kid, REALLY awkward as a teenager, and eventually sussed things out in my mid-twenties. I now have a job where I interact with people all day long--many of them cranky college professors--and I deal with them just fine.

My brain organization was not the problem. I am probably not alone on this one.

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He had Asbergers. Like broderline-full-autism Asbergers. And while we fell out of touch sophomore year (er, my sophomore year), he was friends with the group of friend my best friend/roommate for the last two yeas of school had (she was also a year older tahn me), so we saw each other often during his senior year.

Nice kid.

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I got the impression that he was just SO TIRED of trying to explain his condition to people who refused to get it that he gave up. Very frustrating and sad to watch.

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Someone with Aspergers might unintentionally hurt your feelings with tactless observations, but they're going to do it to everyone, not just you or people they dislike. They're also very unlikely to have to social skills to cheat.

But some people need to find a reason for shitty behavior rather than admitting some people are assholes.

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I completely agree with you, Sadie, in being a little insulted by the fact that uninformed people are using Asperger's to explain away asshole-ish behaviour.

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Can't people just get on each other's nerves anymore?

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