[sardonicbryan]

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that autistic people are mentally disabled or a jobs program as exploitative, though I can see now how it came off that way.

I was referring to the plot of the novel somewhat obliquely since there is a potential spoiler involved (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Deepness_in_the_Sky#Plot_sum...). That said, there is a definite parallel there, as with most good science fiction, it explores some of the potentially unintended/extreme consequences of society.