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by ethanbond 1149 days ago
Allistic seems pretty useful here actually (first time encountering the word). “Normal” doesn’t describe along which dimension the person is typical. Allistic specifies the relevant one.
1 comments

What's wrong with just saying "not autistic"?
Are you familiar with the concept of ‘markedness?’

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markedness

Terms like ‘allistic’ counteract the unmarked norm - we have a special word for ‘autistic’ but we don’t say anything about ‘not autistic’ because it’s ‘normal’ - see how that has a judgmental angle?

It’s hard to examine a thing critically when it’s just called ‘normal,’ if it’s called anything at all. It’s much better to be precise in your speech when you’re addressing such deeply entrenched social practices.

It’s far too easy to slip into the “but this is just normal, why do we even need to think about it, let alone make up a word for it” trap and become complacent.

Autists are called this way because they are out. What's the origin of the word "allist"?

The idea that we should warp minds to appease someone's feelings is fashionable today, but it's wrong. Feelings and emotions are servants of the mind, and the mind should be a servant of truth.

That's a losing social strategy. It always has been. It always will be. People don't remember what you say to them, people remember how you make them feel. Show people that you care by taking their feelings into account when choosing how you act, and how you speak, and they will respond in kind.
Nothing IMO! Languages are pretty good at generating words that are useful and pruning ones that are not, so this will either survive or not survive regardless of the meta-commentary.