[refly]

You're getting downvoted, but not being told why.

Asperger's is a lot more complex than just "being a dick". Unfortunately some people use it as an excuse for undesirable behaviors. Regardless, that does not extend to all sufferers. Sometimes it manifests as intense, uncontrollable interest in certain narrow topics and a sensitivity to certain sounds, foods, smells, etc, and a shy or awkward disposition. That isn't being a dick by any means.

I'm sorry if you had a bad experience. It may stem from the fact if you've interacted with people who were diagnosed at a young age, they tend to be on the very far end of the spectrum and as a result may exhibit more extreme symptoms. There are a lot of people who have Asperger's who simply don't disclose it and have developed coping mechanisms that help them blend in. There might be many around you, but they might never have come out as such.

[strlen]

> You're getting downvoted, but not being told why.

That's also a great way to describe the social aspects of mild[1] Asperger's: afflicted individuals are ignored, bullied, and excluded. No one tells them why this is happening, they're expected to "just get it", and it's assumed that they're making a deliberate choice to "be a dick".

[1] Severe Asperger's is much worse, e.g., you are a brilliant programmer but you're living in an institution as your family is unable to take care of you and you are simply unable to function on your own; this is an actual case I am aware of, not an imagined scenario.