If anyone can help me find Zoom friends I will appreciate. Sadly, my emptiness is as real as my Autism. As real as my weight 155 kg. In USA, 44 million people suffer Mental Disability. I am one of them.
u didnt answer my quest: do you feel EMPTY and suffer from physical withdrawal symptoms when you are not arguing politics online? if not, then you are not addicted.
there are two types of addictions: physical and chemical. if you suffer from no actual physical withdrawal symptoms when you are not arguing politics online, than you are not addicted. no headaches? no shakes? no rapid heartbeat? then not an addiction
the guy admits to being within the Autism Spectrum/Aspergers. He's not addicted to arguing online, he simply is suffering from one of the many symptoms of his illness.
Do I "suffer", because of online "addictions to online arguments"...? In a landscape littered with bullshit, this is one of the taller piles....
And sadly, by arguing and reading arguments too much I harm my own health. But many people here and elsewhere have much worse addictions -- alcohol, tobacco, fentanyl. I hope all addicted people can recover.
I've read that Autism is a condition that affects how a person thinks, feels, interacts with others, and experiences the personal environment. No one seems to understand exactly what it is, actually, or what to do about it...(?). So, barring something 'concrete', something 'measurable', something 'biological', etc., I'd suggest that to avoid developing symptoms associated with Autism (whatever it really is), a person should always maintain a strong awareness and sense of SELF. Never 'lose yourself in the crowd', always keep a healthy degree of independence and skepticism about anything that the 'crowd' tells you is 'true'.... Based on logic, evidence, and your own personal preferences, pick-and-choose what you will believe and what you will disbelieve. And, you may find it useful simply to withdraw from many of the distasteful, unpleasant aspects of over-indulgence in what the 'crowd' thinks and what it does. Following the other 'cattle' often takes you to a 'slaughterhouse'....
A suggestion: listen to classical music, and as you follow the development of each piece or movement, let your own imagination blossom and suggest images, meaning, emotions, and ideas to you! Formulate your own feelings, your own interpretations, your own reactions, and OWN them, for they have validity in the sanctity of your own identity, mind, and being! Enjoy them in the insular privacy, safety, and sanctity of your own humanity and your own soul. Do this in private, completely by yourself! Start where you wish... I suggest the works of composers like Haydn, Handel, Telemann, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Vivaldi, Boccherini, Mercadanti, and on and on and on. All the very best to you!
Sometimes I get caught up in online debates. If an issue important to me comes up, I can't help myself.
Thank you. Social Media can be problematic to all people. For me it is different -- I am a documented Autistic. Lately, my Autistic Routine was broken by CoronaVirus Crisis.
Sometimes I just wish I wouldn't win 100% of all my arguments with democrats, it is starting to get boring there is no challenge anymore. Sigh.........
For normal people arguments are just arguments. For me it is a part of Autistic Interest. In USA there are 44 million adults with Mental Disability. Most of them are not Autistic. Some are simply depressed. Some are addicted to tobacco, alcohol, or narcotics.
It would depend on your definition of "arguing". Simply disagreeing with someone else is NOT arguing. People can discuss, even debate, issues without it turning to hate-filled, myopic and hurtful exchanges. Badgering someone over the head with your point of view is never going to lead to fruitful exchanges. Plus, arguing is exhausting. If we can't agree to disagree in a non-inflammatory way, why do we consider ourselves "civilized"?
I used to feel driven but not anymore. I find this site now more interesting and educational than regular news sites, both right and left. Real peoples insights and responses are far more edifying than articles by most journalists whom you can't question. Sometimes the pettiness and meanness leave much to be desired. Still it is good to be challenged, especially in a respectful fashion.