A Field Guide to Earthlings Quotes

“Second, you may be unwilling to make a symbolic connection. In my experience, most NTs will only make a relationship that fits into the part of the symbolic web that we don’t have access to. That is, they require a relationship to be fixed in their web and have language and cultural associations-usually bound up with group identity and vying for rank. But you may be too independent. You may not be willing to make strategic alliances (what some NTs call friends). You may not be willing to manipulate people into being with you. If you won’t do these things, you are not going to win attention from people who are limited to these types of relationships, and relationships with them are impossible.”
― Ian Ford, A Field Guide to Earthlings: An Autistic/Asperger View of Neurotypical Behavior

“NTs like to be indirect. Indirection is seen by NTs as essential to keep the peace, be polite, and maintain relationships. It’s pervasive and foundational; it is not a verbal trick that is occasionally added on to other communication. Indirection is the norm, and being direct is the exception used only when drafting legal documents or other specialized communications.”
― Ian Ford, A Field Guide to Earthlings: An Autistic/Asperger View of Neurotypical Behavior

“It is important to understand about NT small talk that it is NOT just wasting time, or “about nothing.” If you have tried to mimic it unsuccessfully, it could be that you were actually talking about nothing, and doing nothing else; they would have found you to be dull in that case. Small talk is active discovery.”
― Ian Ford, A Field Guide to Earthlings: An Autistic/Asperger View of Neurotypical Behavior

“Angel, I know it was just a mistake, but you know you shouldn’t have asked for the boy’s ferret.”
― Ian Ford, A Field Guide to Earthlings: An Autistic/Asperger View of Neurotypical Behavior

“A large majority of people are neurotypical. The word “neurotypical” (or NT) is not derogatory or complimentary - it is neutral. The label is not normally used by people to describe themselves, but is often used from an autistic perspective to name those people who are not labeled as autistic,”
― Ian Ford, A Field Guide to Earthlings: An Autistic/Asperger View of Neurotypical Behavior

“How can NTs be so powerful? There are two reasons they can do this: One is that their desensitization allows them to balance their attention without being distracted by any one overwhelming stimulus. Second, they reduce the size of the incoming data through symbolic filtering, so they only process the symbols, not the whole. Like the cockpit who is checking the airspeed dial (not actually feeling the air), they only bring in the minute essentials.”
― Ian Ford, A Field Guide to Earthlings: An Autistic/Asperger View of Neurotypical Behavior