Here’s another alleged characteristics of aspergers —> Not being able to determine public versus private personal hygiene. For instance: someone may pick their nose or clean their ears in front of others without realizing most people do not do those things in public areas.
I can’t speak for other Aspergians, but I can say for myself that I (for the most part) don’t care what someone else does in public¹ so long as they don’t wipe it on me! There are other things far more important than taking offense to such things as this. I’d rather be next to someone picking his nose than picking my pocket.
I have to assume that I behave ‘properly’ in regards to public hygiene because no one has brought anything to my attention.
This seems to be a cultural issue more than what I’d call a sign of ‘mental illness.’ It all boils down to what you’re desensitized to in public.
¹Do you think I’m gross because I’m more liberal about public hygiene standards? I find it gross to see intimate public displays of same-sex affection. People want to call me ‘homophobic’ for that, so does that mean then that I can call others with more conservative hygiene standards ‘hygienophobics?”
