I've noticed this weird trend where autism is suddenly viewed by the public and various media outlets as some kind of disease that confers mystical powers onto the afflicted person. I do understand that some autistic people have certain talents, but the shifts in public perception that I've been observing has gotten a bit too reverential towards this disease. It seems like suddenly autistic people are perceived as beings who can tap into the mysteries of the universe with their magical and inscrutable powers. In various media outlets, I keep hearing about individuals who are supposedly experts about stuff, who are described as having autism as an apparent means of bolstering their credibility or discouraging you from questioning their insights (because, I suppose, they are privy to information that 'normal' people aren't).
Has anyone else noticed this? What the fuck is going on here?