Why Some People See Collapse Earlier Than Others

When reality deviates too much from what we think reality should be, we tend to slide into denial. It’s what Alex Steffen describes as «our inability to grasp discontinuity […] the moment where past experience loses its value as a guide to decision-making about the future.» I was reminded of his quote when reading this remarkable essay this week. It explains why some people are less prone to that reflex. «The autistic mind is not trapped inside consensus trance. […] When a person’s identity is not anchored in dominant social narratives, the erosion of those narratives does not produce the same level of disorientation.» And thus: «The autistic cognitive style can make tipping points legible before they are socially acknowledged.»