Isaac Newton was also diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, ultimately succumbing to despair and delusions.
In May 2021, billionaire Elon Musk revealed that he has Asperger’s syndrome during his appearance on SNL while discussing his controversial statements. This was reportedly the first time the Tesla founder spoke about his autism spectrum disorder before later commenting on the cryptocurrency Dogecoin.
Elon claims he has Asperger’s syndrome.
“This is the first time in history that a person with Asperger’s syndrome like me has hosted SNL… You see, I know I sometimes say or post strange things, but that’s just how my brain works… For those who feel offended, I just want to say that I reinvented the electric car and I’m sending people to Mars in a rocket ship. Do you think I’m a normal person?” Musk commented on criticisms related to his Twitter posts.
However, Elon Musk is not the only genius believed to have autism. Two renowned scientists, Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein, are also thought to have had Asperger’s syndrome, which contributed to their unusual behavior in everyday life.
Elon Musk on SNL.
Genius or Madman?
Scientists have researched Einstein and Newton, suggesting that both may have had Asperger’s syndrome. Studies from Cambridge and Oxford University indicate that both scientists exhibited eccentric traits despite their genius in their respective fields.
Einstein was known to mumble continuously, preferred solitude, struggled with communication, and often explained things in a convoluted manner that few could understand. There is a famous anecdote about him being fond of a mother cat and her four kittens, leading him to hire a carpenter to cut a large hole and four small ones in his door so they could enter his bedroom at night.
Nonetheless, Einstein could also be humorous and witty with some sharp responses. When a young reporter asked him to explain the Theory of Relativity in simple terms, he replied: “It’s easy. You wait for your boyfriend for an hour, and time seems to pass slowly. Then, when your boyfriend arrives and you spend an hour with him, time flies. That’s the theory of relativity in the universe.”
In contrast, Newton’s story is more tragic. Although famous for the law of universal gravitation and the legend of sitting under an apple tree when an apple fell on him, Newton’s life was far from easy.
Historical data suggests that Newton had difficulty speaking, often forgot to eat, and was indifferent to everything around him. His eccentricity was so pronounced that even when no one was listening, he continued to lecture in an empty classroom. Even after turning 50, Newton was officially diagnosed with a neurological condition, leading to delusions and depression.
According to research by Professor Simon Baron-Cohen in the UK, individuals with Asperger’s syndrome can become outstanding figures if they identify appropriate life goals; otherwise, they may easily become targets of bullying or face significant challenges in social integration.
Many geniuses have suffered from Asperger’s syndrome, many of whom ended their lives in delusions.
Additionally, psychologist Glen Elliott from the University of California suggests that while geniuses may feel isolated, they are not necessarily autistic. Their exceptional intelligence often leads to frustration and irritability when others fail to understand them, creating a sense of isolation and difficulty in social interactions.
Neurological Condition
Asperger’s syndrome is a neurological condition discovered by Austrian scientist Hans Asperger in 1944. He described many young individuals with normal intelligence and language development but exhibiting a form of autism that led to poor social communication.
Those with Asperger’s syndrome can exhibit various neurological disorders ranging from mild to severe, such as poor communication in the community, a preference for solitude, and often experiencing personality changes. They are frequently obsessed or anxious about their interests but indifferent to other social activities, struggling to understand and express common language in daily life.
Despite seemingly normal language development, they struggle to comprehend complex statements and have difficulty expressing language in context during communication. Asperger’s is described as a psychiatric condition characterized by hyperactivity, excessive behavior associated with autism, and a loss of language learning ability.
Individuals with Asperger’s syndrome often have heightened sensitivity to taste and smell and can be easily disturbed by sounds and lights. They perceive the world around them differently, which may lead to behavior that appears odd or eccentric due to differences in neurological function, rather than being rude or the result of inadequate education.
People with Asperger’s are often victims of bullying or teasing but may possess exceptional intelligence in certain areas.
Does Your Child Have Asperger’s?
Individuals often show early symptoms in their early years, with parents noticing that their child has difficulty making eye contact with them or other family members.
Parents may also observe that their child seems awkward in social situations and does not know what to say or how to respond when someone talks to them.
Children may not exhibit clear social behaviors or communication with others, such as body language or facial expressions. For example, a child may not recognize that someone crossing their arms and frowning indicates that the person is angry.
Another sign is that the child may display very little emotion, such as not laughing when happy or in response to jokes. They might often speak in a flat tone, similar to a robot.
Additionally, a child may spend a lot of time talking about themselves or a favorite subject, or they might not speak at all for an entire day. Beyond verbal communication, they may also engage in repetitive actions.
Children with Asperger’s syndrome often dislike change; for instance, they may eat the same type of food for breakfast every day or struggle when transitioning from one class to another during the school day.
Today, there are various treatment methods for Asperger’s syndrome, but since each child is different, they require unique approaches and care.
