Blindboy

but people who I've clicked with and then they mail me and go turns out I'm autistic not just this podcast in my fucking life quite a lot of the people who I'd end up I'm out in a pub I'm overstimulated I fucking hate it and then there's one person and I can chat to them for hours and it's grand and I feel okay those people they end up getting diagnosed as neurodivergent in some way

And that illustrates double empathy for me.

So neurotypical people can communicate brilliantly with other neurotypical people, whatever set of rules that is.

And then the neurodivergent have a different way.

So it's the communication difficulties between autistic and non-autistic, it arises from communication.

a mismatch rather than the deficit solely being located with the autistic people.

It just so happens that there's way more neurotypical people and it's a neurotypical society.

And I just like that reading of it and like the weighted blankets.

It's all anecdotal.

It's just a theory.

There's no evidence behind it, but it's something that aligns with my experience.

But anyway, look, I had an unreal chat with Collie last night.

Collie is the chief biodiversity officer in Trinity College, but he's big into science communication and citizen science.

Collie goes out into communities and teaches people about biodiversity and how to build ponds and the importance of insects and frogs.

And he's so passionate about it and so deeply interested in it.

And his passion is completely infectious.

And Collie's the person who got me into biodiversity.

He's the person who really got me thinking about it and caring about it and understanding it, you know.

So have a listen to this and hopefully you'll come away from it wanting to build a pond or plant some wildflower or ring your local council and get them to stop mowing lawns or destroying habitats.

I don't know what to start with this, Collie.