Describing high-functioning autism as a &quot;fad&quot; which excuses those with it from having to &quot;improve themselves&quot; is both unpleasant and ignorant. Some autistic people have perfectly normal intelligence and language skills, yet may suffer from some or all of:<p>- incomprehension of and bafflement by social cues and conventions that the rest of us take for granted; this is far more than just being &quot;socially awkward&quot;, and was famously described by Temple Grandin as like being &quot;an anthropologist on Mars&quot;<p>- a heavy reliance on routine, and discomfort or distress when that routine is disrupted<p>- over-sensitivity to sensory stimulation, which can make things like a trip to the supermarket (strip lighting, PA announcements, crowds, the smell of produce and other people&#x27;s bodies) hellish.