Elon Musk’s surprise disclosure he had Asperger’s Syndrome on “Saturday Night Live” took the business world by surprise; but, more importantly, it broke open the narrative about what even some professionals consider to be a neurodevelopmental disorder requiring reduced expectations. The brains behind Tesla, SpaceX and PayPal shifted the spotlight not to what Asperger’s Syndrome limits, but, on the contrary, what special talents come with it. Indeed, famed tech investor Peter Thiel once called it “a plus for innovation in creating great companies.” Hopefully, now, we can begin to view Asperger’s not as something to fix, but as something to nurture.
Originally posted for the Orlando Sentinel’s Central Florida 100.
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