Could Nathan Bedford Forrest have had Asperger Syndrome?

Question

Genius at battle strategy, large head, socially inept, narrowly focused, bad handwriting...

Answer 1

Well, it's always possible, but the fact that -- despite social ineptness -- he was able to still function well enough in a social role to win admiration and respect from people shows that he still possessed an ability to connect with others that A.S. people normally do not have.

Asperger's Syndrome could be compared to a lesser form of autism. The people I have met with it are able to take care of themselves and function in society, and often they are quite skilled at a few particular tasks, but they often leave people uneasy and don't quite seem to understand how to fit in. They sometimes suffer other problems as well. (One I knew had Tourette's Syndrome.)

Empathy is something they don't experience much of, if at all. It's easy for them to turn people off or unnerve them because they tend to look at everything mechanically and not "get" how social interaction works on a personal level. If they bother to read anything personal into an interaction at all, it's usually distorted in some way; and it makes relating to them very difficult sometimes. You spend a lot of time "decoding" your actions and comments so they don't misinterpret you.

There are many people with the traits you describe who do not have Asperger's Syndrome. (My best friend has those traits. I could even say I do.)

The thing we do have in common is that we do rate as INTP personality type on the Myers-Briggs Trait Inventory. And INTPs and Asperger's folks are similar in many ways (impersonal, strategic, socially awkward, usually heady/intellectual, not great handwriting)... usually INTP can still empathize with people, however, and thus use their abilities a little more effectively in group settings than Asperger's, who have an even harder time fitting in.

There's a better chance NBF was simply an INTP-type personality, a smaller chance he had some degree of Asperger's. i don't think it's likely, but it's possible.