I love this show, and for the last few weeks I've been watching every episode in the series again with HBO on demand. I'm just wondering if anyone who watches it thinks Larry has high functioning autism or Asperger's syndrome. I'm talking about Larry as a character on the show, not in real life.
shareAs an Aspie myself I have long suspected this. I can definitely relate to Larry in most of his situations.
sharepretty much everyone that watches the show can relate to larry and his reactions in situations. the tagline for a while was "deep down.. you know you're him". is everyone that relates to his anti-social behavior autistic or does everyone have asperger's because of that ?
shareExactly. Everyone thinks what he says but they are just too scared to say it.
shareHere's the problem with "everyone feels like he does deep down". Larry gets annoyed at the stupid stuff people do. I identify with that strongly. A LOT of people do crap that makes no sense or is unnecessarily offensive/rude and inconveniences (or worse) those around them. The show is funny because he calls them out. IRL, we don't call them out because maybe we can't (at work), or maybe there'd be violence, or we just don't want to make a public display. So those of us that wish we didn't have those social constraints to calling people's stupidities out love the show for that.
But how can everyone feel like him? If everyone did, then there wouldn't be so many stupid people doing stupid sh!t and annoying those of us who think like David. LOL
I'm thinking it's actually quite a small percentage overall that notice and get annoyed at stuff like that. 90% of things he makes fun of is stuff I've already thought about before watching the show. I really am him. But when I point sh!t out to people (not necessarily calling THEM out) they don't get it. Accuse me of being anal or overthinking when I think it's perfectly reasonable.
Things like when they're sitting in the outdoor cafe for lunch and he says "isn't anyone else bothered by all the pollution of the cars and buses?" I feel the same way. Most people don't seem to though. They'd call me anal if I said that.
Some things are more universal, such as having a parking spot taken just as you're about to pull into it. But a lot of stuff on the show, I think the average person doesn't really get it because it's stuff they themselves do all the time.
So 'honesty' instead of 'conforming to insanity because of fear of people' is 'autistic', and thus a mental illness?
Honest people = crazy people?
WHAT?
I don't get that sense at all.
shareI strongly get that sense, because of the way he focuses on irrelevant details in many interactions. He fails to read people accurately and that is why he constantly invites attacks.
shareI think the whole show is basically stuff we all wish we could say but don't because of the social contract. Just like Louis, I feel like Curb situations take place in someone's head. Almost no one reacts consistently in the same honest basically confrontational way that LD does... and he makes eye contact, understands social cues (He just rejects them) gets the reason why people do the minutia he hates and interacts socially just fine...which isn't necessarily consistent with the mentality of people with Aspergers.
He just says all the stuff you wish you could say but sometimes goes too far and makes you cringe knowing that he is absolutely wrong.
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Suspension of disbelief is a privilege, not a right. Abuse at your own Peril.
I have to disagree, because often Larry is completely surprised at the negative reactions and abuse he receives as a result of his failure to predict how others will behave. It's true, there are many times where he does make a conscious choice to confront or reprimand someone, and he usually pays the price.
share"I think the whole show is basically stuff we all wish we could say but don't because of the social contract. "
Speak for yourself. I didn't sign any contract, and I don't say things that are different than the ones I wish to say. I say what I want to say, and I wish everyone was like that. Sure, there might be a bit more butthurt morons, but at least things would be honest and direct, and there wouldn't be any manipulations or mind games or underhanded crap.
Who is "we all" anyway?
All the living things in the Universe that are able to say things?
All the living things on this planet that are able to say things?
All the living things in the country you are in, that are able to say things?
All the people in your circle of family and/or friends?
You MUST know there are people in existence that do not follow your petty 'social contract'. You must know that. There are even criminals, who don't follow THE LAW, which takes precedence over ANY 'social contract' (whatever that means).
Let's just be honest and free, and not manipulating, lying jerks. That would be much better than acting under some 'social contract' that forces you to lie, apparently.
Thats hilarious. If you dont understand what the term social contract means, I suggest looking it up before posting a rant...
share:) Larry even explains it on the show
the unspoken rules that we stick to as we go about our day. like at night.. YOU TIP TOE!!!!!!! there's no sign that says "tip toe", you just have to be smart enough and considerate enough to do itshare
What's interesting is how selective he is about following the unspoken rules. One unspoken rule is that we do not confront, belittle or attempt to educate strangers except in very limited circumtances.
shareWhoa lol.. Have you heard of the concept of social norms? A basic concept wherein every individual has the free will, and to whatever degree, the ability to say and do anything at anytime? Yet there are social norms that stop an individual from: screaming randomly while at dinner, snatching a clock off the wall and smashing it, taking your shirt off while in line at the grocery store etc. Are those extreme examples? Perhaps.. It depends on what type of individual you are.. To say that the concept of adhering to these "norms" or "contracts" means that you are not an individual, says to me that you may have misunderstood the O.P.... If you do not think you have "agreed" to a "social contract", try out a few of the examples I gave sometime.
"Call me Winston."
Absolutely. That's what I love about the show. Larry says and does what we're all afraid to say or do. We have restraint, but Larry goes ahead and says stuff. And it gets him into trouble!
sharenah
shareExactly. Everyone thinks what he says but they are just too scared to say it
I've long suspected I have Asperger's -- I have a really tough time "reading" people and their cues and understanding their rules. It seems like they expect you to read their minds and do or say whatever they are expecting and I just can't seem to do that, no matter how hard I try.
So I can relate to all the situations where he tries to do something nice for somebody or do the "right thing" and it just totally backfires on him.
I'm that way too, so many times I've tried to do something nice for someone and somehow inadvertently offended them -- to the point where I usually just don't even try anymore.
Which I guess makes me seem like a "jerk" sometimes -- and I think that's where some of his character's attitude comes from -- you just get tired of trying to please other people, but always falling short -- so it's kind of a coping mechanism to just become a jerk yourself.