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- Beany Brain #102: Autism = No Empathy? + Grocery Shopping While ND
Beany Brain #102: Autism = No Empathy? + Grocery Shopping While ND
Abigail Munday
July 15, 2026
Beany Brain: loving our jumping-bean brains!
Welcome to this issue of the Beany Brain! I hope today’s newsletter will bounce us up as we contemplate the upsides and challenges of being neurodivergent, a little beauty, some creativity, and just general yeehawesomeness.
Table of Contents
Photo by Abigail Munday
Professor Simon Baron-Cohen Says Yes, Autistic People Are Empathetic
For a couple decades, there has been unhelpful language that implies that autistic people lack empathy.
He initially used the “extreme male brain” phrase in relation to autism, but now…
Prof Simon Baron-Cohen’s theory that autistic people tend strongly towards systemising over empathising has been hugely influential in shaping the popular perception of autism over the past two decades. The underlying science had stood the test of time, he said, but he now views the “extreme male brain” label as unhelpful.
“Some of those terms were very easily misunderstood and so I do regret that,” he said. “It can lead to simplistic headlines like ‘autistic people lack empathy’, which is not true.
“Some of that language, like male brain and female brain, I just don’t think it’s useful today.”
Mind the gap!
Autistic people do not lack empathy.
On the contrary, the gap comes in neurotypical understanding.
Baron-Cohen also says:
In fact, he said, his own research showed that autistic people tend to differ in cognitive empathy (interpreting facial expressions and language) but not affective empathy (the internal response to others’ feelings). “Once they know that someone is upset, it upsets them and they want to do something about it,” he said. “There’s a kind of myth that autistic people lack empathy.”
He also addresses the myth of autism “over-diagnosis”:
Some argue that “over-diagnosis” is to blame, but Baron-Cohen dismissed the idea that people would seek a diagnosis in “a casual way”. His team is doing a pilot of whether GPs can diagnose autism as accurately as specialist referral centres, which he said could “cut the waiting lists overnight”.
I’m feeling empathy for all those on waiting lists.
Ha Ha Haiku
A funny haiku for you every week in every newsletter, whether it’s one of my own or one I curate for you. HA. Ha. Haiku.
Making a long list:
Rice, veg, milk, eggs; but really
Shopping for quiet
Photo by Abigail Munday
Grocery Shopping While ND
“Is it open?”
Years ago my husband and I wandered into a Marks & Spencer (Marks & Sparks) department store in High Wycombe and wondered where everyone was.
Inside the store it was dimly lit, there was no music or any advertisements on the speakers, and no staff came up to us to ask if we needed help. In fact, we didn’t see anyone who worked there at all.
I don’t know if you can see by the photo below, but the Sainsbury’s grocery store here in my husband’s hometown also has low lighting.
And I know you can’t hear anything through the screen, but that is representative of the lack of noise on the grocery store sound system.
Photo by Abigail Munday
Can you hear how quiet it is?
Lately it’s been bright bright bright sun here in the UK, so it’s quite a contrast to go into an air-conditioned store with dimmed lights and no ear bombardments either.
And it’s also different than Japanese grocery shopping where there are bright lights, announcements, jingly music, and ads, plus TVs in some sections of the store for visual ads as well.
One thing I definitely appreciate about shopping in Japan is that there are no customers on their phones talking loudly!
Grocery shopping is a mixed bag for me: I appreciate the gift of being able to buy food supplies and with plenty of variety and offerings, and I also am very glad when it’s over and I’m home again.
Photo by Abigail Munday
Photo by Abigail Munday
Yeehawesome!
Yeehawesome! is a happy-brain roundup in each issue of Beany Brain. What’s happening that’s good in brain land? What’s bringing me joy?
Boats. I’ve been fortunate enough to be out in 2 of them in the past week, and just being out on the water is so restorative for my soul.
Custard creams. These are cookies in the UK that have 2 “biscuits” with cream between them (I can get gluten- and dairy-free from the regular grocery store, which is dangerous, TBH). Look closely at the design:
Photo by Abigail Munday
Do you see the twirly bits? Those are images of ferns. The biscuits were developed in the Victorian era and the Victorians loved ferns! A little something I learned from the Antiques Roadshow.
If you need something lovely to think on before trying to sleep, make sure you check out Lucy Grossmith’s art. I kind of meditate on one of her paintings each night.
Quote of the Week
Beneath the rule of men entirely great
The pen is mightier than the sword.
(Edward Bulwer-Lytton)
Beany Brownie Points and Extra Bonus Funniness
(source unknown)
Wonderful Wednesday
Wonderful Wednesday was a day once a year in college when they would suddenly and surprisingly call off all classes and we’d play all day. The cafeteria provided special fun food and we’d do stuff outside like slip ‘n slides and jello wrestling in sumo suits. This segment of Beany Brain is dedicated to that memory of silliness and fun—no words, just a photo from the week that I’ve taken or found that reminds me to let the joy in. Since Beany Brain is published on Wednesday every week (at least, Wednesday in Japan), I hope you enjoy this Wonderful Wednesday.
Photo and Bromeliad Staging by Abigail Munday
Today’s Beany-full Summary:
Professor Simon Baron-Cohen is walking back his language around empathy and autism, and he says, yes, autistic people are empathetic.
Grocery shopping experiences vary for me by culture.
Go forth in Beany joy. What will help you feel yeehawesome this week?
Thank you for reading this installment of Beany Brain! You’re very welcome to hop on by any old time.
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