academics?

[They] are not usually withdrawn around others; they approach others, even if awkwardly, for example by engaging in a one-sided, long-winded speech about an unusual topic while being oblivious to the listener’s feelings or reactions, such as signs of boredom or wanting to leave. This social awkwardness has been called “active, but odd”. This failure to react appropriately to social interaction may appear as disregard for other people’s feelings, and may come across as insensitive…. [They] may analyze and distill their observation of social interaction into rigid behavioral guidelines and apply these rules in awkward ways—such as forced eye contact—resulting in demeanor that appears rigid or socially naive. Childhood desires for companionship can be numbed through a history of failed social encounters….

[They] display behavior, interests, and activities that are restricted and repetitive and are sometimes abnormally intense or focused. They may stick to inflexible routines or rituals …

Pursuit of specific and narrow areas of interest is one of the most striking features … [they] may collect volumes of detailed information on a relatively narrow topic … without necessarily having genuine understanding of the broader topic.

I thought this sounded like a great description of academics. And then I realized it was a description of people with Asperger syndrome.

Sydney