Many people with AS are **highly compassionate**, especially toward underdogs and victims of injustice. This likely stems from their own experience of being mistreated — bullied, teased, rejected for their differences. **Examples:** Alex donates to orphaned children ("helping someone who didn't get a chance"). Sharon, a NYC lawyer, fights for the homeless so intensely she nearly went bankrupt. Eugene volunteered for an AIDS vaccine trial because he felt LGBTQ people are mistreated. All three responded: *"The world is very unfair. I felt I had to do something to help people who have been mistreated."* **Compassion vs empathy:** Empathy (recognizing others' state of mind) is compromised in AS. Compassion (sympathizing with those seen as underdogs) can be a *bridge* — Maxine Aston (*Aspergers in Love*) uses it to help AS individuals understand their partner's feelings by linking them to a similar personal experience of mistreatment. People with AS have very long memories for mistreatment and find it hard to forgive or forget. **Source:** Lovett, *Solutions for Adults with Asperger Syndrome*, Ch 7 (pp182-183) See also: [[Empathy vs Empathic Response in AS]]