"I remember sitting in an insulated box room doing the hearing tests to prove that I wasn't really going deaf. I just didn't hear people."

That's something I've always suffered from; teachers and parents thought I was stupid or just ignoring them. I just zoned out as a kid, and still do it now. Wearing headphones helps.

And yes I've wondered if I'm mildly austistic. Who knows...a lot of what is described resonates, but that might just be yer usual disenfranchised modern alienation with a paranoia complex built in, LOL.