Autism

Among a multitude of other mental issues, Joshua Block, known as World of T-Shirts, has autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). His autism manifests through frequent stimming behaviors, such as hand biting, repetitive phrases, and physical gestures, often triggered by stress. Additionally, Josh exhibits hyperfixations on luxury, travel, transit systems, lawsuits, and exotic foods, which dominate his attention and content creation.

Diagnosis and Background

Joshua Block's autism was confirmed by his grandfather in an interview, noting that Josh was initially placed in a restrictive school track due to his condition but later excelled in standard classes, achieving honor roll status. As a TikTok influencer with nearly 4 million followers, his autism influences his public behavior, often seen in his comedy videos, live streams, and vlogs centered around New York City.

Stimming

Stimming, or self-stimulatory behavior, involves repetitive movements or sounds used by individuals with autism to self-regulate or express emotions. Josh's stimming behaviors include:

Hand Biting and Chewing

Main article: Self Harm

Frequently observed under stress, such as on July 27, 2024, when he chewed his hand before a physical altercation, and on September 17, 2024, during a violent outburst involving kicking people and damaging a car.

Repetitive Phrases

Main article: Catchphrases

Josh compulsively repeats phrases like "Put the fries in the bag", which can trigger aggressive reactions when echoed by others, as seen in incidents on September 9, 2024, and August 23, 2024.

Emoting and Physical Gestures

Described as exaggerated movements, Josh "emotes" during confrontations, such as stomping and gesturing on October 19, 2023, after a public dispute, or performing a "Leprechaun shin kick" on March 17, 2024.

These behaviors often escalate in high-stress situations, contributing to his documented public outbursts.

Hyperfixations

Hyperfixations are intense, prolonged interests common in autistic individuals, often dominating their focus. Josh's identified hyperfixations include:

Luxury

Josh's behaviors highly suggest a fascination with luxury items or lifestyles, even early on. For instance, his World of T-Shirts store had a sister site called "All Things Luxury", and in various videos Josh has suggested that he lives a lifestyle of luxury, despite the fact that objectively, this could not be further from the truth.

Travel

Josh frequently creates content in various locations, such as New York City and Japan, with a notable breakdown in Japan on February 15, 2025, indicating a strong interest in exploring new places.

Transit Systems

Josh regularly posts selfies of him at the Hoyt-Schermerhorn St. subway station, known as "Ahoyts". His fixation on transit systems is also inferred from his frequent use and mention of public transportation in videos like the Amtrak Train Video, and Josh showing expertise in navigating New York via the MTA subway system.

Lawsuits

Josh has shown a heavy fixation on lawsuits and the legal system since at least 2023, while also demonstrating a clear lack of knowledge on how the legal system works. It's likely that Josh sees the US legal system as something that can easily be used to get free money if something were to happen to him. He has made completely empty legal threats to anyone who harasses him, while also constantly bemoaning that he can't afford a lawyer. Fans had once speculated that Quinn may have gotten this idea into Josh's head.

Exotic / Taboo Foods

Josh has expressed interest in exotic or taboo foods. The most glaring example of such is Josh claiming that he ate golden retriever dog meat while in Japan. This was explicitly racist, as Josh later said he would eat cat if he visited China as "that's what they eat all the time." On a related note, Josh once purchased cooked Chicken McNuggets to feed to live chickens on farms.

These hyperfixations shape his content and public interactions, often intertwining with his stimming behaviors during live streams or public appearances.

Impact and Context

Josh's autism contributes to his unique online presence but also complicates his public interactions, leading to incidents of violence, discrimination, and legal issues. His stimming and hyperfixations, while characteristic of ASD, are often amplified by stress, intoxication, or external influences, as seen in his documented behavior. Understanding these traits provides insight into his actions and challenges as a public figure.