I think the point is that any autistic person who wants a relationship, would have a harder time getting one, so they could become desperate to a varying degree. Just as some NTs don't want one, or have stoically accepted not getting one ; some autistic people will be the same.
I've never smoked, but I can imagine what it might be like for someone who does, to have to go without ; by making an analogy to things I do want.
Perhaps the issue for autistic people is that they want a relationship in some sense, but they don't get the psychological "reward" of having one, so don't keep up the hard work. Imagine someone brewing their own beer ; if they find they don't really enjoying drinking it, they'd soon give up.
"Relationship" is a tricky word, because it means any form of interaction ; and the one someone has with their cat, brother, mother or girl-friend will be different. Think of Big, where Tom Hanks has the body of a man but the brain of a child ; he still manages to make his female friend happy. I say that a "good" relationship, is one that works for both parties ; regardless of what anyone else might think is valuable.
A steady drinker might have no idea how someone can enjoy alcohol-free beer, because it misses the whole point ; but each to their own.
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