Category: Joke Board
What to do when you meet a sighted person:
> People who use their eyes to acquire information about the world are
> called
> sighted people or "people who are sighted". Legal sight means any
> visual acuity greater than 20/200 in the better eye without correction or
> an
> angle of vision wider than 20 degrees.
> Sighted people enjoy rich, full lives working, playing and raising
> families. They run businesses, hold public offices, get arrested and
> teach your children!
> How do Sighted People get Around?
> People who are sighted may walk or ride public transportation but most
> choose to travel long distances by operating their own motor vehicles,
> usually one passenger to a car. They have gone through many hours of
> extensive training to learn the rules of the road in order to further
> their independence. Once that road to freedom has been mastered, sighted
> people earn a legal classification and a drivers license which allows
> them to operate a private vehicle relatively safely and independently.
> How do you assist a sighted person?
> Sighted people are accustomed to viewing the world in visual terms. This
> means that in many situations they will not be able to communicate
> orally and may resort to stammering, pointing, hand waving or other
> gesturing. Subtle facial expressions may also be used to convey feelings
> in social situations. Calmly alert the sighted person to his or her
> surroundings by speaking slowly in a normal tone of voice. Questions
> directed at the sighted person help focus attention back on the verbal
> rather than the merely visual.
> How do sighted people remember things?
> Often they don't remember things. In fact this is one of the most
> painful aspects of the visual affliction, the degree to which sight
> inhibits detailed memory. Often, the sighted person must reacquire the
> same information each time it is needed. You can help by being sensitive
> to their struggle by learning to anticipate their need and providing
> them with the information they need when it is necessary. Don't tell
> them too much too quickly. Be sensitive to the capacities of the
> individual with whom you are dealing. These limitations vary from person
> to person and it is deeply upsetting to a sighted person to realize that
> you recognize their mental short comings.
> At times sighted people may need help finding things, especially when
> operating a motor vehicle. Your advance knowledge of routs and
> landmarks, bumps in the road, traffic lights will assist the sighted
> person in finding their way quickly and easily. Your knowledge of
> building layouts can also assist the sighted person in navigating
> complex shopping malls and office buildings. Sighted people tend to be
> very proud and are reluctant to ask for assistance. Be gentle yet firm.
> How do sighted people use computers?
> The sighted person relies exclusively on visual information. His or her
> attention span fades quickly when reading long texts so it is best to
> write in bulleted lists of very brief items. The use of bright colors
> will help the sighted person stay focused. Computer information is
> presented to the sighted in a graphical manner to assist them in
> comprehending their world. Coordination of hands and eyes is often a
> preoccupation with sighted people so the computer mouse, a handy device
> that slides along the desk top, saves confusing keystrokes. With one
> button the sighted person can move around his or her computer screen
> quickly and easily, if not necessarily efficiently. People who are
> sighted are not accustomed to synthetic speech and may have great
> difficulty understanding even the clearest synthesizer, falling asleep
> between syllables or becoming distracted by a spot on the carpet. Be
> patient and prepared to explain many times how your computer works.
> How do sighted people read?
> Reading is accomplished by the sighted person through a system called
> "print," which is a series of images drawn in a two dimensional plain.
> People who are sighted generally have a poorly developed sense of touch.
> Braille is completely foreign to them and severe bouts of disorientation
> can sometimes result from over exposure to the use of the higher senses.
> Sighted people cannot function well in low lighting conditions and are
> generally completely helpless and often devastatingly frightened in
> total darkness. Their homes are usually very brightly lit at great
> expense as are businesses that cater to the sighted. Naturally these
> costs are passed on to the consumer.
> How can I support the sighted person?
> People who are sighted do not want your charity. They want to live,
> work, and play alongside you on as equal a basis as possible. You must
> ignore their tendency to display feelings that they are superior to you.
> Failing to allow them this delusion may promote aberrant and antisocial
> behavior. The best thing you can do to support sighted people in your
> community is to simply open yourself to their world and help open their
> limited world to the bounty of your experience. These citizens are vital
> contributing members of the community, real people with thoughts and
> feelings, hopes and dreams and a story to tell. Take a sighted person to
> lunch today and make them feel like you truly care.
> Author unknown.
i've seen one similar to this before, and always gotten a good laugh out of it.
hey, this is interesting and it makes you feel ... think anew about yourself
very interesting.