Category: Let's talk
I came across this article and was immediately struck by how poiniently it outlined what it means to be blind in a sighted world, the challenges we face that nobody really thinks about, and the misconceptions that go along with blindness as a whole. I think this is a great article for sighted and blind alike, and I'm curious what everyone thinks. The "Ways to help those with vision loss" section is particularly accurate. This is a rather old article with amusing references to old accessibility technology (remember half-speed talking book machines?) but the concepts apply as much today as they did back then - if not more so.
To anyone using a screen reader, you can navigate the article linked below quite successfully by heading. .
Seeing Blindness Clearly
Note: While this article was written for an LDS church magazine, its concepts and stories can be enjoyed by all, regardless of personal religious beleif. if anyone gets confused by the LDS jargon, please let me know and I'll briefly explain.
I did read this article, and while it is quite LDS in some of the jargon, it is definitely spot on. Kudos for posting!
What a well done article this is!
Wow, this is quite an encouraging and inspirational article. Thanks for posting this. :)
You're welcome. I'm glad you're all enjoying it.
Interesting. I always wonder about that sort of article how many actually benefit from it.
The reasoning in it seems sound of course, to those of us who live it.
Oddly enough I've found churches can be one of the more challenging places to manage this type of situation, because of the constraints on how one can respond. It is culturally favored to those who wish to approach us in the ways we don't respect or want to be approached. And it does not culturally favor us responding in any sort of meaningful way most times.
I'm in a meaningful situation now with the Coast Guard. But it is true many expect if you want to volunteer at a church you will be one of those who talks to people or does something so-called spiritual. Me, I'm one of them will help bring in boxes or otherwise get 'er done.
Plus, for them, they either see being blind as some sort of so-called affliction with a higher value or benefit to someone else, or something to be healed of. And to me, it's just a hardware failure, no more no less.
Also, most people in those places are conservative by nature, which means they self-protect against any form of resource invasion. To them, any extra effort on their part for the benefit of a few, either real or imagined effort, is to be met with with hostility. Remember their icons, Fox News and the like, who show them constantly the cheats of any benefit system, and the two targets are either illegal aliens and disabled people. Don't matter you as an individual earn a living, maybe even rescued their computer data from their own ability to control themselves and keep from contracting a virus. It's just part of the game.
So, all of that creates static even though I rarely return any sort of reply. I just keep the head down and pass on through, just like company politics.
I'd say most people aren't a problem there, it's just what is culturally favored. I studied enough undergrad cultural anthropology to understand the situation for what it is and not take it personal. However, there are times you gotta ask yourself if you have the energy to manage a potential situation, and if not, just duck out and do something else. the problem isn't anyone in particular, it's just the cultural alignment. I mean, someone acts out in that sorta way at your local watering hole, you have some options you just don't have in a church type establishment.
Ultimately it falls to us. Not hard to get a grip on with a survival lifestyle. You just gotta be aware of how the game gets played most of the time, dodge the incomings, and hang out on the perimeter. Which isn't a bad place to be. You'll find people more to your liking there anyway.