Schlagwortarchiv für: Ignoranz

Wiser Ignorance

In contrast to history, modern society has included the full rights and acknowledgement of the disabled or handicapped people. The most striking concept to accept and understand these equal members of society can be seen in these paragdims:

1. Don’t use demeaning terminology in dealing with those who have a handicap.
2. Do not help people with a handicap in a deferential manner.
3. Treat people with a handicap in a normal way.
4. Let people with a handicap do things for themselves.
5. Don’t lecture people with a handicap on how they ought to be unless you really know how they are.
6. Put your evaluation priorities on something higher than a physical disability.
7. A person’s personality, character, spiritual acumen, and mental ability are all of more importance than physical prowess.
8. A person with a handicap is first of all a „person“ and needs to be defined that way rather than by a deficiency.

/von

Ignorant Fools

Ignorance is usually seen as a trait of the people who rather prefer to accept things as they are than changing their world. The simple acceptance often results in blind fools who follow a strong lead. Such ignorance can be a bliss for the people who dominate the ignorant ones. Its not a strength of character, but more of a failure. But a strength of a character is among other criteria the knowledge itself.

What knowledge is will be certainly defined in the next issue, however I want to explain why ignorance leads to failure in reflection of historical events.

Seen historically, the condition of being disabled by nature or accidents has often been viewed as tragic. However, long ago in pre-industrial times, people with disabilities were often not allowed to support themselves or their families. Instead they were seen as social dependents, objects of pity, or in other words a kind of recipients of charity. Through such utmost ignorance and fear of others, of these disabled people, many disabled people typically were seen as beggars or indigents. The terminology of „having a handicap“ itself is said to derive from „cap in hand“. It is revealed as a posture often associated with panhandling.

In early America of the 19th century, society assumed a paternalistic approach toward people with disabilities. A common problem for people with disabilities was a seperation from society in asylums, hospitals, and state schools. Disabled were seen as patients or clients who needed curing with usually no real effect to enhance the life of the disabled. In these institutions, medical professionals and social workers were considered the primary decision-makers, rather than the people with disabilities themselves.

A system with an effect of excluding people with disabilities from the larger society was established. The assumption that people with disabilities needed to be rehabilitated from their „problems“ was usually commonized by people with disabilities in any event. An implied perception of something that was inherently and permanently wrong with them made its way to their minds, and the minds of the whole populace. No room for integration, and later no allowed right for the perpetuation of myths regarding disability and inequality became truth.

/von