Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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How The fuck do I function so well? (self.Blind)
submitted by picture_a_vacuum
I’ve been thinking about how visual the world is... and I’ve lost a lot of that.
But, I seem to be doing so damn well. I can travel. Cross roads. Get a Bachelor of Science. Teach at a Tertiary level. Make money. Pass interviews. Heck, I even ride an electric longboard, and have far less accidents than my sighted friends. I make fewer errors in my writings... Surely this should all be impossible.
I wonder how much of who I am, currently, I owe to my visual impairment. Would I be a more successful man without this impairment? Or, has this struggle created a mind that is used to adaptation. It seems very Darwinian; it is not the strongest species, nor the most intelligent species that survives; it is the species most adaptable to change, that survives.
I feel very adaptable to change; constantly finding ways for my low-vision self to adapt to a world designed for typical vision.
But, I seem to be doing so damn well. I can travel. Cross roads. Get a Bachelor of Science. Teach at a Tertiary level. Make money. Pass interviews. Heck, I even ride an electric longboard, and have far less accidents than my sighted friends. I make fewer errors in my writings... Surely this should all be impossible.
I wonder how much of who I am, currently, I owe to my visual impairment. Would I be a more successful man without this impairment? Or, has this struggle created a mind that is used to adaptation. It seems very Darwinian; it is not the strongest species, nor the most intelligent species that survives; it is the species most adaptable to change, that survives.
I feel very adaptable to change; constantly finding ways for my low-vision self to adapt to a world designed for typical vision.
WhatWouldVaderDo 6 points 4y ago
My personal opinion is that being blind is a crucible of sorts; if you have the natural drive and ability to succeed, it brings out those qualities. Being blind forces you to be adaptable and flexible, pushing through obstacles that others may not even consider. Anyone who has had to find a way to make something accessible before actually performing their task knows what I’m talking about. I often say that on average, for every hour of work, I’m doing 10-30 minutes of accessibility work to facilitate my own access.
There is a larger conversation to be had about the blind community and traditional measures of success. With the unemployment rate around 70% and many blind people in the US living off of social security income [1], we really need to examine what opportunities and skills contribute to a more productive lifestyle and how we can reduce barriers.
[1] https://www.nfb.org/resources/blindness-statistics
There is a larger conversation to be had about the blind community and traditional measures of success. With the unemployment rate around 70% and many blind people in the US living off of social security income [1], we really need to examine what opportunities and skills contribute to a more productive lifestyle and how we can reduce barriers.
[1] https://www.nfb.org/resources/blindness-statistics
cartertemm 3 points 4y ago
Not to generalize, but in the majority of cases it's a matter of upbringing and education just as much, if not more than, natural ability. Parents that spend too much time sheltering are actually inhibiting their children IMO, since they aren't getting the required chance to learn how to adapt from a young age. I've seen living examples of folks that have been able to break the mold, but not too many.
picture_a_vacuum [OP] 2 points 4y ago
The visual impairment unemployment rate is something I think about a lot. Those percentages are just fucking awful. There is no other way to describe it. I know from experience, that the disability advocacy groups in my country are total bullshit, just there to suck government funding to pay their own wages, etc.
Someone either needs to invent a good human-computer interface to render biological eyes useless, or someone has to radically change how society works to redefine what those with disabilities can achieve. I somehow feel much more comfortable betting on human-computer interfaces.
Someone either needs to invent a good human-computer interface to render biological eyes useless, or someone has to radically change how society works to redefine what those with disabilities can achieve. I somehow feel much more comfortable betting on human-computer interfaces.
GoBlindOrGoHome 5 points 4y ago
I don't think you'd be any more or less successful either way. Everyone faces challenges in life, and it's great that you feel empowered, but it should by no means be "impossible".
Ziji7787 4 points 4y ago
I've always felt that people who are successful in one thing are usually successful in most things. It's pretty unjust and binary in my opinion. You're either successful in everything or in nothing. I'm sure you would've been just as successful and driven without the visual impairment.
AmAsabat 2 points 4y ago
Good on you for feeling that way. I sometimes think how the heck did I get here (college, Oxford Rhodes scholar, now teacher and academic, live solo, commute to work, and have a GREAT love life). All after losing my sight at 10.
I think going blind meant I never ever missed an opportunity to prove I was as good as I was when I could see. The adversity made me.
I think going blind meant I never ever missed an opportunity to prove I was as good as I was when I could see. The adversity made me.
chloem86 1 points 4y ago
Now that’s a question I often ask myself!!
I’ve been VI since birth and I’ve managed to get a BSc degree- but not a job.
But I think I’m just kinda stubborn and refused to be seen as the poor blind girl- I’ve worked hard and refuse to be beaten down
Admittedly I’ve nearly been run over a few times- but sighted people are nearly worse than I am at crossing roads because they’re all looking at their phones
I think it’s all in the mindset- if you consider yourself blind in a negative way then that’s how you’ll live life- constantly relying on others and just not having a good time- but if you view yourself as fucking awesome then you’ll just have a great time
I’ve been VI since birth and I’ve managed to get a BSc degree- but not a job.
But I think I’m just kinda stubborn and refused to be seen as the poor blind girl- I’ve worked hard and refuse to be beaten down
Admittedly I’ve nearly been run over a few times- but sighted people are nearly worse than I am at crossing roads because they’re all looking at their phones
I think it’s all in the mindset- if you consider yourself blind in a negative way then that’s how you’ll live life- constantly relying on others and just not having a good time- but if you view yourself as fucking awesome then you’ll just have a great time
[deleted] 1 points 4y ago
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