As a gamer, one of the frequent statements I make is, "The bad news is, I can't read chat anymore. The good news is, I can't read chat anymore."


I have a strong love for my other senses as well. I love surprising people when I can tell who they are by their footsteps, or the sound of their car.


I also find myself more open to trying new things, like going into a restaurant I've never been in because the smell of their food is amazing.


I flip out my cane when someone sasses me and make a lightsaber sound.


I find I'm more open to the world around me in general because I'm not narrow-focusing on what I can see.

You don't get to see people age. I have RP as well and right now when I look at someone's face it is just a blur. However, people that I could see before will probably stay in my memory for a long time the same as when I could see them.

You don’t have to look at gross stuff.
You don’t judge people by the way they look.
You get to board airplanes first.

Where I live (Germany) people that see below 2/100 get a shitload of money from the government, people below 20/100 get free public transportation and can take a helping person to many places like cinemas, concerts or festivals for free.
Also I can take my dog anywhere with me, which is great because I wouldn't have the time for a dog otherwise

We have a completely different view of the world because we do not judge people by the looks but rather for for their true value when we meet or talk to them.

In many ways we can think creatively and out of the box due to our leck of sight and for this we can come up with different solutions sighted people would never think of

But my favourite is that we can make people say "what the fuck' by doing things they could never imagine doing without perfect sight. It just makes me feel OP for a reason lol.

Air travel discounts for companions

Why would blind people be given parking privileges? haha If my eyesight is bad enough to need special parking, its safe to say it is too bad to drive. But I can still own a gun. 'Murica!

I do enjoy discounts and allowances, like special treatment at airport security and the assumption I am not up to no good. I always get rushed through security at airports even when there is a thick line of people. Also, the public and police assume the best of you. Criminal activity is considerably easier if you have a disability.

>Me: "Oh, I'm sorry officer. I thought I was reaching in my own pocket."
>
>Cop: *Aww, poor kid* "It's okay sonny, just be more careful next time."
>
>Me: *Quietly counts that day's haul*

Regal Cinema will allow you to bring a sighted escort to the movie for free without the requirement of identification, Century 21 requires a service provider identification card.

There are a few tangible ones I know of but it often depends on the character and persistence / endurance of the individual.

* Great problem solving skills
* Better ability to project / connect to the people and world around you.
* A greater degree of empathy for people of all walks of life
* Ability to focus. Tasks and environmental cues etc
* Going more Buddha or being able to create greater mental richness because the mind has fewer visual distractions or an unimpaired mental ability.
* Ability to cut to what's important / brevity. The information bandwidth of talking or writing to maximize the information flow given visual restriction.
* Got themselves out of dead end small towns for city life b/c living blind in the backwoods takes so much away.

There are others but this gives some that I'v seen / experienced. I have met numerous blind people in life who specifically attribute their blindness to their professional success

I don't like that whole enhanced senses thing. Mostly because when people say that, they're thinking Daredevil. I do believe we're forced to learn to pay more attention to our other senses, but I don't necessarily think they're enhanced per say. That's why someone who's recently gone blind has some of the struggles they do--they haven't acquired that skill yet.

Here's how I kind of see that whole enhanced senses thing. The sounds we're able to distinguish to a particular level have always been there. We'd be able to hear them whether or not our eyes work. The difference is in how we process them. A sighted person would likely dismiss them as background white noise. You hear a car pull into the driveway and you can tell, from your own experience and memory, that hey mom's home. Someone else would have to look out the window to obtain the same information, unless the sound mom's car makes is particularly obvious.

We also focus on things that aren't exactly sensory specific. For example, I have a degree of what I've heard called facial perception. I don't necessarily need to find a wall with my cane to know it's there. Similarly, I can tell almost immediately when I move from a narrow hallway to a more open area--just by paying attention to the space around me. I don't think that's particularly a blindness thing, but all my proof is anecdotal--picture anyone who is uncomfortable with having things near their face, for example. A sighted person might just know they hate having their face touched. A blind person might be able to tell you more. Like, I can tell your hand's near my face without your hand actually touching my face. I mean, that also doesn't bother me, but that's another story.

TL; DR: The senses and sensory information is there. We handle it differently--some of us don't handle it at all. I don't think it's a blindness thing.

Having higher senses is a blessing and a curse, but most of the time it isn't too bad. I get on public transport for free and I can also get 1 person in free/discounted into things like movies or art galleries, stuff like that. Using my cane - people move out of the way and I'm less anxious.

We never have to worry about being the designated driver when going out with friends. Fantastic.

It’s easier to ignore stupid strangers

-not paying for car insurance/other repairs
-discounts or free transit in some cities
-having to walk more
-if with a friend/family member, having a go to conversation partner (otherwise it’s awkward)

The stunner shades.
Edit: Buddha mentality. The world becomes smaller, so you have to be cool with that. Maybe a minimalist perspective.

You can get away with a ton of shit most sighted folk would never be able to 'because you're blind'.

Being blind is fucking amazing for the most part.

Case in point: Jeff Healey

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