It's my butler's day off....

I don't think its really so offensively ignorant. I'd love to have someone around all the time to drive me places, and maybe just read me things in public. People probably mean something along those lines, and not someone who spoons applesauce into your mouth and wipes your butt.

I would think it is a somewhat valid question, given that only 25-30% of legally blind people in the US are employed. But the question is sort of a symptom of a larger problem: the rampant discrimination which contributes to that statistic.

EDIT: I just realized you said "carer" not "career". Good lord. Foot, meet mouth.

People most most likely say that because vision is needed to do everything. They don't know that we use alternative techniques to accomplished the same task as them.

No one has ever asked me that directly, but I almost got free coffee once because the barrista assumed the guy in front of me was "minding" me. That happens basically any time I'm standing near any sighted person. It's pretty ridiculous and I tend to take the opportunity to educate anyone making assumptions if it arises. How else are they going to stop being stupid? :D

Given the capabilities of most blind people in the world and the fact that allot of them are already elderly, it makes perfect sense from their point of view.

It's shitty on a personal level, but suck it up and explain it to them. It's a teaching experience even if it stings. They can't be blamed for holding stereotypes when the stereotypes are true in so many cases.

If you wana be mad at something more tangible than be mad at the fact that so many blind people in supposedly civilized countries are still in this state in the first place, left out to dry with inadequate or stifling support, often from people who aren't really equipped or knowledgeable enough to do the job properly and with governments that would more often than not prefer to make it someone else's problem and refuse to conduct proper oversight of the system.

If it makes you feel better though, we're hardly the only ones that get fucked over. The elderly, mentally disabled, and abused have it hard too. The idea is that it's a sticky situation that's really hard to deal with societally, but with so many people trying to do (what they think) is right rather than listening to the ones who they are serving in the first place where possible, is it any wonder?

Isn't this why you're carted through airports in wheelchairs though?

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I have two in fact. Mr. leftie and Mr. rightie. Their favorite things to do are PUNCH PUNCH PUNCH!

To be fair, especially in certain countries and cultures a lot of blind people do have caregivers. And it’s excepted in those areas as well oddly enough. Not going to call any particular crowds out, but there are some places that are more aggressive about independence than others.