Blind and Visually Impaired Community
↑
18
↓
[DISCUSSION] If you could wake up with sight tomorrow, would you want to? Why or why not? (self.Blind)
submitted by guitarandbooks
If you could wake up tomorrow with your sight back, or, have sight for the first time, would you want it, or, would you prefer remaining blind? (This is a wish granted by a genie sort of thing so there would be no surgery, no pain, no medications, and no healing to deal with etc.) Just open your eyes and Bam!!! Sight.
I think about this from time to time... I would choose to have my sight back.
I'll be honest... Sometimes I feel cheated, sometimes I feel jealous, and sometimes I feel angry. I know what I'm missing... Things like touring historic places, driving, sailing, travel in general, knowing what people in your life look like, just looking out the window to see who is in your yard, shopping, watching movies, playing video games, looking at art, even just the fact that guys can look at girls, (in person or on the net;you get the idea). Things that sighted people totally take for granted because why not? That is their normal. Maybe being born blind is easier in a way? I don't know. Perhaps you miss something less if it's an abstract thing that you've never actually experienced first hand?
By the time most teens have graduated from high school, they have their license and a set of wheels. What an awesome thing that must be to have that freedom of choice and independence! If you're blind though, you better find a place to live that has really good public transit! Well you know what the hard part about that in the US is? Those places are freaking expensive! (NYC, Boston, San Fran, Seattle etc.) Even with a college degree, it's hard to land a well paying job when you're blind. (Yes, some have done it but that is a small percentage.)
I've played gigs in two countries but I have never seen an audience nor have I been able to see myself on stage. That bugs me. A live dvd? Yeah, that would have been cool;except for the fact that I wouldn't be comfortable signing off on it because I don't know how it looks.
Even putting those things aside for a moment, the most stressful thing about being blind in my opinion is a set of external things;not internal ones. The world is just not designed for blind people. Cupple that with people's low expectations, stereotypes, and just plain old ignorance and it's exhausting at times.
Could I handle suddenly having sight again? Perhaps...
I can no longer visualize cursive, or write it for that matter, however, I can visualize most of the print alphabet and while a second grader can probably write better than me at this point, I have been told that what I write, while sloppy, is legible for the most part. (I can touch type like a boss though.)
I still think about and explain certain concepts in a visual way and can remember all my basic colors, shapes, objects, and a lot of other things although I am losing specifics/details as time goes on.
Although it would be quite an adjustment, I think it would work out fine after a while. There is a ton I would have to learn and I'm sure that I'd find certain things shockingly different as I haven't seen a thing in 24 years except for seeing some fuzzy dots of bright light once in a while.
Now as far as hand eye coordination and things like that, I honestly can't say. that is one aspect I haven't thought of that much. That being said though, I think my brain would not be confused by suddenly being flooded with visual data again. I mean it's not like I lost my sight when I was an infant, toddler, or tween... But who can really say for sure on any of that.
Anyways, I thought I'd just put this out there as I'd like to hear your thoughts. What would be your choice and why?
I think about this from time to time... I would choose to have my sight back.
I'll be honest... Sometimes I feel cheated, sometimes I feel jealous, and sometimes I feel angry. I know what I'm missing... Things like touring historic places, driving, sailing, travel in general, knowing what people in your life look like, just looking out the window to see who is in your yard, shopping, watching movies, playing video games, looking at art, even just the fact that guys can look at girls, (in person or on the net;you get the idea). Things that sighted people totally take for granted because why not? That is their normal. Maybe being born blind is easier in a way? I don't know. Perhaps you miss something less if it's an abstract thing that you've never actually experienced first hand?
By the time most teens have graduated from high school, they have their license and a set of wheels. What an awesome thing that must be to have that freedom of choice and independence! If you're blind though, you better find a place to live that has really good public transit! Well you know what the hard part about that in the US is? Those places are freaking expensive! (NYC, Boston, San Fran, Seattle etc.) Even with a college degree, it's hard to land a well paying job when you're blind. (Yes, some have done it but that is a small percentage.)
I've played gigs in two countries but I have never seen an audience nor have I been able to see myself on stage. That bugs me. A live dvd? Yeah, that would have been cool;except for the fact that I wouldn't be comfortable signing off on it because I don't know how it looks.
Even putting those things aside for a moment, the most stressful thing about being blind in my opinion is a set of external things;not internal ones. The world is just not designed for blind people. Cupple that with people's low expectations, stereotypes, and just plain old ignorance and it's exhausting at times.
Could I handle suddenly having sight again? Perhaps...
I can no longer visualize cursive, or write it for that matter, however, I can visualize most of the print alphabet and while a second grader can probably write better than me at this point, I have been told that what I write, while sloppy, is legible for the most part. (I can touch type like a boss though.)
I still think about and explain certain concepts in a visual way and can remember all my basic colors, shapes, objects, and a lot of other things although I am losing specifics/details as time goes on.
Although it would be quite an adjustment, I think it would work out fine after a while. There is a ton I would have to learn and I'm sure that I'd find certain things shockingly different as I haven't seen a thing in 24 years except for seeing some fuzzy dots of bright light once in a while.
Now as far as hand eye coordination and things like that, I honestly can't say. that is one aspect I haven't thought of that much. That being said though, I think my brain would not be confused by suddenly being flooded with visual data again. I mean it's not like I lost my sight when I was an infant, toddler, or tween... But who can really say for sure on any of that.
Anyways, I thought I'd just put this out there as I'd like to hear your thoughts. What would be your choice and why?
modulus 10 points 3y ago
Blind from birth. Assuming a magical sort of solution that wouldn't require me to learn to use the sight and so on, of course I would.
I'm surprised about how many people talk about driving. That's one thing I never particularly felt drawn to do. People here where I live don't usually learn until their mid 20s and often don't bother if they live in cities. But moving around by oneself in unknown places, even taking public transport, is a lot easier with sight too. Not to mention cooking, and a bunch of other everyday things.
I'd like to be able to go to libraries and read whatever I want, get into archives and look for materials, or fiddle around with hardware things like oscilloscopes.
Looking at the stars, the ocean, and so on, would probably be quite interesting too.
Sighted people asking about that often propose things like looking at one's mother's face, but oddly that doesn't particularly call on me because faces and face expressions don't have meaning to me. Which is just another thing I would have to discover, and one more point of common experience that I lack. Same thing for colour, and visual aesthetics.
Sure, being blind sucks because society isn't set up for it; but it also sucks because one loses a lot of opportunities to perceive things in the world.
I'm surprised about how many people talk about driving. That's one thing I never particularly felt drawn to do. People here where I live don't usually learn until their mid 20s and often don't bother if they live in cities. But moving around by oneself in unknown places, even taking public transport, is a lot easier with sight too. Not to mention cooking, and a bunch of other everyday things.
I'd like to be able to go to libraries and read whatever I want, get into archives and look for materials, or fiddle around with hardware things like oscilloscopes.
Looking at the stars, the ocean, and so on, would probably be quite interesting too.
Sighted people asking about that often propose things like looking at one's mother's face, but oddly that doesn't particularly call on me because faces and face expressions don't have meaning to me. Which is just another thing I would have to discover, and one more point of common experience that I lack. Same thing for colour, and visual aesthetics.
Sure, being blind sucks because society isn't set up for it; but it also sucks because one loses a lot of opportunities to perceive things in the world.
[deleted] 10 points 3y ago
[deleted]
msimmons024 5 points 3y ago
Yeah I think I would because of missing out on the freedom of a car, and not worrying about running into shit. I wouldn’t say being blind is a worse way of living life, but it’s just more frustrating. It’s not a super hard yes, but I think I would want it back.
spaceisglittery 2 points 3y ago
I'm the beginning stages of vision loss. So I'd definitely love to have good vision.
AlexDalcourt 4 points 3y ago
I know I'm missing something many others have, but in my reality I choose to believe I lead a fulfilling life without sight.
It took me a very long time to come to terms with that, but I now know that just because sight isnt a part of my life doesnt make it any less worth living.
I dont always love this question because it implies that if I had a wish it would be for my vision... I would wish for the safety of my loved ones or something.
I have never needed the convenience of seeing. I have desperately wanted it yeah but I find beauty in the fact at night all I know the city looks like is a million different coloured lights of green red blue yellow orange... or that my romantic partner is beautiful because of the softness of his hair or the sound of his voice.
My existence is not broken by being blind. Just bent.
If I could have sight for a day of course I would try it. To see what my loved ones look like, to know what a sunset feels like.
But permanently? I really don't know.
It took me a very long time to come to terms with that, but I now know that just because sight isnt a part of my life doesnt make it any less worth living.
I dont always love this question because it implies that if I had a wish it would be for my vision... I would wish for the safety of my loved ones or something.
I have never needed the convenience of seeing. I have desperately wanted it yeah but I find beauty in the fact at night all I know the city looks like is a million different coloured lights of green red blue yellow orange... or that my romantic partner is beautiful because of the softness of his hair or the sound of his voice.
My existence is not broken by being blind. Just bent.
If I could have sight for a day of course I would try it. To see what my loved ones look like, to know what a sunset feels like.
But permanently? I really don't know.
nevereatglue 1 points 3y ago
I love this response. It is so eloquent. I'm going to use that vent perspective description, if you don't mind.
AlexDalcourt 1 points 3y ago
I dont mind at all! Where are you gonna use it again?
nevereatglue 1 points 3y ago
Oh just when I explain my vision to people!
AlexDalcourt 1 points 3y ago
Oh of course :D
letspaintthesky 3 points 3y ago
I think I'd do it if it were only for a day. My vision impairment has shaped my life since before I could remember. What if changing that changed a huge part of me? Also, then being bullied for my vision impairment and being discriminated against for it makes it all for nothing if I just wake up sighted.
But, if I were sighted for a day, I'd go to the top of the Sydney Tower Eye and see the view from there like everyone else gets to (I've never been, and of course, this assumes no COVID to ruin things) and then I'd have someone drive me to a big empty space and then let me drive around for a while. I want to know what it's like to be fully sighted and get to drive.
At the end of the day though, I'd like to go back to being me. Me is vision impaired, and always has been. It's such a huge part of my identity, because making it a part of me is how I got through it as a kid, and how I dealt with bullying. (like, okay, they don't like my eye. Well, so what? Their attitude stinks and the difference is, they can change that if they want to).
TL;DR: Ok for a day, but any longer? No thanks.
But, if I were sighted for a day, I'd go to the top of the Sydney Tower Eye and see the view from there like everyone else gets to (I've never been, and of course, this assumes no COVID to ruin things) and then I'd have someone drive me to a big empty space and then let me drive around for a while. I want to know what it's like to be fully sighted and get to drive.
At the end of the day though, I'd like to go back to being me. Me is vision impaired, and always has been. It's such a huge part of my identity, because making it a part of me is how I got through it as a kid, and how I dealt with bullying. (like, okay, they don't like my eye. Well, so what? Their attitude stinks and the difference is, they can change that if they want to).
TL;DR: Ok for a day, but any longer? No thanks.
unknown_xe 3 points 3y ago
TLDR: my siblings are slowly losing their vision and they would want perfect sight back. Trying to understand your point of view more.
Sighted person here. I have two siblings with a visual impairment (they're legally blind but can still see. However their vision loss affects their daily life in a big way). I don't mean to be rude, I'm just trying to understand your point of view.
I think I can understand when you say that your impairment has shaped who you are as a person. I know it's definitely shaped who my siblings are. But at the same time, I can see how much it's affecting them that they're slowly losing their vision. They would do anything to have normal vision, even if it was a painful surgery. Then again, people who are born blind might feel completely different, because it's harder to miss something you never had, right?
But at the same time, how is wanting to be sighted different from wanting to not be poor anymore. A lot of poor kids adapt to living with a limited income, and were probably bullied. And yet, they all strive to move up the economic ladder. I know eyes are part of the human body and money isn't, but still...
Humans and a lot of other species have been evolving over millions of years with sight as an essential sense. And as OP pointed out, the world has been built for the sighted. And while you can learn to survive and lead fulfilling lives without sight (as so many of you obviously have), there are still so many experiences you will never get to have (like seeing the view from the Sydney Tower Eye, or the inability to pursue certain careers). I guess I just wanted to put this out there, just because my siblings want their sight back. And if it were me, I'd probably want the same as them.
PS: Kudos to all of you who have fulfilling lives with vision loss. And allow me to take this opportunity to apologize for how inaccessible the world is at times. It really sucks the you have to go through so much just to adapt to a sighted person's way of life. It shouldn't be this way
Sighted person here. I have two siblings with a visual impairment (they're legally blind but can still see. However their vision loss affects their daily life in a big way). I don't mean to be rude, I'm just trying to understand your point of view.
I think I can understand when you say that your impairment has shaped who you are as a person. I know it's definitely shaped who my siblings are. But at the same time, I can see how much it's affecting them that they're slowly losing their vision. They would do anything to have normal vision, even if it was a painful surgery. Then again, people who are born blind might feel completely different, because it's harder to miss something you never had, right?
But at the same time, how is wanting to be sighted different from wanting to not be poor anymore. A lot of poor kids adapt to living with a limited income, and were probably bullied. And yet, they all strive to move up the economic ladder. I know eyes are part of the human body and money isn't, but still...
Humans and a lot of other species have been evolving over millions of years with sight as an essential sense. And as OP pointed out, the world has been built for the sighted. And while you can learn to survive and lead fulfilling lives without sight (as so many of you obviously have), there are still so many experiences you will never get to have (like seeing the view from the Sydney Tower Eye, or the inability to pursue certain careers). I guess I just wanted to put this out there, just because my siblings want their sight back. And if it were me, I'd probably want the same as them.
PS: Kudos to all of you who have fulfilling lives with vision loss. And allow me to take this opportunity to apologize for how inaccessible the world is at times. It really sucks the you have to go through so much just to adapt to a sighted person's way of life. It shouldn't be this way
letspaintthesky 1 points 3y ago
You actually answered your own question, there. You can't miss what you never had. I mean, we envy the birds, sure. But we don't miss flying.
Edit: actually, I would take the pill and wake up physically abled again. I started losing my mobility and now use a wheelchair for anything longer than a walk around the block, and I would take that pill and wake up tomorrow a regular walking person. Because I knew what it was like before I got sick. I miss that because I knew that. So, for me it would depend on the length of disability and the length of time it would apply for. Eyes for a day, legs forever.
Edit: actually, I would take the pill and wake up physically abled again. I started losing my mobility and now use a wheelchair for anything longer than a walk around the block, and I would take that pill and wake up tomorrow a regular walking person. Because I knew what it was like before I got sick. I miss that because I knew that. So, for me it would depend on the length of disability and the length of time it would apply for. Eyes for a day, legs forever.
Uncle_Ricoh 1 points 3y ago
Yes and technically speaking, if you had the option you would opt out of permanently healing your blindness, so why is it important for you to have the choice?
letspaintthesky 1 points 3y ago
As a one off for funsies. The same reason people like to dress different or act like they're somebody else. Who doesn't want to see what it's like to be someone else for a day?
[deleted] 3 points 3y ago
[deleted]
msimmons024 1 points 3y ago
Damn u sure?
DrillInstructorJan 1 points 3y ago
Yes, very very sure.
RJHand 2 points 3y ago
Nope.
Marconius 2 points 3y ago
Absolutely yes. I had vision for 29 years and my passion was animation, making films, VFX, and cinematography. Sight is and will always be something I dearly missand I lost a lot of who I was when my vision faded away in 30 minutes 6 years ago. I'm moving forwards as best I can, but the loss will always be with me.
ColdShadowKaz 2 points 3y ago
I’ve herd people advising the newly blind to just go do something else. Their advice for replacing a very involved job that the person loved and used sight is ‘Audio books are nice. Go listen to some of them and it’ll fill up the time.’ And I dont know how to tell them that it just dosent compare.
Marconius 2 points 3y ago
I worked with the Department of Rehab and with the Lighthouse for the Blind to get tech training, and ended up becoming an accessibility specialist working to make apps and sites work for us blind people and people with other disabilities, and self learning to be an accessibility engineer. User Experience and design is something i worked on a lot as a motion graphics animator, and I was able to translate my work experience into figuring out how to make experiences work inclusively for all users, not just those that can see them. I can't say I have the same spark and passion for it that I did for my sighted life, but knowing that the work is actively helping others and hearing their positive feedback about it makes it worthwhile and is reigniting my passion for a new field.
ColdShadowKaz 1 points 3y ago
So its you! *hugs* acsessability for a lot of things has gotten a lot better recently but some things are still well out of the reach of most of us. I refuse to have to find someone else to play pokemon go for example but theres so few of us actually fighting for acsessability or explaining to companies what we need.
codeplaysleep 2 points 3y ago
Not for any emotional/happiness reasons, but for practical ones, sure, it'd be great to see better.
msimmons024 1 points 3y ago
I agree with this the most
ColdShadowKaz 2 points 3y ago
I’m always reminded of what I’m missing as certain family members expect me to be able to do everything in a sighted way that a sighted person can do. I fail so much. I don’t want to fail anymore or feel like a failure. But here I am trying to read a print label and getting the can snatched off me because I didn’t do it fast enough for this family member. I feel like my sight problems are only seen as a thing when someone else can say how great it is that I overcame them and they had a hand in that. To just get in a car and drive away from that kind of pettiness would be lovely.
AlexDalcourt 4 points 3y ago
I completely understand where you're coming from but their ignorance doesnt have to define your happiness :(
Start trying to learn how to do things in an accommodated way.
Dont struggle to fit into a sighted world.
I never say the sighted individuals are accommodating me because the reality is, I have to accommodate their narrow ways of doing things.
Be proud that you are you. No one else could pull that off
Start trying to learn how to do things in an accommodated way.
Dont struggle to fit into a sighted world.
I never say the sighted individuals are accommodating me because the reality is, I have to accommodate their narrow ways of doing things.
Be proud that you are you. No one else could pull that off
ColdShadowKaz 1 points 3y ago
Thats also a bit hard buts yeah no one else can put up with so much shit for so long.
AlexDalcourt 3 points 3y ago
You'll get through this dude, ❤
unknown_xe 2 points 3y ago
I'm so sorry that your family is treating you this way. I really hope you can get out of that situation like you want. You shouldn't be forced to live the way they think is "normal" and then be chastised and made to feel like a failure for not being "normal" enough for them. Those family members should change their attitude. Hopefully you get surrounded by loved ones who accept you and celebrate all your successes.
ColdShadowKaz 2 points 3y ago
Not any time soon. My mother was good for a wile and stopped using visual language and pointing at things but she’s gone right back to that and the dyslexia means I find a lot of instructions in a row hard to remember them and even more so if they add useless words because I’m still processing the first instruction as I’m getting more and I only this year learned it was the dyslexia that can do that to me. I told my mother a few years ago and she was really good but now it’s just like being a kid again but theres only one person yelling at me to do tones of random things in a very sighted way. She’ll also tell me to do something at that moment then stand in the way and ask why I’m not doing what she asked me to do but thats just generally annoying. For reference I’m looking after her in her old age and she’s making things difficult. But mothers by far not the worst offender.
kittycats-tail2008 1 points 3y ago
I would love to wake up and have my eyesight for the first time just so that i can see the faces of the people i love. It's always been my biggest wish just to have my eyesight for 1 day so that i can memorise the faces of the people i love.
TheFake_VIP_yt 1 points 3y ago
Blind from birth, 17/m
# Not in a Million Years
Firstly, this is a fantastic post: very clear outline of exactly your thoughts. I like it.
While sight would be cool: useful in the real world of course, there are a number of reasons I don't want it. I have had ridiculous luck when it comes to inclusion, support, opportunity, etc, so I see my sight condition from a very positive angle. I go to a mainstream school (now sixth form). I am a long-time programmer and computer enthusiast, a field in which my sight has never really hindered me. In fact, given that assistive technologies need maintainers and programmers, it's given me something to do with my insatiable hobby. I even edit video to my best extent. Basically, I've never let my condition get the better of me.
Well, ... except in one area. I don't have that much of a social and especially not a love life. People, understandably, are afraid of the unknown and struggle to talk to me. And I struggle to talk to them, given how much my life revolves around technology, which most people I've met have no interest in. But on the whole, while this is a problem, it's a solvable one.
As a proud-to-be-blind person, I almost feel like I have a responsibility to the world to prove that in modern, equal society, blind people can live, work and find happiness just like their sighted counterparts. Of course, no responsibility to do this actually exists, but my brain has developed this philosophy, probably as a sort of coping mechanism. I am known to be a very determined person, so it's no surprise really.
I was once asked "If you could participate in a drug trial that could see the introduction of a drug that could give other blind people sight, would you volunteer?" This changes my opinion dramatically. If I was helping other people, I would definitely do so, not for myself in any way, but for others who don't feel the same way. There are plenty of people, including many people who lost their sight, who I imagine, want it back.
# Not in a Million Years
Firstly, this is a fantastic post: very clear outline of exactly your thoughts. I like it.
While sight would be cool: useful in the real world of course, there are a number of reasons I don't want it. I have had ridiculous luck when it comes to inclusion, support, opportunity, etc, so I see my sight condition from a very positive angle. I go to a mainstream school (now sixth form). I am a long-time programmer and computer enthusiast, a field in which my sight has never really hindered me. In fact, given that assistive technologies need maintainers and programmers, it's given me something to do with my insatiable hobby. I even edit video to my best extent. Basically, I've never let my condition get the better of me.
Well, ... except in one area. I don't have that much of a social and especially not a love life. People, understandably, are afraid of the unknown and struggle to talk to me. And I struggle to talk to them, given how much my life revolves around technology, which most people I've met have no interest in. But on the whole, while this is a problem, it's a solvable one.
As a proud-to-be-blind person, I almost feel like I have a responsibility to the world to prove that in modern, equal society, blind people can live, work and find happiness just like their sighted counterparts. Of course, no responsibility to do this actually exists, but my brain has developed this philosophy, probably as a sort of coping mechanism. I am known to be a very determined person, so it's no surprise really.
I was once asked "If you could participate in a drug trial that could see the introduction of a drug that could give other blind people sight, would you volunteer?" This changes my opinion dramatically. If I was helping other people, I would definitely do so, not for myself in any way, but for others who don't feel the same way. There are plenty of people, including many people who lost their sight, who I imagine, want it back.
kelpangler 1 points 3y ago
Yes, a thousand times yes. Your paragraph listing all the things you miss resonates with me. One small example for me is not being able to experience skiing trips with my girls in the same way again. We’ve skied Mammoth Mountain for years since they were little. We used to take guided nature tours at least once a season where we would learn about the landscape, animals, and fauna. So on many chairlift rides we would name tree species, look for animal tracks. That was such a special time for me. We’d have fun admiring the good skiers and having a laugh at the ones fumbling down the hill. The views were so majestic. To be 11,000 feet up and to see the entire landscape around you. That makes me really, really sad. And that’s just one example.
Along with my vision loss has been colors. Not long ago I realized that I could see vibrant colors by using my peripheral vision. Bright greens, reds, etc. Now it’s just a muted yellow-brown sepia color. If I try to look really hard I can see a bit. My heart jumps at that.
I’m trying to tough through it all but it’s hitting me like a ton of bricks. It’s difficult for me to believe those of you who say you wouldn’t want to see or would only want it for a day. I wouldn’t take away your experiences of being blind but why would you say that? Just on the practicality alone is worth it. A Google search or writing a long post would be a snap.
To be clear, I’m not invalidating anyone’s answers. It’s just that vision has got to be the most vital sense in my book.
Along with my vision loss has been colors. Not long ago I realized that I could see vibrant colors by using my peripheral vision. Bright greens, reds, etc. Now it’s just a muted yellow-brown sepia color. If I try to look really hard I can see a bit. My heart jumps at that.
I’m trying to tough through it all but it’s hitting me like a ton of bricks. It’s difficult for me to believe those of you who say you wouldn’t want to see or would only want it for a day. I wouldn’t take away your experiences of being blind but why would you say that? Just on the practicality alone is worth it. A Google search or writing a long post would be a snap.
To be clear, I’m not invalidating anyone’s answers. It’s just that vision has got to be the most vital sense in my book.
Winnmark 1 points 3y ago
Hell yeah!
Drive a car, join the military and shoot a gun whilst actually hitting my target!?
I mean, I'm not totally blind, so it wouldn't be an adjustment, exactly, more of an upgrade.
Drive a car, join the military and shoot a gun whilst actually hitting my target!?
I mean, I'm not totally blind, so it wouldn't be an adjustment, exactly, more of an upgrade.
oncenightvaler 1 points 3y ago
actually probably not. I am totally blind only having light perception and I think that I would have too much "culture shock" I would feel I had to relearn alphabet and numbers all over again, and would have to adjust my picture of everyone based on facial attributes to recognize whose who and would have to get used to scrolling on a screen and watching moving pictures on tv. Just all sorts of weird alien concepts not to mention figuring out what colour everything is.
Laser_Lens_4 1 points 3y ago
Yes. Losing my vision has degraded nearly all aspects of my life. I learned to live with it because I don't have a choice.
Real-Primary 1 points 3y ago
Yes please. Why? Because I’m Deaf, and I miss being able to easily watch others signing.
[deleted] 1 points 3y ago
[deleted]
laconicflow 1 points 3y ago
Sure I would. Being blind has helped me in some ways, but its also hugely limmitting in other ways, and blindness has already shaped me, and so I figure sight wouldn't take away the good parts of my character I got from blindness.
But ask me if I'd rather wake up with sight tomorrow or money tomorrow, I'd always choose the money over the sight. Even a hundred grand would be worth way more than sight to my mind.
But ask me if I'd rather wake up with sight tomorrow or money tomorrow, I'd always choose the money over the sight. Even a hundred grand would be worth way more than sight to my mind.
DrillInstructorJan 1 points 3y ago
I think anyone who'd turn it down either has never known what it's like, or has forgotten.
There's someone in this thread who actually said something to the effect that he (assuming he's a he) is happy to be a grown up child forever and nobody's judging him. Well, I'm judging him. Jesus. Shouldn't we all have some sort of ambition to be a successful person and seen as that by everyone else? Isn't that normal? I have spent the last twenty years busting my behind to achieve that and it is absolutely exhausting. I can't work as hard as everyone else, I get home and fall asleep in a chair because I'm basically doing two jobs the whole time. I'm doing my actual job, then I'm dealing with the disability. I'm terrified of what the future holds because my ability to keep this up is really going to fade as I get older.
What's worse is the way it overshadows literally everything you do. A couple of years ago I travelled solo from here at home in the UK to a hotel in Tokyo and it took the usual amount of planning and screwing around. On one hand people congratulate me for it like I'm some sort of magician. On the other hand, nobody ever asks what the hell I actually went there to do.
So no matter what I do, it is five times as hard work even if I can do it, and everything I achieve in life is just completely overshadowed by it.
How can anyone not want to escape that? Oh, right, people who just aren't doing that. I know it's politically correct to say I'm happy as I am, and certainly I don't live in a state of constant depression because of it, but how can anyone like it?
There's someone in this thread who actually said something to the effect that he (assuming he's a he) is happy to be a grown up child forever and nobody's judging him. Well, I'm judging him. Jesus. Shouldn't we all have some sort of ambition to be a successful person and seen as that by everyone else? Isn't that normal? I have spent the last twenty years busting my behind to achieve that and it is absolutely exhausting. I can't work as hard as everyone else, I get home and fall asleep in a chair because I'm basically doing two jobs the whole time. I'm doing my actual job, then I'm dealing with the disability. I'm terrified of what the future holds because my ability to keep this up is really going to fade as I get older.
What's worse is the way it overshadows literally everything you do. A couple of years ago I travelled solo from here at home in the UK to a hotel in Tokyo and it took the usual amount of planning and screwing around. On one hand people congratulate me for it like I'm some sort of magician. On the other hand, nobody ever asks what the hell I actually went there to do.
So no matter what I do, it is five times as hard work even if I can do it, and everything I achieve in life is just completely overshadowed by it.
How can anyone not want to escape that? Oh, right, people who just aren't doing that. I know it's politically correct to say I'm happy as I am, and certainly I don't live in a state of constant depression because of it, but how can anyone like it?
Duriello 2 points 3y ago
I'm that person, and I achieved everything I wanted out of life very early so I find myself in the same stage of life as a retiree, that is, having lived the good life all I want now is enough free time to dedicate to my personal projects, and to some extent blindness gave me that opportunity. I didn't say I like to be blind, only that I don't really mind it anymore.
liamjh27 1 points 3y ago
What did you do over there? I’ve wanted to go to Japan for years and am still planning on it whenever it’s doable. How did you find things over there? I’ve never been somewhere that I don’t speak the language by myself and this is probably the one thing stopping me from just giving it a go.
DrillInstructorJan 1 points 3y ago
I play guitar for a living, I was there to play. No, it isn't very normal for me to be flown halfway around the world for that, but I will take it if it is available!
It was the usual huge feat of organisation. I have a tiny bit of the language but only enough to order in a restaurant, not really enough to say "I need a taxi to this hotel" and deal with supplementary questions. Japan is awesome though. It is clean and organised and if someone says they will turn up to meet you at a certain time, they will be there, no question. That is really nice.
I love the food and I'm trying to get better at the language which they love, I have never met people who loved it so much when you try to speak their language even if badly. Compare the French who really hate any foreigner trying to speak their precious language. One thing to watch out for is that lots of people in Japan claim to speak English and may even be able to write an email in understandable English but their spoken English may suck, which can make things complicated. I've been back since and I always make sure I speak to people by phone to ensure we can actually communicate.
It may just be the specific people I met but I got the feeling they were expecting me to be more weird and disabled than I am, or at least than I try to be. I don't want to use the word stigma but I think it is stigmatised as weird and distant even more than in the west. The biggest reaction I got was surprise. The only thing to watch out for is the drinking culture. They work really hard, or at least they work really long hours during which they do a lot of gossiping around the water cooler, so they need to unwind and boy do they unwind. The biggest surprise to them was that I also wanted to go and unwind with them and yes I drank too much and sang drunken karaoke.
I think they only wanted to do karaoke becuase they thought I'd want to, being basically a tourist, but it was hilarious. I say go, what's the worst that can happen? Oh, the worst that can happen is that your body is found floating face down in Tokyo Bay, but hey.
It was the usual huge feat of organisation. I have a tiny bit of the language but only enough to order in a restaurant, not really enough to say "I need a taxi to this hotel" and deal with supplementary questions. Japan is awesome though. It is clean and organised and if someone says they will turn up to meet you at a certain time, they will be there, no question. That is really nice.
I love the food and I'm trying to get better at the language which they love, I have never met people who loved it so much when you try to speak their language even if badly. Compare the French who really hate any foreigner trying to speak their precious language. One thing to watch out for is that lots of people in Japan claim to speak English and may even be able to write an email in understandable English but their spoken English may suck, which can make things complicated. I've been back since and I always make sure I speak to people by phone to ensure we can actually communicate.
It may just be the specific people I met but I got the feeling they were expecting me to be more weird and disabled than I am, or at least than I try to be. I don't want to use the word stigma but I think it is stigmatised as weird and distant even more than in the west. The biggest reaction I got was surprise. The only thing to watch out for is the drinking culture. They work really hard, or at least they work really long hours during which they do a lot of gossiping around the water cooler, so they need to unwind and boy do they unwind. The biggest surprise to them was that I also wanted to go and unwind with them and yes I drank too much and sang drunken karaoke.
I think they only wanted to do karaoke becuase they thought I'd want to, being basically a tourist, but it was hilarious. I say go, what's the worst that can happen? Oh, the worst that can happen is that your body is found floating face down in Tokyo Bay, but hey.
PsychedelicBraille 1 points 3y ago
I was born blind, and I wouldn’t want sight. I’m happy with my life, I am more than comfortable being blind and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m not really missing out on anything too significant.
Nandflash 0 points 3y ago
Absolutely. I used to go back and forth about this question, but as I've gotten older I know that I'd definitely like to have sight. I imagine my life being very different if that were the case.
Duriello -2 points 3y ago
A year ago my answer would be a definite yes, because I was extremely bored as I thought coding blind was not within my reach and am a person of narrow yet deep interests. Nowadays, however, I'm not sure, as I figured out how to code with this condition so I'm no longer bored, and since my disability benefits are more than enough to keep me afloat and still save some money at the end of the month I can afford to not work and dedicate all my time to personal projects, something I have always wanted back when I had sight. I do miss being able to see, but I don't miss all the responsibility that comes with it. People having low expectations is actually a positive thing for me, because this way I can keep being a grown up child for the rest of my life, and nobody is going to judge me for that, plus I can keep impressing everyone with the skills that once upon a time put the food on my table.
fastenedbrick25 -1 points 3y ago
Yes I would because, I want to get a job
This nonprofit website is run by volunteers.
Please contribute if you can. Thank you!
Our mission is to provide everyone with access to large-
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
scale community websites for the good of humanity.
Without ads, without tracking, without greed.
©2023 HumbleCat Inc • HumbleCat is a 501(c)3 nonprofit based in Michigan, USA.