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Blind and Visually Impaired Community

Full History - 2021 - 10 - 28 - ID#qhhvh2
134
Blind kid experience his first curb by himself while his parents encouraged him. (v.redd.it)
submitted by andrewbrntt
BaylisAscaris 21 points 1y ago
Alt text: A little boy who looks to be around 5 or 6 years old is using a cane to hesitantly feel around. He is wearing a black t-shirt and jeans, sunglasses, and a giant black backpack that looks around a third his mass. He feels the curb with his cane, measuring the depth, walks towards it. He nervously puts one foot at the edge of the curb while tapping the ground below with his cane. He puts one foot down, hesitates in that position, then puts the other foot down. He looks happy and continues walking, much more confident than before.
Tarnagona 15 points 1y ago
I think this is great. The kid is learning cane skills from a young age in a supportive environment.

However, I do find some of the reactions to this video…uncomfortable. Like people making a big deal out of it because the kid is blind.

To me, it feels a little like when a baby takes their first steps, that’s a really big deal for the parents because it’s a milestone in the child’s development. But most of the time, it’s not going to go viral. This feels like it should be like that, a milestone in the kid’s development important to parents and other close individuals, but not the rest of the world.

And yet, it goes viral, because sighted people can’t imagine doing normal, everyday tasks while blind. That’s the part I find uncomfortable.
laconicflow 6 points 1y ago
I was using a Seeing Eye Dog several years ago, and the dog walked me through a bunch of stuff that was all in like 30 feet, there was road construction, the dog did this so well that I didn't notice how many obsticles I'd been walked around. And a bunch of people watching this clapped.

At the time I felt like you feel about the kid. But now, I don't know. I think we like to see human tenacity.

I think using a caine is harder than being able to see and walk, and I don't think it's wrong for people to admire that. But I also think there's no obligation for me to feel any certain way about that kind of admiration.
RapperNev 2 points 1y ago
Yeah I am slowly starting to feel the same way that you do about these kinds of things. Its just the nature of who we are and the expected normality that most people have. But the issue for me is that it can be compounded by the ignorance of the general public about these things. Idk. Its complicated. I don't wanna be that dude that gets pissy every time someone sees me accomplish a task that may be difficult with sight taken out of the equation but I think it depends on who the person is and what the task is. Obviously, him being a kid is part of why this particular vid spread as far as it did. I don't know if it would've impacted in the same way if he was an adult, I doubt it. But being overly-admired (or patronized) for something like, idk, using a damn microwave? Yeah that's where I start to lean into please fuck off territory. And that's from personal experience. But on the flipside of things, also from personal experience, I've been trying to learn how to DJ, from a hip-hop/turntablist background. Part of that is a technique called backspinning where you basically have two copies of a song and you repeat a certain part, like a breakdown, etc. People usually mark the 12 o'clock position on the vinyl with a sticker and then count the revolutions per bar so they know how many times to rewind it, but the sticker is a visual aid typically, but I'm using it as a tactile aid. But with practice I've managed to accomplish backspinning, on a very basic foundational level, and the guy who has been teaching me was really impressed by me figuring this out. I think that kind of thing is much more understandable than basic, every day wellness/living shit.
Sorry for the lengthy wall of text.
laconicflow 2 points 1y ago
I think that in a life sense, people having low expectations can be good, because you can easily blow past them. Like, you're impressed I can use a microwave, wwait until you see me backspin, and when you do, they'll be shitting themselves.
AllHarlowsEve 4 points 1y ago
The issue is when the low expectations don't end, and you try looking for a job or an apartment or any other grownup situation.
RapperNev 1 points 1y ago
Yes, great point!
bluejellyfish52 5 points 1y ago
Exactly. Disabled people (like yours truly, who walks with a cane and can barely walk sometimes) do not like to be other peoples inspiration porn. I am proud of the kid. I am. But this shouldn’t be a viral video, you’re right. This kid isn’t different any different than any other kid his age except for the fact that he’s blind. That’s it. That’s the only difference
queengemini 4 points 1y ago
I agree, it being on r/nextfuckinglevel is a bit iffy for me.
afraidofdust 2 points 1y ago
Love to see it. Navigation skills right from the get-go.
lil-alfalfa-sprout 2 points 1y ago
I don't know this kid's story but... If he's been blind since infancy he should've been walking down curbs way before this... He looks 5 years old! (But if he experienced sudden vision loss I understand why he'd be apprehensive. Either way, glad he's making progress.)
codeplaysleep 1 points 1y ago
The original video (posted in 2013) says he was 4yrs old and that he'd been using a cane for a couple months at that point. I'd guess he's a young four at that, judging from his height and how he talks.
zersiax -7 points 1y ago
Cool :) Now of course the question becomes: Would you have shared that if the kid in question wasn't blind, as well? :)
robsug 15 points 1y ago
Well... No? The point of the video is to celebrate the kid's cane usage skills and confidence.

That isn't applicable to an able-sighted child.

You are allowed to celebrate things you know 😊 be happy for people.
mobiledakeo 2 points 1y ago
No? This is r/blind and it’s relevant here since the child is blind and succeeding with a cane
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