Born blind people of Reddit: what do you understand of the concept of 'seeing'? And how would you describe it to a 7 year old born blind girl who wants to understand it and started asking questions?(self.Blind)
submitted by Beforeandafterit
zersiax3 points1y ago
That is really hard to say, OP, and you will likely know it best yourself given you probably know this person the best. It also depends on what questions are actually being asked.
I myself have some light perception, which gives me a bit of a leg up because I can perceive SOMETHING from my eyes, just no color, shape, depth or anything of that nature. For someone who is 100% fully blind that would be trickier given their eyes literally don't do anything that they can perceive.
grinchnight141 points9m ago
I don't understand it at all. It feels like some strange thing that just sounds really weird. Like I couldn't describe it or anything about it, it just sounds so out there.
thespacer141 points1y ago
Seeing is feeling everything around you with your eyes, except there is no physical sensation. Colors are like an extra texture that again can't be felt.
Some object are strange. They don't block what your eyes feel so you can see through them. Or they copy the feel of what's in front of them like a mirror. Imagine a ball that isn't there but everything in your brain is telling you there's a ball in front of you, and everyone else can feel the fake ball too, that's a mirror.
retrolental_morose1 points1y ago
There are still things about seeing that confuse me, being born blind. And even if I understand them in a technical sense, knowing how they work really is hard. I think the things I'd have liked to know as a child would have included:
* That people can see me potentially long before I can hear them.
* People can also see me despite there being potentially thick, sound-deadening glass in the way.
* Frosted glass may not be frosted all the way down.
* People can see at angles you might not expect, including reflections.
* windows can be placed high up, low down, or anywhere in between.
* Lights are useful in social situations.
* society tends to use their heads and faces as a directional tool - I had to learn not to let my head flop down on my chest at a young age. I could hear just as well walking like that.
Beforeandafterit [OP]1 points1y ago
Thank you! These are insightful and helpfull points you made. I'm sure my blind niece will appreciate it. On AskReddit someone gave an interesting perspective to maybe understand seeing on a more conceptual level. He thought of it as 'reaching out with your mind and touching things'. Is that helpful for you in any way?
retrolental_morose1 points1y ago
No, I don't think so. A mind isn't something you can point at something, or close off, or limited to not seeing around corners etc.
Beforeandafterit [OP]1 points1y ago
That is an interesting answer. This actually gave me more insight in being blind. Thank you
Boohyahbeast1 points1y ago
These are really fascinating points to a sighted person thank you for sharing this!
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