I would rather go blind

[sammason]

Our discussion about today's Writer's Block question reminded me of this classic Motown song. Once, I was playing a Motown compilation when my guest exclaimed that this song was 'sick' and fast-forwarded past it. Phe worked as a carer for a blind person

Comments

[alicephilippa]

There is a lot of disablism that is unintended but one of the things that bugs me is that when it is pointed out (when it directly affects me, and there really isn't any other option) the offending party basically says "Tough, you'll just have to manage" or similar. Thus making it my problem. When the real problem is them not recognising that there really is an issue that I have no control over.

If I reacted to anything and everything, and context is a big thing in this, then I think that yes, life would become lonely, as everyone would get driven away.

[cat63]

It seems to me that the writer of that particular song is actually recognising how dreadful blindness is by saying something like "This is a terrible thing to happen to anyone - but even this would hurt me less than losing the person I love". I can certainly see that it might be hurtful to an actual blind person though.

Going back to the topic of memory loss: there are so many jokes about 'having 2 brain cells to rub together' or 'having a senior moment'. Yet we don't hear jokes like that about heart disease or cancer.

I suppose because cancer and heart disease are more obviously fatal and thus seen as inherently "serious".

Memory loss perhaps isn't seen the same way as it's not directly fatal in itself (although I can imagine a number of ways in which it might cause death indirectly). That's not a justification, by an means, just my attempt at an explanation.

[sushioga]

Sadly, I think that the appropriateness of jokes and jabs aimed at te sick and handicapped depends on how much money backs the public service annoncements, fundraisers and research.