from Verse Sixty-FourSpeaking is a means of expressing oneself to others, hearing is a means of understanding others in oneself. People who are blind and deaf do not experience this, so there are things they do not know. But blindness and deafness are not only physical conditions; the mind also has these handicaps.~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~
Helen Keller was both blind and deaf, yet she lived a full and active life. She illustrated that, while lacking the physical abilities to see and hear can present problems, each can be overcome if the mind itself is open to the vitality of life. In this vein, neither represents a dis-ability, rather such individuals merely are differently-abled.
The opposite situation -- one whose mind cannot see nor hear -- is, to my way of thinking, a true disability. Such a person will have great difficultly navigating the river of life, love and vitality. It would be like trying to move against the current without a single paddle or sail. Even worse, such a person would lack a compass and a rudder.
With no power to move, no instrument by which to chart a course and no way to steer the boat, such a person is apt to get caught in whirlpool after whirlpool and eventually to crash on the rocks.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
The opposite situation -- one whose mind cannot see nor hear -- is, to my way of thinking, a true disability. Such a person will have great difficultly navigating the river of life, love and vitality. It would be like trying to move against the current without a single paddle or sail. Even worse, such a person would lack a compass and a rudder.
With no power to move, no instrument by which to chart a course and no way to steer the boat, such a person is apt to get caught in whirlpool after whirlpool and eventually to crash on the rocks.
This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.
yet it's not the same thing because blindness or deafness of the mind is often self-imposed. it can be a reaction to something bad (such as in the play "Tommy" i think that's what it's called) but usually people "can't" listen or see with their mind only because they choose not to.
ReplyDeleteIn the UK, there was a man called David Blunkett.
ReplyDeleteHe had been blind from birth.
It was decided that he would make a fine Home Secretary.
With predictable results.
Eventually it was decided that maybe a man who could see might do a better job of running a country.
Up to this point, however, nobody I spoke to about it could imagine any reason a blind-from-birth man shouldn't be running a country.
Everyone - it seemed - was only too willing to abandon the obvious, in favour of appearing to be terribly avante-garde and egalitarian.
So now it is established: even after years of conditioning, people sort-of-know: a blind man can not run a country.
Fortunately this will not be an issue in the foreseeable future, since there is no longer a country to run.