I'm not an inspirational cripple

The media makes out the disabled to be inspirational and happy people who don't have a care in the world.
I address this wrong assumption.

Follow me on Twitter! @FearBlandness

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• FearBlandness
• disabled
• inspirational
• media
• cripple
• Muscular Dystrophy
• false
• annoying
• depressed
• happy

[Qillz]

@FearBlandness I hope you are not implying that you are an inspirational cripple.

You're not.

You are an inspirational person!

Your intelligence, wit, charm, eloquence, attitude and beauty define you. Not MD.

The world is a better place with you in it and subbing your channel has improved me personally. Keep it up!

[unconvinceddotorg]

It is not that a person with a disability will consciously go out to inspire people. It is more about the fact that many people who are 'able bodied' just whine and complain all day about the smallest things. It may be a question of one of these people looking at your situation and thinking to themselves, "wow, I should really shut the fuck up and get on with living my life and stop complaining about things." They might see this as inspiration, even though you are just living your life.

[000dodo000]

... cont I am sure you will be great. But you say you never had a relationship. Don't you think that avoiding this experience might impair your capability of understand the relational problems of others? The ancient Greeks thought that a person is "Kalos Kai Agathos" i.e. if beautiful outside, also noble inside! You seam to confirm this prejudice of theirs. Sorry for the long ramble, but my point is: you are young! allow yourself also to experience love and with it, a risk of a broken heart! XXX

[000dodo000]

Dear FearB, I watched your first video because I am an atheist (a tribute to C.H.) then I watched the others for your beauty and the elegant eloquence you use. You are right: people are so patronizing! A disability does not necessarily make the person "inspirational". I know some people with disability who are positively nasty. But one can't hide the fact that you do not seem embittered and that you have a great dignity. My question is: you study psychology. You would like to help others...cont

[ShallowBeThyGames]

I wonder, might the "inspiration" come from the perceived inadequacies the able-bodied people have about themselves. "I don't think I'd cope if I were in your position" might say more about the person saying it, rather than the person with the disability.

[TheCommonMan101]

I think the formula presented in Joseph Campell's, The Hero's Journey, is what most people think of when they think of an inspirational story. All truth is subjective to our personal experience I suppose. I don't personally think of a disabled person overcoming a great challenge at all when I think of inspirational stories. Rocky, Star Wars, Saving Private Ryan and a few others were all inspirational, and none featured a disabled protagonist.

[polymath7]

@FearBlandness I hate to be Creepy Internet Guy, but you're beautiful.

[rriverstone1]

The reason this is done is so TABs (temporarily able bodied) can abdicate their social responsibilities re: disability rights. They want to see us assimilated, therefore, not requiring any effort, thought or consideration of our possible, real needs. It also BLAMES the majority of us if we can NOT assimilate. So & so acts "normal;" so you must not be trying hard enough, if you can't fit in. You're lazy or full of self pity, they say, dismissing our challenges as self inflicted. THAT is cruel

[mdh65120]

I respect the fact that you did not mention your disability until it was relevant to a post you were making about why you became and Atheist. Everyone who follows you does so because of your ideas and insights, and it has nothing at all to do with anything related to your condition. I agree with others that your personal inspiration comes from who you are, what you think and how well you express it, which is how it should be.

[epsilon8998]

what is your disability exactly and how does it affect your day-to-day life?

[carlcartman]

As an amputee myself, I know all about how people treat people with disabilities. The standard stereotype is of someone gazing profoundly at the sunset, looking toward the future, innocent, and, of course, completely unsexual. I think I'd prefer downright hostility to the condescension I get.

[MrQuandoaroma]

@FearBlandness: If you don't mind me asking, how debilitated, at this point, are you? I ask because, as I mentioned before, my oldest brother has MS; he's 58 and was diagnosed about 15 years ago. He's been using a walker for the last 5 years or so, and his speech is effected somewhat. Thx.