BBC Blog Network

User Profile

neilsdesk

Listed below are comments made by neilsdesk between Wednesday, 18th June 2008 and Wednesday, 18th June 2008.

«Newer
Older»

PWD's: SHUT UP! You're not inspirational enough! 5:10pm on 18 Jun 2008 Beth, you know I already appreciate your point of view; you'e one of the best writers I've come across, and I value the way you share your world with us.

PWD, disabled: similar terms with different connotations and sensibilities for people on each side of the Atlantic. However, a rose by any other name is still a dead flower, cut down in its prime and stuffed in a vase to be watched as it begins to decompose.

Chris, if you really want to be picky, Beth used the wrong spelling of "populace." Beth, I wouldn't be worried about that either, since it's a mistake I see at least thrice per month.

I'm a person struggling through life without an official disability. I find myself wanting to use the term "disabled person" over "person with a disability" only because it's shorter. But here in the new world, it's considered rude, and more negative.

Even in the UK, I suspect you wouldn't refer to a broken-wristed person; she's a person with a broken wrist. We people without disabilities know how to relate to that; we just don't know how to relate to someone who is difficult to understand, or who moves and balances differently to us. Since we're all going to be disabled at some point, it behooves us to bloody well learn how to deal with such social situations. It seems that, while we each have our own gold standard, we need to appreciate and learn to value other peoples' standards too.

I can understand the scientist not wanting to dwell on eight years of struggling to heal if that's not her topic for the speech that day. But she shouldn't totally dismiss that part of her life so casually. She wouldn't be who and where her "We" is without that struggle, and she should be willing to acknowledge it.

The Bauby biography is just like "reality tv." It claims to be something it's not. Reality tv is almost, but not quite, completely UNlike real life; and is one of the major reasons I no longer watch tv.

«Newer
Older»

^ Back to top

BBC MMVI

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites

BBC.co.uk

BBC Blog Network

Find and talk to the BBC's bloggers.

User Profile

neilsdesk