Present tense

I know the feeling Chris - so not looking forward ...

2011-04-22T04:50:52.544+10:00

I know the feeling Chris - so not looking forward to it here. Oh man. This kind of goodbye is the worst.

I love this entry Chris. I really do.

2011-02-10T00:26:10.972+11:00

I love this entry Chris. I really do.

Chris, you're amazing. Your way with words is ...

2010-07-14T19:14:36.299+10:00

Chris, you're amazing. Your way with words is so far beyond what I could ever hope my skill to be. Also, you're always interesting :)
see ya round ^_^

Winner!

2010-01-09T23:32:00.088+11:00

Winner!

2010-01-09T23:30:21.709+11:00

This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

Cheers for the feedback, Rhyse. =)

2009-09-08T21:49:28.345+10:00

Cheers for the feedback, Rhyse.

=)

Thanks for that Chris. You just put a nice big smi...

2009-09-08T21:47:37.109+10:00

Thanks for that Chris. You just put a nice big smile into my night :D.
I am still amazed whenever I read one of your stories. Cant wait until your a famous author and I can brag about knowing you :P

Amazing writing Chris. It's an angle that I ha...

2009-08-22T23:50:32.338+10:00

Amazing writing Chris. It's an angle that I haven't really thought about and really made me think. Keep it up. :)

*your (my writing isn't obviously as good). Ha...

2009-08-21T18:55:13.987+10:00

*your (my writing isn't obviously as good). Haha.

Interesting thoughts Chris. I think someone unders...

2009-08-21T18:54:01.533+10:00

Interesting thoughts Chris. I think someone understands their social psychology theories quite well! :P You're writing is really good too!

e....mail? The future is rss! its at least one tho...

2009-08-03T21:26:02.482+10:00

e....mail? The future is rss! its at least one thousand times faster and has an r and two s'. I find it quite funny that they might have their show canceled especially because I thought their shows were rather uninteresting and unintelligent.

Okies!

2009-06-22T20:15:23.229+10:00

Okies!

@ Bechor - I agree with you about the arbitrary n...

2009-05-05T11:27:00.000+10:00

@ Bechor

- I agree with you about the arbitrary nature of the word, and understand exactly where you were coming from. I didn't bring it in because what I was writing was already too long, but it was something that I considered. There is a quote from a guy who has no legs..."Everyone has a disability".

In fact I'm sure many people have expressed that sentiment - but it was the context that he used it that made me quote him.

- Fair point.

- Ah yes, and so you have reached the point that my disclaimer was aimed toward. My experianced as being "disabled" is not something that I consider a very "severe" disability. There are many, many who are worse off than me. Indeed, even amongst people who share my injury there a different degrees.

There are people who are born with the injury - like myself.
Yet there are also people who have suffered the injury later in life.

Using your example there are also groups that have intellectual disabilities. Again, some are born with it, some get them from injuries after living perfectly normal lives.

I think you are right in saying that many would argue that if they could fix themselves they would.

What my gripe is my perceived societal assumption that all "disabilities" are unfortunate, and that all people suffering from them feel that they need to be fixed.

And I mean, even if they are unfortunate injuries, as many are (I feel that way myself more often than my blog post would indicate), there shouldn't be a focus on this. My argument is that there should be a focus on their abilities.

Thanks for the contribution. =)

@ Morgan. Yeah...I barely edit my blogs...I realise it shows, but once I've finished writing all i feel like doing is publishing - such is the wonder of this particular medium.

@ Adam - I would agree with Bechor too =P

@ Rhyse - Thank you. I write just as much for you as myself. Not much point in writing if nobody ever see's it.

Though you could argue that point too =P

I apologise for making you think! =)

Im sorry bechor but TLDR. @ Chris Sorry I dont p...

2009-05-03T16:13:00.000+10:00

Im sorry bechor but TLDR.

@ Chris
Sorry I dont post on your blog more often I do actually read it every time you make a new post but by the time I get to the end I just go 'Oh god... to much thinking' and collapse on the floor convulsing.
But thankyou for continuing your writing even though I know you dont really do it for us you just love to write :).
I miss you Mr. Chris and we will have to get together soon!

My pitiful brain agrees with you. It would probabl...

2009-05-03T15:16:00.000+10:00

My pitiful brain agrees with you. It would probably agree with Bechor too, if it was able to read it, but that comment is long enough to be a separate blog post.

Also, "trism".

The typos, oh the typos! Also, good blog. I know ...

2009-05-02T23:01:00.000+10:00

The typos, oh the typos!

Also, good blog. I know that you've said things along these lines to me before, and I completely agree with you.

Good blog, if I wasn't so tired, I would comment properly.

As always Chris, I love your blog. It's always ver...

2009-05-02T13:11:00.000+10:00

As always Chris, I love your blog. It's always very thought provoking and insightful.

Just like you, I'll have to add a little disclaimer before I go on. This comment will probably be filled with the crude terminology of which you're complaining, simply because of an absence of more accurate terminology. Secondly, I'm largely playing devil's adocate here because I'm curious about your thoughts.

I think the first thing that should be acknowledged in a discussion about "disabled people" is the huge variety of people which that phrase covers. As disability could be something as (relatively) minor as poor eyesight in one eye, or as major as severe mental retardation that affects motor function, language ability, thinking, etc. Though the term "disabled" places both of these individuals in a class, in practice the two have nothing in common with each other aside from the fact that their bodies don't function like that of an "ordinary person." The reason I think that this is important is that, just as its very difficult to lump "disabled people" into a group, it's also very difficult to have a general discussion about those "disabled people." It is an arbitrary grouping - comparable to picking up several random objects on the street and calling them "street objects" despite the fact that they have nothing in common other than being found on the street. In general, I think the word should not be used, not so much (as you argue) because of its connotations, but because it has very limited usefulness in any serious discussion. Still, for lack of a better term, I'll have to continue using it here.

You say: The term is based inherently in the idea that there is a way that we should be - dictated by a majority that appears to fit this mould of "normal".I'm not sure I agree with this assessment. The term doesn't suggest that there is a way we should be - it suggests that there is a way most people ARE. Most people have two eyes that function in a particular way. A person born with one functional eye, and the other blind, is considered to be abnormal in that sense. Thus, I don't think that the word in itself means that you have "an unfulfillable desire to be normal" - just that you AREN'T normal in some way.

But let's assume that you are right and the word disabled does mean what you argue it means. As you've said you are writing from your own personal experiences. But I can imagine (and I can only imagine, since I have no idea what effects being "disabled" in some way would have on my life)some circumstances in which a disability is so severe that a person suffering from it might indeed wish to be "normal." Take the earlier example of someone suffering from severe mental retardation. If some sort of medical breakthrough would enable that person to gain motor functions, "higher thinking" and enhance severely limited language skills, I do not think it would be far-fetched to say that an ordinary person in that position would accept it - probably even gladly.

So now I've talked myself in a circle and I come back to the problem of talking about "disabled people" in general. I think it's too inaccurate to talk about disabilities at such an abstract level. As you've pointed out, to some people "curing" a disability seems like an outright biggoted and insensitive concept. To others, who might suffer from a disability of an entirely different magnitude, it would probably be a great relief.

This is the problem with words that have no real meaning. :P

Okay so yes, I agree with that Chris, the school c...

2009-05-02T00:01:00.000+10:00

Okay so yes, I agree with that Chris, the school could have thought through the idea a little bit more... I mean, some of the ideas kids come up with sound crazy, but with a little bit of help, are actually very good ideas!

@ Jamie Oh, I agree with you, defs. But granted...

2009-05-01T23:46:00.000+10:00

@ Jamie

Oh, I agree with you, defs.

But granted the people opposed had a few fair points.

Originally it was, apparently, a "dress up as a disabled person" day. I don't think disabled people dress any differently.

It's just such a shame that these children have lost the opportunity to refine their idea, and learn valuable lessons from it. Instead they have been pushed into their parent's PC views.

It's also a real shame that the poor kids in Bangladesh have missed out because of it as well.

That really stings.

Oh and i forgot to say... I read the article and ...

2009-05-01T23:42:00.000+10:00

Oh and i forgot to say...

I read the article and it states

"years five and six students came up with the idea"

Surely this shows that THE CHILDREN (who i will point out {and yes i know what i am about to say is a BIG cliche} are the future generation... The people who will one day be in charge of running the country, who will have the ability and the power to CHANGE many views on disabilities etc) want to have a better understanding of what it is like to be slightly different from the norm.

Let them have their disability day... It would be a good learning exercise for them, and may make them less likely to have fear when they meet someone with a disability.

Love it!!!! And agree totally with you!

2009-05-01T23:34:00.000+10:00

Love it!!!! And agree totally with you!

You're going to have a hard time finding a country...

2009-04-09T07:38:00.000+10:00

You're going to have a hard time finding a country then.

Expression and disagreement of views is part of Australia's democracy, and a fundamental part of political values system that we subscribe to.

You could go to another country that didn't have that - but then - that kind of statement would probably get you "capitally punishment."

=P

I solidly refuse to be a "part" of a country that ...

2009-04-09T01:28:00.000+10:00

I solidly refuse to be a "part" of a country that still has trouble reaching a verdict over such an issue.

Clearly Capital Punishment is the best option. D'Arcy should most definitely be elbowed to death. Maybe we can get the bikers to do it.

Now how's that for social justice :P

[I am not mocking your blog - I may very well be serious. But who knows.]

Very well written, Chris, a good read.

2009-04-08T12:39:00.000+10:00

Very well written, Chris, a good read.

Rofl! I'm with Adam. Think how much more fun the o...

2009-04-07T23:37:00.000+10:00

Rofl! I'm with Adam. Think how much more fun the olympics could be...