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Off Topic / Re: The Trivial Complaints Thread ... #3
« Last post by Taffeta on Yesterday at 11:51:54 PM »I've always considered it a 50/50 balance. 50% of my disability is me managing the things my disability causes, and 50% is dealing with barriers and obstacles in society that I don't have any control over.
I don't think it's a choice to opt out of society. I think a lot of disabled people are locked out of it by societal expectations and norms.
Just as an example, I can't navigate. GPS doesn't help me because it's designed for people who understand navigation. I'm entitled to a mobility car but I can't navigate so what's the point in that? I had to fight for a bus pass - I'm not entitled to one of those automatically, despite having full points for navigational issues. I rely on a bus service that stops before 6 in the evening, does not connect to local trains and has limited other bus connections. It limits where I can get to, and where/what hours I can work. It prevents me joining any local societies because I can't get there.
I'm the kind of person who pushes those limits. I still manage to go out. I get places. I work out ways to deal with the issue. But it's time consuming, mentally draining, and it doesn't solve the bigger problems relating to better job options, which is my main concern right now (I have lost two or three job opportunities in the last few months because of transport and the location. I lost one in COVID for similar reasons. But until I have a better job, I can't move to a place with a better bus route. And so the cycle continues.
Technology is great when it helps people. I'm not knocking that. But it's not all about physical or tech aids. It's mostly about people changing their attitudes and making processes more generally inclusive.
And even when tech is helpful, it has to be available, which in many cases it is not.
I don't think it's a choice to opt out of society. I think a lot of disabled people are locked out of it by societal expectations and norms.
Just as an example, I can't navigate. GPS doesn't help me because it's designed for people who understand navigation. I'm entitled to a mobility car but I can't navigate so what's the point in that? I had to fight for a bus pass - I'm not entitled to one of those automatically, despite having full points for navigational issues. I rely on a bus service that stops before 6 in the evening, does not connect to local trains and has limited other bus connections. It limits where I can get to, and where/what hours I can work. It prevents me joining any local societies because I can't get there.
I'm the kind of person who pushes those limits. I still manage to go out. I get places. I work out ways to deal with the issue. But it's time consuming, mentally draining, and it doesn't solve the bigger problems relating to better job options, which is my main concern right now (I have lost two or three job opportunities in the last few months because of transport and the location. I lost one in COVID for similar reasons. But until I have a better job, I can't move to a place with a better bus route. And so the cycle continues.
Technology is great when it helps people. I'm not knocking that. But it's not all about physical or tech aids. It's mostly about people changing their attitudes and making processes more generally inclusive.
And even when tech is helpful, it has to be available, which in many cases it is not.