EltenLink

What do you like the most about being blind? And what do you hate the most?

Back to Community discussions

#1 DianaCician

Sorry if a similar topic has been discussed here before, I don't know for what to search specifically to get it right. But basically, the questions from the name of this thing.
What do you like the most about being blind? And what do you hate the most?
Personally, hm, there's a lot of things that I hate. The major one is having to deppend on people so much, as I wish to be more independent. Like, having to go places and being unable to drive myself, needing visual help for things, etc. With the others I can deal and yes, there are days when they frustrate me. But majorly, and most days, if not all, I get frustrated, annoyed and any similar emotions, by this one thing. Like why is the world so visual and at the same time rarelly accessible :D
And, what I like? I'm not really sure. There are more things that I hate. But atleast a positive is that for example if there's a dead animal in front of me I can't see it? Though touching it sounds a bit more scarry and gross. Ewww no. On another note no, I retract, I don't know what I like. Maybe you would bring some validpoints if someone answers.


Signed by, no one in particular.
2024-04-06 06:21

#2 Louisa

Hi diana. I think there is a post called what do you hate about being blind, I'm not sure. However I stil enjoyed reading yours. As for me, there was a time in my life, in which I completely forgot that I was blind. And if things got bad, I could retreat in my head. Perhaps sighted people have this ability, I don't know. At that time for me, liking or not liking my blindness had nothing to do with it. It was just something I live with. Now, thanks to vertigo, and some anxiety issues, I've become more aware of my blindness. Which has made me feel more selfconscious, and the words some people would say, thinking I wouldn't heare.



2024-04-06 22:46

#3 DianaCician

I saw it but it says what's the most difficult or something like that, still sorry if this is considered coppying or etc, not my intention :D
And yeah, I have the same thing about retreating into my head. It would be nice to have the ability to turn our ears off somehow, like sighted people close their eyes. But dreaming is free what can I say lol.
What helps you with your anxiety about blindness and with fears if I may ask? If it's personal it's ok, you don't have to answer.


Signed by, no one in particular.
2024-04-07 08:36

#4 marchoffmann Archived

The issue is that yours is in intigration, good place, and the other one is in fact, in the others forum Lol. Might be slided into this forum as well. As for me, the worst thing is I can't just like easily go and clean some random dudes house and get money for it, AKA, less job oppertunities or only generic ones. I do like the fact that, though this might seem weird to people, I can be guided. I somehow like or just feel good with some body contact. If I walk with a girl, I can do that without everyone thinking we're together. I can just do it which is nice. Imagine even crushing on one and then walking. A sighted wouldn't really get that chance cuz they don't need guydence anywhere haha.



Edited 2024-04-07 10:49

#5 Louisa

I understand that about being guided. Although I got criticised for that at school.



2024-04-07 20:19

#6 marchoffmann Archived

Get it. Also, a bad thing about being blind is that you never know how usable a product you buy is, or an app that can be used with it. Pianos/keyboards, heck even just daily devices for home later. Right now I don't need to worry but still. Ofc you can get sighted help/teach most things to yourself but I just don't like how much dependent one needs to be on their eyes or someone showing them what this of the 50 buttons does.



Edited 2024-04-07 20:27

#7 Monkey999

To be honest. My blindness isn't something I like at all. I live with it, and I accept it, but I don't see a positive cide to a disability. What I hate the most though, is the fact that everything you want to acomplish in life is harder then it is for people who don't have a disability. For example, a sighted person can teach himself how to live by him self, whyle blind people need a lot of training. A lot of things are possible of course, but it all takes more atention and time.


And that, is why you shouldn't do this.
2024-04-08 12:28

#8 neptune

Oh and school work. So much of it is visuals but some can be transfered to stuff we can use.


"Man is condemned to be free"
2024-04-08 16:02

#9 Jonathan Archived

Well, I don't really care about if I am blind or not. If I wouldn't, I would probably have 0% of the life experience which I have now, and I think its just life like everyone else has too. You can't compare it in the end because well, sure if you wouldn't have this disabillity you would have another life, but you wouldn't know if its better then so... I guess thats just a thing we need to accept.



2024-04-08 16:05

#10 Jonathan Archived

@7 And there are a lot of things on the other side, which would be way more difficult if you would be sighted. I mean for example you as fire gaming would probably have never found together/developed any kind of game. You would probably just be a normal random teen, so well. I think its just all about finding the good sides in it.



Edited 2024-04-08 16:07

#11 marchoffmann Archived

But then again, sighted folks can just play whatever cuz it exists. Djonan would've still been sound designer or if not just music who knows, and in general it's not normal that teenagers like we all need to work hard cuz there are hardly any good games on the audio game market. And at the end, games are still less important than other things.



Edited 2024-04-08 16:21

#12 Djonan

@11 funny to read i am aparentely always in your mind, xd.
But as for me, what i hate the most about being blind it's the fact you often have to rely on somebody to achieve certain things. So in short, independence, as others also mentioned. And yeah, there's actually nothing much i really like about my disability.



2024-04-12 16:16

#13 Sir-Charlie

Lots of beautiful points raised here. I think the only good thing about being blind is the connections we're forced to make. I mean I met a lot of really nice people in my life purely because of being visually impaired. But other than that there isn't much any benefit really. Anything you can list as a positive, for example the programming bit is only because we don't have the literal millions of cool games sighted people are able to play. And yes, there are mods but in some cases the experience will never be the same.
Then there's having to work 5 times as hard to prove to sighted people around you that you're not an incompetent retard. Because yes, let's be honest. The automatic impression most sighted folks will get when encountering a blind person is that they're retarded and can barely understand your spoken language of choice.
@post 4 is right though. I talked to my friend about the physical aspect alot. Especially as a male it's frowned upon to have physical contact of any form but when you're walking it's perfectly fine to hold on to each other's shoulders or whatever because nobody would bat an eye.
And lastly, I hate never being able to drive, and no, Tesla autopilot is not driving.


All that I survey, I could easily destroy. From time to time, it is important to remind these small creatures of the true extent of my power.
Edited 2024-04-12 21:18

#14 Jonathan Archived

Driving is a good point... Wish I could learn that. Still, I don't know. I am okay with my disabillity, like, really. I don't mind anymore, I have to deal with it and done, why even complaining? But yeah, I get your point definitly.



2024-04-12 21:28

#15 Sir-Charlie

I mean, I can't change it. I have to live with it, and I think, for the most part I've accepted it, but at the same time being around only sighted people and observing my own limitations makes it painful sometimes.


All that I survey, I could easily destroy. From time to time, it is important to remind these small creatures of the true extent of my power.
2024-04-12 21:34

#16 Louisa

When I was a teenager, people seemed nicer. I'm unable to say if it was because of my blindness, or if I was just unconscious of any other reactions. I was a happy-go-lucky kind of person despite any problems I was going through at the time. Now things have changed, and people come and go. I've come to the point where I don't feel I have to pruve anything. If someone likes me for who I am, that is good enough.



2024-04-12 23:57

#17 JimPickens

i don't like nor dislike my blindness, it's just something i have to deal with, I don't have much control over it so why overthink?



2024-07-23 21:23

#18 Lucy

Like or dislike, a bit too much to say.
I mean, I surely love the person I am now and the fact that blindness taught me to become a stronger person, a fighter for justice and a much calmer individual when it comes to offenses from others, but I sometimes wish I could handle things easier.
Although I don't have other disabilities, my movement and coordination are embarassing.
On the other side, I like all the senses I've sharply developed due to this. I can feel presences, I have a somewhat colour picking instinct and some other points I cannot remember now, but there are more.
About people, generations and experiences, things may varry. It very much depends on the environment, but also on the individuals, meaning both you and others. If you are open, not too shy, but not entitled either, balanced and ready to always show your true colours, you will get through anywhere. There is no waranty that everyone will like you or understand you, but you have to deal with it. The worst shock, in my view, at least from what I saw here, comes to those who had been in a specialized school and have insufficient training for the real deal. When they step into the sighted majority, they might suffer more or less, depends on their general abilities.
For me, being in a basic school meant a lot, cause now I can manage in situations which imply a lot more explanations, as I am used to what people don't know and I can take every question and weird situation for now. Indeed there is a negative part, I am not that independent, but I'm learning and I'm OK with myself.
Again, we are different, so not everybody here might have the same specs as me, to say in a nerdish way, but the way we adapt and see ourselves is crucial. For me, there's no such thing as I cannot, I hate myself or it is impossible. Indeed, there are some things which I am terrible at, but trial and error is the only way for humans to learn propperly. It is written in our DNA.


L-L
2024-07-24 09:22