[nabs-l] Interesting discussion: Is Technology Turning into Our Enemy?

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

Social security was established to help different populations.  Welfare
and social security is a complex and intricate system that has become
more and more complex over the years.

Initially it was believed blind people could not support themselves so
the government felt magnanimous and set stipulations specific to blind
people.  We can stay on disability for life; we can work and make more
income each month than others receiving disability-- we can earn up to,
I believe, $1640 per month before taxes and still receive disability
whereas others can only earn $990 per month.  My numbers may not be
exact, but they are in the ball park.

Now, at least for the blind, we view social security as a supplement
especially since adaptive technology is expensive, and most of us can
not work without some form of adaptive technology.

Many, unfortunately, still would rather collect government assistance
than seek employment though.  I did not say everyone, but enough of us
still have this mindset.

Now, state agencies for the blind are suppose to assist with any
training and technology you require to an extent.  Each state differs on
what, when and how they will spend money on clients.

No state agency is legally obligated to purchase every piece of
technology you ask for.  Most of this depends on budget and what they
deem appropriate.

I knew an agency, now defunct, that would spend upwards to $3000 on
CCTV's for clients, but it was difficult for clients to have their
request for JAWS or Windoeyes approved.  Because the attitude was that
those with some vision were better off, this agency felt it was better
to spend money on partials rather than on technology for totals who were
not as capable.  This is true, and it is not just an observation.  When
visiting the facility, I was told this to my face.

Anyway, state agencies are not required to purchase everything we ask
for even if they would serve a purpose for us.  There are a lot of
factors that play into this.

This includes paying for college.  Most agencies will cover state
tuition, but if you choose to attend a private school, or an
out-of-state school, they will either only pay up to what their state
tuition is, or they will not pay for it at all.

Now I pose a question.  Some of you, and I add myself in this equation
too, address the expense of adaptive technology, which it is expensive,
and this is a reason why we should collect social security.  However,
how many of us have I-phones, I-Pads, Droids, and other portable
devices?  I doubt many of us had our state agency pay for these.  We do
need to prioritize at times.  Obviously some of us have the means and
desire to purchase cool items like I-phones, but we better not complain
how our state agency won't buy some device.

This is the sense of entitlement many of us blind people feel.  We have
come to a point where we expect certain things and certain advantages.
It is great to have things set in place that can assist us, but we also
have to realize that old fashioned work will get us what we want too.

Before anyone bights my head off, I am not suggesting this is how we all
are, and believe me, I know how expensive some technology is.  I'm still
running on Windows XP and MS Office 2003 because it is so damn expensive
to buy this stuff.  But consider how important some of our toys are, and
think about if we can save to purchase our own stuff.

Once we enter the "real world," we will have to fend for ourselves.  We
will be responsible for maintaining, upgrading and buying our own
technology.

So, I'm not really sure where I meant to go with.  *smile*  Just put it
down as a crazy lady's rant.  LOL

Bridgit