[nabs-l] When a loved one goes sighted

Fri Apr 22 19:43:18 UTC 2011

Jorge,
  Maybe it's conceivable that a sighted person just doesn't want to
see.  I can't imagine it, but I suppose it's possible.  While I
wouldn't consider such a thing to be reasonable, I'd hold on to sight
if I was born with it for the same reason I'd probably hold on to
blindness if given the choice, I wouldn't begrudge anyone for deciding
to become blind.  But I know I'd never do it.
  I'll stop rambling now,
Kirt

On 4/22/11, Jorge Paez <computertechjorgepaez at gmail.com> wrote:
> That's a great psychological question.
> I don't think, (please correct me if I'm wrong), that human psychology would
> allow for such a move.
> In other words, it would allow for a blind person to have the chance to be
> sighted--but it wouldn't even be thought about a sighted person thinking and
> wanting to be blind.
>
> Is my understanding of psychology correct?
> Or is there any loophole in which a state of mind could be created where a
> sighted person would wanna be blind?
>
> Jorge
>
>
>
> On Apr 22, 2011, at 3:23 PM, Jamie Principato wrote:
>
>> Here's just another interesting idea to bounce around. If it is reasonable
>> to turn down the opportunity to see, even if it's a "magic pill" scenario
>> like in Arielle's research, do we feel it would be equally acceptable for
>> a
>> sighted person to choose to make themselves blind, because, for what ever
>> reason, they feel they'd be happiest and most themselves as blind people?
>>
>> On Fri, Apr 22, 2011 at 3:16 PM, Jedi <loneblindjedi at samobile.net> wrote:
>>
>>> For me, blindness is a part of who I am. it has shaped my life in a
>>> number
>>> of ways ranging from the friendships and relationships I've had to the
>>> career I've chosen. Though this may not be true for everyone, it's
>>> certainly
>>> true for me and I'd feel like I've lost an important part of who I am,
>>> and
>>> that loss would far outweigh any gain I receive through sight.
>>>
>>> What scares me the most about medicine and sightedness is the possibility
>>> that governments will require all of us to undergo such procedures rather
>>> than allowing us the ability to be blind in a sighted world. In other
>>> words,
>>> the government or the world at large would think it's much easier and
>>> more
>>> reasonable to cure us rather than make a world that's usable for everyone
>>> regardless of characteristics.
>>>
>>> Respectfully,
>>> Jedi
>>>
>>>
>>> Original message:
>>>
>>> Jorge and Homberto,
>>>> I feel the same way.  I'm very curious to see what sight is like, I
>>>> wonder about it sometimes.  I'd even go as far as saying I sometimes
>>>> would like to see...but if the option were available, the tedium of
>>>> relearning everything, not to mention the risk of the surgery for
>>>> something I don't really need, more than balance out any wish I have
>>>> to see.  But, should a blind friend choose differently and receive
>>>> sight, I would totally understand, respect and support that decision.
>>>> And it wouldn't change the friendship on my end, although it would
>>>> spark some interesting conversations.
>>>> Just my thoughts,
>>>> Kirt
>>>>
>>>
>>> On 4/20/11, Jorge Paez <computertechjorgepaez at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hombertu,
>>>>> I agree.
>>>>> I personally wouldn't choose to be sighted for one simple reason.
>>>>> I've learned everything without sight.
>>>>> If I regained sight I'd have to relearn everything.
>>>>> Sure I had sight but lost it when I was so young I can't remember,
>>>>> so really I can say I've been blind all my life,
>>>>> and sight would just make it too difficult.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>> Jorge
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> On Apr 20, 2011, at 8:55 PM, humberto wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>
>>> First of all, If I was to become sighted, I would not do it. I myself
>>>>>> wouldn't want to become sighted because of 2 reasons:
>>>>>> 1.  since I am blind since birth, I will feel so weird being sighted;
>>>>>> just
>>>>>> like a sighted person  had been born with sight and feeling weird when
>>>>>> they become blind. The world would be so different and I cannot even
>>>>>> explain how different since I've never ever been sighted, and don't
>>>>>> want
>>>>>> to be.
>>>>>> 2.  I am blind, I am the way I am and I still want to be blind since I
>>>>>> am
>>>>>> born blind. Blindness is just an ordinary thing for me. Even my mom
>>>>>> has
>>>>>> gotten me to pray and get me to ask doctors if one day I will "see"
>>>>>> but
>>>>>> that was when I was little, and looking back, I am so * GUILTY * that
>>>>>> my
>>>>>> mom did this and told me that I will see soon in a quite convincing
>>>>>> way
>>>>>> and now I think, and since coming to the United States and attending
>>>>>> NFB
>>>>>> related camps and meetings such as the NFB youth Slam, I see my own
>>>>>> philosophy of blindness, which is that blindness is something ordinary
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> normal and nothing to be neglected or regretted about.
>>>>>> Just my 20 dollars for what it's worth, and, great question.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>>>> From: Jamie Principato <blackbyrdfly at gmail.com
>>>>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Date sent: Wed, 20 Apr 2011 04:56:20 -0400
>>>>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] When a loved one goes sighted
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>> Hi, all.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>> I was thinking recently about all of those "what to do what a
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> loved one goes
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> blind" articles and pamphlets I've seen, and how often I hear
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> people talk
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> about the reactions of friends and family and their community
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> when they lost
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> their vision. I think there have even been comments on this list
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> about
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> sighted friends for some reason thinking they have to treat us
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> differently,
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> or can't relate to us as well because we're blind.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>> My question is this. How do you think the blind would respond in
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> similar
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> situations, say, if a friend among a netork of fellow blind
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> students
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> suddenly went sighted? As medical technology advances rapidly, it
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> is
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> becoming more and more possible to correct a number of causes of
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> both
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> congenital and later onset blindness. I know there are different
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> opinions on
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> matters like this in other disability groups, and the question
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> really got me
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> thinking.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>> I'd love to hear peoples' thoughts!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>> -Jamie
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>>>>>
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