[nfb-talk] philosophy taken to another level then?

David Andrews dandrews at visi.com
Sat Jul 17 19:41:14 UTC 2010


Ray:

I actually think that the pancake mix thing is funny.  It, or 
something similar could happen to anyone who isn't adequately paying attention.

To me, the thing about humor is how and why we use it.  Now, if you 
were going to the laundry mat and each time you went, you held up the 
possible detergent box, and say loudly to everybody "I sure hope this 
is detergent, not pancake mix... laugh ... then this would be an 
inappropriate use of blind humor.  Now, if you occasionally tell the 
story on yourself, and laugh, that seems fine to me.

When I was younger and less comfortable with myself as a blind 
person, I found myself making lots of blindness jokes -- I thought to 
put others at ease.  In fact though I think it was my self-conscious 
effort to excuse myself and my possible bumbling actions.  As the NFB 
taught me skills, and self confidence I found it less necessary to 
use the humor crutch.

Dave

At 07:20 AM 7/17/2010, you wrote:
>Mike,
>
>You might be pleasantly surprised to find that you and I agree on 
>this matter more than you might at first suppose.  The issues you 
>bring up are points that are well taken.  IN fact, I'll add to your 
>points by giving yet another example.  Remember "Good and Evil"?  I 
>do.  did I think that show was funny?  Hell no!!!  I thought it was 
>exactly the worst thing to come along in years.  IN fact, I'd say it 
>was way worse even than the commercial you sighted in your 
>message.  Still, while your points are well taken, I maintian that I 
>still have a fairly good case.  For example, let's say I am in a 
>hurry to get to the laundry mat and in my haste, I grab a box of 
>Pancake mix rather than detergent.  Yes, that actually happened to 
>me.  I put the powder in to the machine and put my clothes in.  The 
>attendant came over and then said to me, "Uh, excuse me sir; uh, do 
>you know you put Pancake mix in your clothes?".  You can imagine how 
>embarrassed I was.  Now, let's look at that episode.  ON the one 
>hand, one hand, one could argue the point that this incident would 
>make the attendant think that blind people cannot tell between 
>laundry detergent and pancake mix.  He might, therefore, have a view 
>of blindness that is colored by that happening.  Therefore, by 
>allowing that bit of carelessness to occurr, one could say that i 
>betrayed the cause and set us bakc many years.  At this point, some 
>might perhaps call me a trator to the movement because of this.  In 
>my first days in the outfit, I too might have said as much.  On the 
>other hand, one could argue that the story is funny for its own 
>sake.  The laundry mat attendant could easily have his view of 
>blindness corrected by others, (many others) who would not make that 
>mistake.  So, let me stop here and ask one simple question.  What 
>says the list to that?
>
>
>Sincerely,
>The Constantly Barefooted Ray!!!

                         David Andrews:  dandrews at visi.com
Follow me on Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/dandrews920





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