The Culture of Disability

Posted: August 25th, 2021

Final Project: The Culture of Disability

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Final Project: The Culture of Disability

Summary of the Documentary Film Disability, the Truth

Even as living with disability continues to strike emotional, psychological, social, and economic traumas to a larger part of human population, the process of accepting a person’s fate is more important. Disability, the Truth is a documentary film that presents a series of interviews conducted by the Attitude Television crew to generate reactionary information from people living with the disabilities. In the movie, most of the characters can perform routine responsibilities, such as being in a relationship, pursuing professional aspirations, and leading positive life full of acceptance. The clip focuses on people who suffer from permanent dysfunctions of their body parts, such as limbs, or those who were born with certain disorders, including blindness, inability to speak effectively or even paralysis. Throughout this feature story, the interviewers have managed to portray disability as any other challenge in a person’s life. The topic is important as it helps not only in highlighting how attitude can play a role in changing the lives of the disabled but also how they can change the world around them. In essence, it presents a sharp contrast between what people think about disability as a deeply depressing condition and the fact that people can live their lives just like the healthy part of population.

Research on Disability

Acceptance of disability is probably one of the significant social challenges facing families across the globe. In the past, certain communities considered children born with a disability as a curse, and a majority of such children suffered the atrocities attributable to ignorance and inhumane treatment significantly (Bunning, Gona, Newton, & Hartley, 2017). In America, for instance, life before the rise of the disability rights movement in 1991 was unbearable to those people who harbored people with disabilities. Often, the society regarded the disabled as “handicapped”, even if the cause of their condition was accidental and not birth-related. The disabled population groups mostly suffer from low self-esteem, become angry, and also consider themselves as members of low social class due to perception directed to them. Therefore, the educational system and government institutions need to focus more on the historical background of people with disabilities and appreciate the fact that such members can also be assets of any society and can lead productive lives.

The most disturbing and immediate impression of a disability is paradoxical. Quite often, people have associated living with physical disadvantagesas passivity, over-reliance on other people to execute routine responsibilities, and a sign of a personal tragedy. In addition, the majority, including government institutions, have considered disability as a form of group discrimination, suggesting that the affected population is prone to struggles toward independent actions (Fisher & Purcal, 2017). Such a move has negated further the perception of the disabled people who recognize their conditions as personal misfortunes. However, according to Bunning et al. (2017), what people feel and think about disability lies in the attitude set by the society and dispensed from one generation to another. Nevertheless, family members, employers, and colleagues working with the disabled people should start focusing on disability as an ordinary physical impairment, which can be corrected by integrating proper support techniques, including wheelchairs. This approach can alter suicidal thoughts, depression, and hopelessness among the affected group of individuals.

Research by the World Health Organization in 2017 revealed intriguing details about disability. Over 15% of the total global population is represented by people living with some form of disability (WHO, 2017). Although this figure has resulted from the widespread chronic health conditions, the worrying aspects revolve around the burden that comes alongside disability. From this report, it emerged that people with disabilities are perhaps the most marginalized groups in the world (WHO, 2017). Until recent years, these individuals have presented poor health outcomes, high poverty levels due to inadequate participation in economic ventures, and are arguably among people with the poorest levels of education (Bunning et al., 2017). Thus, it is now possible to overcome such barriers by streamlining the relationship and perceptions directed toward the disabled groups within any society. A typical approach ideal for this move is to make sure government agencies work together with the disabled persons and their close relatives.

Lack of representation has been the greatest injustice to those living with the disabilities. Inadequate media appeal and social value have collectively undermined the process of creating awareness on how to change the public’s perception of these people. Furthermore, some of the individuals with cases of disability have an unlimited podium where they can freely express themselves without feeling scared of people’s opinion about them. Well, as people become more informed and more health-cautious, different countries have equally adopted and ratified the rights of people living with a disability by making sure they feel protected and their welfare is promoted.

Overall, living with a disability has previously been the most traumatizing situation for decades. Due to the prevailing attitude by the society, it became difficult for most families to adapt fully to the demands of the disabled members. The society has made it appear that the disabled are troublesome and burdensome to maintain. Conversely, recent revelations show a far much contradiction from the usual narrative. The fact is that people must change their attitude and begin to accept the realities of untapped capabilities among the disabled individuals (WHO, 2017). Overcoming the barriers to opportunities should be a priority to all. For instance, the government and other support bodies should fast-track avenues that will enable these individuals to access the mainstream services, such as education, health, employment, and other social amenities. Provision of funding programs can ease the load that these people endure in their pursuit of better standards of living.

Mock Interview on Disability

1.    What do you feel about yourself in your current condition?

This question will help understand the attitude of people living with the disability. As shown in the research section, it is difficult to cope with the pressure emanating from people around.How they feel being physically challenged and becoming incapacitated and over-dependent on others?

2.    How did you first learn about your disability and how did you take it?

When dealing with disability issues, it is essential to evaluate the historical basis upon which the victim became disabled. For instance, this question will help reveal whether the condition isa result of congenital disability, accident, or human-induced actions. This approach provides a leeway through which systems can help control future occurrences of similar problems.

3.    What do people around you (your family members and colleagues) think about you?

In essence, this question will help expose the relationship between the physically challenged people and their immediate environment. It helps explore whether the discrimination towards those living with a disability persists. For instance, it is helpful when an institution gathers such information to formulate protective policies.

4.    How do you assess your life? Do you feel incomplete in any way?

As indicated in the research, the burden that comes with the disability is overwhelming to the affected person and partly to the family. Asking how disabled persons evaluate themselves is necessary for understanding the gaps that have remained unfilled despite personal acceptance. An example is when one feels he or she could fall in a relationship like the rest of the people.

5.    What advice can you give to people living in conditions similar to yours?

Firstly, this question, as shown before, investigates whether the disabled people embrace their situation and blame themselves for it or not. It can also help in identifying the moral, emotional, and psychological support that could be missing in their lives.  

Self-Reflection

The paradox of disability has centered so much into our midst that we have taken it as a curse. No single country has implemented exclusive rights to guarantee full protection to those living with the disability. Employers, for instance, tend to recruit only those individuals they consider to be productive and active. Besides, the government has equally failed to institutionalize mechanisms that can open opportunities for the disabled in our societies. As a result, peopleare constrained as they spend more money on feeding their children whom they cannot take to school, who do not acquire proper medical attention, and therefore, must now depend entirely on their family. Unless the whole world changes its attitude towards those living with the disabilities, there will be an outrageous increase in dependency ratio and an ultimate high poverty index.

Whereas the questions raised are important, lack of pleasant attitude and goodwill will only damage the efforts to provide an inclusive environment for the active and the physically challenged. The knowledge here inspires to conceive these people differently and have a better understanding of their conditions so that they can as well fit in the dynamics of the contemporary world. Thus, we need to become ready to allow those living with disabilities to access the mainstream to ideal social amenities fully. Besides, we can use the information acquired to enforce the government to invest exclusively in programs that meet the needs of the disabled. Finally, we will be able to empower people through public awareness to treat disability as a challenge, not incapacitation. Overall, through these interventions, we will undoubtedly overcome the disabling barriers.

References

Bunning, K., Gona, J. K., Newton, C. R., & Hartley, S. (2017). The perception of disability by community groups: Stories of local understanding, beliefs and challenges in a rural part of Kenya. PloS One, 12(8), e0182214. Retrieved from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5542666/ 

Fisher, K.R., & Purcal, C. (2017). Policies to change attitudes to people with disabilities. ScandinavianJournal of Disability Research, 19(2), 161-174. https://doi.org/10.1080/15017419.2016.1222303

World Health Organization. (2017). 10 facts on disability. World Health Organization. Retrieved from www.who.int/features/factfiles/disability/en/