Posted on 03/15/2018 2:49:28 AM PDT by C19fan
As the world mourns the death of famed physicist Stephen Hawking, many are calling out tributes that contain “ableist” language and what one disability rights blogger described as “inspiration porn.” Among the social media posts honoring the A Brief History of Time author, who died March 13 at 76, are references to his use of a wheelchair and ALS diagnosis. Several tributes and obituaries have praised Hawking for “overcoming” his disease, while others claimed that death has “freed” him from his wheelchair. But those comments perpetuate demeaning stereotypes, advocates and members of the public, including model and deaf activist Nyle DiMarco and actress and YA author Melinda Salisbury, argued.
(Excerpt) Read more at verizon.yahoo.com ...
> here’s why
* There are organizations dedicated to finding “-ism”s and “-ist”s. They collect donations by finding and publicizing examples (real or imagined) to let everyone know “there is a problem”. Many sell “solutions” for the “problems” and the more publicity, the more “solutions” they sell. If they make enough money the execs get to hobnob with politicians and feel they have real power. They started out wanting to make a difference, but now they want to keep their status and actually solving the “problems” will do the opposite.
* There are people who’s job is to help these organizations find or create examples of -isms and -ists. And others who’s job is to create and sell “solutions”. Their income literally depends on publicising “problems”, not eliminating them.
* Others search for examples because the organizations have convinced them that there is a problem (which is true but small) and that the problem is huge (which is not true). The more these people see examples in the media, the bigger they think the problem is and the more they try to “help” by finding more examples.
* There are people who need/want to be part of an oppressed group. The more they see these examples in the media, the more they can blame their life on oppressors and demand politicians fix it. Dems want their votes, and publicising that even Hawking is oppressed is a way of validating and perpetuating feelings of oppression.
This jerk is just one more leftist I will not miss.
I’ve heard that before. Do you know the name of the movie it’s from? Thanks.
The explanation for the Obama award is bizarre at best—”to strengthen him”?
With who?
Since when is that a criteria for the award?
The Nobel Committee had a large dose of LSD before they pulled that stunt.
People who tell others they are “inspirational” for any reason are being condescending jerks.
Treat people as people—no more, no less.
Well, they admit it was a political prop for them, then. I guess that is the best we will get out of that side.
There were quite a few, but the first time I heard it was the John Wayne movie “Angel and the Badman”.
I also think Mel Brooks used it, facetiously, in History of the World, but I could easily be wrong.
Au contraire, one of my best friends is an extremely disabled attorney who keeps on truckin’ even though she could easily just get on disability and do nothing. I find her very courageous. She is also hard working and brilliant. She drags her broken body to court, on and off airplanes, to see clients...
Deeply appreciate your insight there...
I met Texas Governor Greg Abbott last year, I didn’t even notice the chair. He has a massively nice personality and is incredibly smart in a non-showoff way. When he’s talking to you, everything else disappears. It’s quite remarkable, actually.
Thank you. “Angel and the Badman” was a good movie. You just reminded me to watch it again.
He’s not even in the same league as Newton and Einstein. No where near it. As my college physics professor used to describe him and Sagan... “he’s a public humorist!”
He may well be inspirational, but if you say that to his face you are being a jerk.
Trust me on this. :-)
The next Being Who will find fault with a lot of Hawking’s conjectures will be Almighty God, Whose existence Hawking denies, and the outcome will not likely be favorable to his ideas or his future residence.
You could add the prize for Economics to the list of PC influenced Nobel prizes, too.
The truth bears repeating!
I fell short, on that score.
Some things you carry with you, as well you should.
Please don't let it be Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
That guy is just too stupid and annoying for the job.
We could use another Richard Feynman.
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