4 ms·

Really? Do you have some examples? What are these disabilities measured against other than the "norm"? Some of the most learning challenged I've known were incr

by Varcht 11y ago

Really? Do you have some examples? What are these disabilities measured against other than the "norm"? Some of the most learning challenged I've known were incredible streetwise for an example.

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
saint_fiasco 11y ago
That may be a selection bias. You just don't hang out with people with severe disabilities as much. Maybe they just stay home, with a family member to look after them. Some of them are in institutions, cared by professionals. A learning challenged person who was not streetwise would probably stay away from the streets.
- Lawtonfogle 11y ago
  >You just don't hang out with people with severe disabilities as much. Maybe they just stay home, with a family member to look after them. Some of them are in institutions, cared by professionals. And some of them have already chosen to not be part of this world anymore. It is often called a permanent solution to a temporary problem, but some problems are just as permanent.
  - saint_fiasco 11y ago
    Survivorship bias is the worst kind of selection bias.
jerf 11y ago
I'm sitting here writing this from a conference about the genetic disease one of my children has. He's lucky... he's of above average intelligence even on a normal scale. Many of his fellow disease sufferers are confined to a wheelchair, unable to speak even in their teens, and literally the only motions they make on their own is some vague twitching motions. Yes, there is a such thing as true, uncompensated disability, and you should thank your lucky stars that you live a life where you could even entertain the notion that there is no such thing as "disabilities". Tone note: I mean that straight, not angry or something... be thankful. It's a hard thing for all involved.
- Kenji 11y ago
  That needed to be said. Thank you, jerf, I couldn't have said it better. I am sick and tired of people romanticising disabilities, or even worse, denying their existence. I am not surprised that some people on Hackernews are secluded enough that they can delude themselves into thinking that disability is always a tradeoff and the disabled must be a genius in some way.

by Varcht 11y ago

Really? Do you have some examples? What are these disabilities measured against other than the "norm"? Some of the most learning challenged I've known were incredible streetwise for an example.

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

saint_fiasco 11y ago

That may be a selection bias. You just don't hang out with people with severe disabilities as much. Maybe they just stay home, with a family member to look after them. Some of them are in institutions, cared by professionals. A learning challenged person who was not streetwise would probably stay away from the streets.

Lawtonfogle 11y ago
>You just don't hang out with people with severe disabilities as much. Maybe they just stay home, with a family member to look after them. Some of them are in institutions, cared by professionals. And some of them have already chosen to not be part of this world anymore. It is often called a permanent solution to a temporary problem, but some problems are just as permanent.
- saint_fiasco 11y ago
  Survivorship bias is the worst kind of selection bias.

jerf 11y ago

I'm sitting here writing this from a conference about the genetic disease one of my children has. He's lucky... he's of above average intelligence even on a normal scale. Many of his fellow disease sufferers are confined to a wheelchair, unable to speak even in their teens, and literally the only motions they make on their own is some vague twitching motions. Yes, there is a such thing as true, uncompensated disability, and you should thank your lucky stars that you live a life where you could even entertain the notion that there is no such thing as "disabilities". Tone note: I mean that straight, not angry or something... be thankful. It's a hard thing for all involved.

Kenji 11y ago
That needed to be said. Thank you, jerf, I couldn't have said it better. I am sick and tired of people romanticising disabilities, or even worse, denying their existence. I am not surprised that some people on Hackernews are secluded enough that they can delude themselves into thinking that disability is always a tradeoff and the disabled must be a genius in some way.