Inspired by: Parrot Sphinx
Subject: Look and speak directly to handicapped persons
I am the one handicapped. I pass by hundreds of people every day and barely allow my eyes to touch upon them. Pretty girls catch my attention, and so do the handicapped.
I'll try not to let a pretty girl know that I have noticed her, because I don't want her to feel uncomfortable. She has adds an aesthetic value to my life, and I would like to have her express herself aesthetically before me in the future. I will likely never meet her, but I enjoy her efforts to be attractive.
I'll try not to let a handicapped person know that I have noticed them, because I don't want them to feel uncomfortable. Every time I see or interact with a handicapped person I feel an intense appreciation that I have the faculties I possess; indirectly, the handicapped make me feel humble. What have I ever to be complaining about, regarding my personal life.
I will look out for the handicapped and when I see a difficult situation and I can help without interferring in their lives, I will offer assistance (usually doing nothing more than opening spring loaded doors). I will say Hello and if they feel so inclined to extend the conversation I will talk if I have the time. I will likely never meet them again, but I selfishly enjoy the appreciation I have for my own unhindered life.
Meanwhile, everyone else passes by me without so much as knowing that they even exist. My mind has been conditioned to ignore everyone to provide them with a sense of privacy, even in a crowded mall.
I used to be in the Navy on an aircraft carrier. Over 5,000 people shared the living spaces. A person hardly ever has a moment when they are alone. One learns to view people you don't know as dynamic artifacts of the ships structure; not people. With the growing population, this will need to happen more and more, like it is in Japan now. People with white gloves pushing you into a train. A piece of a structure, not a person.
In 1776 there were less than 700 million people worldwide. In two peoples consecutive lifetimes, presently, there are over 3 Billion people worldwide. In the lifetime of a child being born today, they will see over 10 Billion people living worldwide.
Our handicap as a species has been that we see other people as a dynamic artifact of the social and physical structure of the world. We wouldn't be able to kill our own family and friends, so how can we treat other people differently?
This is how I am handicapped! My mind can not understand the complexities with more than my family and a few friends. Everyone else is part of the structure.
Now that I know, what can I do to change this quality?
