To Understand the ”Other”: How Disabilities Define Us

By Jan LundiusSTOCKHOLM / ROME, Aug 21 2020 (IPS)   You can shine your shoes and wear a suit you can comb your hair and look quite cute you can hide your face behind a smile one thing you can’t hide is when you’re crippled inside.                                                                                                               John Lennon COVID-19 made some of us aware of how dependent we are on one another, this is why so many of us become upset when confronted with the reckless behaviour of those who do not respect rules, like social distancing and the wearing of face masks. Lack of empathy appears to be spreading throughout our global society. ”Why do I have to care about others? The most important thing is my own well-being and success,” a way of reasoning that fosters contempt, misogyny and racism and worst of all – disdain for those who are old and weak, and/or for various reasons have been bodily incapacitated, making it hard for them to participate in the rat race for beauty and success. It is becoming increasingly common to be transfixed by the idea that character is reflected by appearances and thus many individuals become obsessed with obtaining, or maintaining, an aesthetically pleasing appearance. An entire business has developed around our cult of bodily beauty, as well as the youth, glamour and success assumed to be ...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Arts Featured Global Headlines Health Human Rights Humanitarian Emergencies TerraViva United Nations Source Type: news