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Understanding and Accepting Individuals with Disabilities: Lessons from “Born on a Blue Day”

Jul 4, 2023 | 0 comments

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Jul 4, 2023 | Essays | 0 comments

Members of the society with disability, mental illness and disorders inclusive, for long have been disadvantaged. The society does not seem to know how to handle such individuals thus have resorted to viewing them as outcast. They are often misunderstood, discriminated and neglected. This inhumane treatment towards the disabled has attracted several sympathizers and activist advocating for their acceptance and equal rights in the society driven the urge to shield them. However, the activists have not been able to make much progress because of their inability to fully empathize with them since they do not understand their specific needs thus do not apply favorable strategies in defending them. The book, Born on a blue day by Tammet, give insights on what it is like to be special, expressing his challenges in a hostile environment and struggles to cope. The paper, therefore, looks into the strategies employed by Tammet in dealing with the pressures of his external environment, the importance of learning about how individuals with disability like Tammet cope and the major lesson drawn from the book, Born on a blue day, focusing on the equal treatment of all human race with no exemption.

 

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The society for edges have judged the disabled like Tammet extremely harsh making their lives difficult as implied by Feigin (63). Tammet who is an autistic savant diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome was able to rise above the challenges associated with his condition. He was abused and neglected by his pears despite having the desire to connect with others though poor in social skills. In order to cope in his alienated environment as a kid, Tammet found refuge in numbers which he loved and was good at. He opted to play with numbers instead of friends to avert his loneliness since he was poor in forming and maintain friendship. With time by reading fiction books he learnt to be social; to emphasize and understand relations that individuals deal with. Tammet learnt to synthesize Mathematics and literature in understanding the operation of people’s daily activities thus enabling him to eventually socialize appropriately with them as indicated by Tammet (20).

Learning how individuals with mental disorders like Tammet cope is vital in understanding and helping them fit well in the society as they deserve as indicated by Johnson, Wolfe and Walmsley (156). Understanding their conditions and needs aid in the establishment of appropriate strategies that hasten their integration into the society. Being familiar with what they go through trying to overcome societal discrimination gives us a glimpse of their sorrow and learn to empathize consequently learning to accept them the way they are instead of trying to change them. This is because their struggle in life is associated with societal misconception of them that has greatly influenced their alienation leading to their struggle. Therefore, comprehending how Tammet deals with his harsh external environment, the challenges he faced, his fears and expectations enables the society to better define their place thus making their existence meaningful as emphasized by Murray (57).

Vanbegeijk (4) claims that Tammet, in Born on a blue day, beliefs that those who are different can also lead a normal productive life provided we do not harshly judge them. The disabled need to be respected, treated fairly and assisted where possible to enable them accept themselves arguing that their being different does not make them lesser human beings as they have been often viewed. He claims the society should give the disabled self-belief to hold on to their dreams since he feels that they have the ability and capability to contribute positively to community growth and development. Tammet values the power of self- acceptance that contributes to the successful building of high self-esteem standards and confidence in ones abilities to conquer their fears, societal challenges attributed to discrimination to become better people in the society capable of helping and inspiring others just like normal other normal individuals thus stressing that we are all unique but equal as echoed by MacQuarrie (34).

In conclusion, understanding and integrating persons with special needs into the society has been challenging due societal misconception. However, some disabled people like Tammet have been able to successfully cope with their condition, raise above their fears in a hostile environment to lead a productive life. Tammet’s experiences and struggles to fit into the society give insights into the challenges faced by such individuals, their ups and down making us understand them better in terms of their needs and learn to empathize and assist them acquire those needs. This is because that misunderstanding and ignorance regarding their specific conditions is the root of their discrimination. Tammet in his book, Born on a blue day, communicates a valuable message that those with special requirements are also important in the society and should not be treated otherwise.

Works Cited

Anna, MacQuarrie. “Our Lives, Our Voices: People with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families.” Human Rights and Disability Advocacy. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014. Print.

Kelley Johnson, Marie Wolfe and Jan Walmsley. People with intellectual disabilities. University of Bristol: Policy Press, 2010. Print.

Rena, Feigin. Group Therapy with Individuals and Families Coping with Illness or Disability in Israel. Therapy in Israel (2002). Print.

Stuart, Murray. Representing Autism. Liverpool University Press, 2008. Print.

Tammet, Daniel. Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant: a Memoir. New York: Free Press, 2007. Print.

Vanbegeijk, Ernst, “Daniel Tammet: Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Servant.” Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (2010): n. pag. Print.

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