...I think this train of thinking is really interesting - the whole idea of
positive and negative thinking is fairly modern terminology based on those
old sayings such as 'pull your socks up' etc...and i agree it is sometimes a
way of putting people down and denying the expression of their feelings in
the same way that 'there is someone worse off you' was another phrase that
killed off any expression of feelings of hurt and anger in
disabled/chronically ill people, children or anyone for that matter whose
feelings were seen as little value in respecting.
What i do find worrying is that by using these terms in modern life we also
deny the scope of human responses that in turn allows us to develop feelings
of empathy with other people - while there has been a modern culture of
openess on the whole, i would sill say that we have not fully learnt how to
accept, understand and listen to other peoples' feelings without denying
them, making patronising suggestions or seeing the benefits of thinking in a
negative way sometimes.
Sometimes thinking negatively allows us to 'mentally' rest and work through
issues slowly without being pushed in trying to find a false positive. In
time most people will feel more positive - a positivety that will last,
having worked through their negative feelings more thoroughly and
individually.
Glenn
Dr Glenn Smith,
Research Fellow,
London.
-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 23 January 2003 09:41
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Something Positive?
<Maybe the term 'be positive' is one of those mindsets advocated ( and
overused) by professionals, society etc as a way of 'overcoming' impairment.
And in turn diminishes/quashesthe voices and experiences of disabled
people.>
Yes, I think you will find this to be true and to put this in front of
activists, would be like waving red rag to a bull and quite rightly so.
We hear this (let's talk about something positive) often within the
restricted growth community and it is generally used as a strategy to
either shut people up or move people into another direction.
Another strategy to keep 'disabled people down' is the issue of feelings. Be
careful in case you hurt someone's feelings and how many times is this used
to shut disabled people up? I remember it well from the old Day Centre Days
- It s called keeping the lid on things and whose feelings are we actually
talking about here, the disabled persons or the professionals?
This is not me "lacking empathy" or "being insensitive" though some people
will believe only what they want to believe. I have seen too many disabled
people kept down and out of the picture because of language and behaviour
like this.
Yes it's certainly negative not positive and an infringement on freedom of
speech and please think about how difficult it is to challenge
'possitivity'
like this because if you do, it will automatically label and stigmatise
you
as being 'negative'.
Regarding the hierarchy of impairment issue, isn't it interesting how these
ideas manifest? (and that neuro diversity is a fake!) I don't for one minute
believe that anyone in the neuro diversity debate is pushing for a hierarchy
of impairment, this is all propaganda (again). All we are seeking is a
recognition that our impairment exists at all and some kind of rights to
go
with it, is that too much to ask?
Liz Fetes
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