It could equally be argued from some sectarian standpoints that it woud be a
sin to desire a cure so that argument is a non starter.
As for the capitalism one, well I might buy into that, Christopher Reeve was
indeed an icon of consumerism.
However for those who appear to believe that Marx died for them wouldn't it
be a sin to believe that he was not superhuman too :)
Larry
> -----Original Message-----
> From: The Disability-Research Discussion List
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Bob
> Williams-Findlay
> Sent: 14 October 2004 14:58
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Cured?
>
>
> Maria
>
> The question I'd beg is to whom are we trying to get our message
> across to?
> German Marxist, Walter Benjamin, wrote about the manner is which bourgeois
> dominant culture is extremely expert in assorbing radical ideas
> and transforming
> them into their own messages to protect the existing status quo.
>
> Chrisopher Reeve, irrespective of what he did, said or believed, became an
> icon for those within Western societies who want to reclaim some of the
> territory they have had to surrender to the Disabled People's
> Movement - however, I
> equally believe the discourse goes far beyond the treatment of
> Disabled People.
>
> The medical model, I would argue, isn't merely an articulation of a crude
> ideology of "cure or kill" - within it remains of older
> ideologies which have
> roots within religious beliefs.
>
> In Britain, for example, the Industrial Revolution not only announced the
> arrival of Capitalism, it also gave shape to contours around
> which 'normality'
> were drawn. These contours managed issues such as social roles,
> sexuality and
> the classification of who might be considered 'expected and accepted'.
>
> What existed prior to this? What were the issues around Life and
> Death? The
> transition from religous ideologies to medical ideologies in relation to
> illness, disease, impairment and even death, I feel are often too
> readily ignored
> within Disablity Research. Disability related history has not
> been adequately
> addressed as being 'historically specific'. (See the work of Stuart Hall)
>
> The purchase of being 'cured', especially within Western societies has a
> wealth of material crying out to be explored. The positioning of
> Christ in terms
> of healing the sick, the role of charity, not to mention the relationship
> within the human condition between the outward shell and the
> spiritual inner self.
>
> Isn't it a sin not to want to be 'cured'? Did not Christ die for
> us to take
> away out sins? Why does the imagery of 'disability as evil'
> remain so powerful
> in dominant culture?
>
> I hate to say this, but often I feel this heap of oppressive honk isn't so
> much about us - people who are impaired/disabled - I think it has
> more to do
> with the NORMAL PEOPLE and THEIR GOD.
>
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