You would hope that as society continued to evolve and become more advanced, we would
become more tolerant and open towards new cultures and ideas. The hope is that we would
pass these beliefs onto our children, who would chart a brave new course for the future.
Unfortunately, this idea of a utopia which is so often and portrayed in various television and film
franchises is not quite within our reach just yet, as a recent survey has suggested that one in
five people have witnessed discrimination or mockery towards people with disability within the
world of everyday life.
Naturally, these are very upsetting figures, because they suggest that we are not getting any
closer towards true quality, and are almost regressing. This type of behavior is also very
puzzling, as it’s always a shame when people choose to listen to their baser instincts, and mock
or attack things which are different, whether it is because they are innately afraid of them or
simply because they do not understand.
The survey which produced this information took place in the UK, and it suggested that up to
17% of people would feel uncomfortable trying to communicate with a disabled person, which is
a very worrying percentage. Now, obviously, we recognise that disability is often a spectrum of
different conditions and levels of severity, and there are some people who have rather severe
disabilities that have impacted their mental and intellectual growth. However, these are the
individuals who most desperately deserve our compassion and support, because they are often
trapped in a world that they have very little control or comprehension of.
Clearly, not enough is being done to support people who do have disabilities, and at the same
time, not enough is being done to educate people on how best to work with these types of
individuals and engage them in a dignified and equal way. Perhaps this should be a sign that we
need to double down on initiatives and campaigns which raise more awareness of the different
types of disability and how they can affect an individual.
Ultimately, people who have a disability should be able to feel like they can live in society and
receive equal support from both government institutions and the ordinary person. We have to
strive for a truly just and equal society for everybody, not just people who fit our definition of
what a disabled person should or should not look like. Mockery is certainly not something which
has any place within the equation, and the idea that people are ridiculing individuals with
disabilities in everyday life is a very disappointing and upsetting thought.
We would challenge anybody who has witnessed this kind of behavior to hold the individual
responsible to a higher standard of challenge and scrutiny. If somebody is willing to say these
things, then they should rightfully be challenged and confronted about this type of behavior. We
live in a world where staying silent is the worst thing that anybody can do, because people with
disabilities deserve the support of the rest of society.