Are cochlear implants a “miraculous cure for a terrible defect” or — as some deaf people consider them — “a genocidal attack on a vibrant community”? Should parents of dwarfs consider surgical limb-lengthening, or encourage their child to accept their height? Are conditions such as Down’s and autism “identities” or “catastrophes”, something to cherish or something to attempt to eradicate?Although well-researched, Solomon relies principally on anecdotes “because numbers imply trends, while stories acknowledge chaos”. That would be a variant on Tolstoy’s “every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way” (which Solomon laudably resists quoting), except that many of these parents “end up grateful for experiences they would have done anything to avoid”. As Solomon notes, some try to celebrate their child’s condition to disguise their pain, but others feel genuine joy in caring for a disabled child “and that sometimes the first stance can generate the second”. There is a self-selecting element to this — those who are happy are surely more likely to have shared their tales — but it also serves as a reminder to be grateful for the lot we’ve drawn in life. I’d suggest this be made compulsory reading for any couple considering having a baby too, if only to instil that “parenting is no sport for perfectionists”.
Far From the Tree challenges the way we think about disability and difference.
SOURCE
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder