- Joined
- Aug 23, 1999
This thread has strayed from being an informative discussion into an argument.
I am going to add a small, very old fable to remind people that the view one person has is NOT the only view. Just because one person's needs using a wheelchair are met in one way, it doesn't mean that all people using a wheelchair will have the same needs.
Please read the fable and think about it before posting any other responses.
“Six Blind Men and An Elephant”: A Fable
A long time ago in India there lived six men who had all been blind since birth; they would compete with each other to see who could tell the tallest story and each always thought that he was correct.
One day, they fell to arguing. The object of their dispute was the elephant. Now, since each was blind, none had ever seen an elephant. So, to satisfy their minds and settle the dispute, they decided to try to find an elephant.
Having hired a young guide, they set out early one morning in single file along the forest trail. It was not long before they came to a forest clearing where a huge bull elephant, quite tame, was standing.
The six blind men became quite excited; at last they would satisfy their minds. Each of the men took turns to investigate the elephant's shape and form. Since all were blind and the elephant was large, none of them could tell what the whole elephant was like. Each came to a different part and felt that part to tell the others what the elephant was like.
The first man felt the side of the elephant and cried out, 'O my brothers, an elephant is like a great mud wall baked hard in the sun.'
The second man felt the tusk and said, 'Now, my brothers, I can tell you what shape this elephant is - he is exactly like a spear.'
The third man felt the tail and shouted, 'Why, dear brothers, you are wrong. This elephant is very much like a rope.'
The fourth man was at the head and as he moved his hands, he reached the trunk. He said, 'Ha, are you sure you are feeling an elephant. He is not at all the way you describe. This elephant is very much like a snake.'
The others began to argue that their view was correct.
The fifth man, who was also at the head of the elephant, reached the ear and said, 'Good gracious, brothers, even a blind man can see what shape the elephant resembles most. Why he's just like a fan or maybe a palm leaf.'
At last, it was the turn of the sixth old fellow, who was near the leg. As he felt it, he said, 'Brothers, all of you are wrong. This sturdy pillar, feels exactly like the trunk of a large palm tree.'
Of course, no one believed him, because they had all their own view of the elephant and were sure their view was the correct one.
Their curiosity satisfied, they all linked hands and followed the guide back to the village. Once there, the six blind men began arguing loud and long. Each now had his own opinion, firmly based on his own experience, of what an elephant is really like. For after all, each had felt the elephant for himself and knew that he was right!
Although each was right about the part of the elephant HE had felt, none of the blind men had a complete picture of the elephant.
They continued to argue because none of them would admit that possibly there was a different view of the elephant than they had.
Like the 6 blind men, each person has their own view of "disability" and what "using a wheelchair" means, based on their experience.
Some people realize that their view is not the only view and are able to see that some guests might have different needs than they do and what works well for them may not work at all for another guest.
Like the arguing blind men, some guests see their view as the only view and can't see that someone else may have different needs.
People do not come here to argue and arguements or telling other posters how they should feel about their disability will not be tolerated.
If this continues, KPeveler or I will close this thread and the posters who continue arguing will be given points, if necessary.
I am going to add a small, very old fable to remind people that the view one person has is NOT the only view. Just because one person's needs using a wheelchair are met in one way, it doesn't mean that all people using a wheelchair will have the same needs.
Please read the fable and think about it before posting any other responses.
“Six Blind Men and An Elephant”: A Fable
A long time ago in India there lived six men who had all been blind since birth; they would compete with each other to see who could tell the tallest story and each always thought that he was correct.
One day, they fell to arguing. The object of their dispute was the elephant. Now, since each was blind, none had ever seen an elephant. So, to satisfy their minds and settle the dispute, they decided to try to find an elephant.
Having hired a young guide, they set out early one morning in single file along the forest trail. It was not long before they came to a forest clearing where a huge bull elephant, quite tame, was standing.
The six blind men became quite excited; at last they would satisfy their minds. Each of the men took turns to investigate the elephant's shape and form. Since all were blind and the elephant was large, none of them could tell what the whole elephant was like. Each came to a different part and felt that part to tell the others what the elephant was like.
The first man felt the side of the elephant and cried out, 'O my brothers, an elephant is like a great mud wall baked hard in the sun.'
The second man felt the tusk and said, 'Now, my brothers, I can tell you what shape this elephant is - he is exactly like a spear.'
The third man felt the tail and shouted, 'Why, dear brothers, you are wrong. This elephant is very much like a rope.'
The fourth man was at the head and as he moved his hands, he reached the trunk. He said, 'Ha, are you sure you are feeling an elephant. He is not at all the way you describe. This elephant is very much like a snake.'
The others began to argue that their view was correct.
The fifth man, who was also at the head of the elephant, reached the ear and said, 'Good gracious, brothers, even a blind man can see what shape the elephant resembles most. Why he's just like a fan or maybe a palm leaf.'
At last, it was the turn of the sixth old fellow, who was near the leg. As he felt it, he said, 'Brothers, all of you are wrong. This sturdy pillar, feels exactly like the trunk of a large palm tree.'
Of course, no one believed him, because they had all their own view of the elephant and were sure their view was the correct one.
Their curiosity satisfied, they all linked hands and followed the guide back to the village. Once there, the six blind men began arguing loud and long. Each now had his own opinion, firmly based on his own experience, of what an elephant is really like. For after all, each had felt the elephant for himself and knew that he was right!
Although each was right about the part of the elephant HE had felt, none of the blind men had a complete picture of the elephant.
They continued to argue because none of them would admit that possibly there was a different view of the elephant than they had.
Like the 6 blind men, each person has their own view of "disability" and what "using a wheelchair" means, based on their experience.
Some people realize that their view is not the only view and are able to see that some guests might have different needs than they do and what works well for them may not work at all for another guest.
Like the arguing blind men, some guests see their view as the only view and can't see that someone else may have different needs.
People do not come here to argue and arguements or telling other posters how they should feel about their disability will not be tolerated.
If this continues, KPeveler or I will close this thread and the posters who continue arguing will be given points, if necessary.
I tried to explain to the driver I understood what he was saying and why, but that my chair actually carries it's weight in the front and middle and driving on frontward and out backwards actually is the only safe way to load me on such a bus. Didn't want to hear it and went into a tantrum a toddler would be proud off. 
