Vision

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

"...You will greatly minimize your daily activities like a real blind person..." I don't personally know any blind people, but I'll bet not one wouldn't find that statement offensive.

I do personally know two blind people. It's a reality that they can't go out and do everything they'd like to do on their own, and they are quite aware of it. They're both happy people who are living fulfilling lives... but they do it with the help of others, and recognizing that there are things in life unavailable to them. They do not do their own grocery shopping, for example. So part of the "blind experience" in that case would be sitting at home waiting for your groceries to be delivered like they do, not wandering the store aisles attempting to learn the canned goods by touch.

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

My plan was to do everything (with supervision, I'm not as retarded as you apparently think I am). Take walks. Sit on the square. Eat out at a restaurant. Masturbate. Ride in cars. Did I say masturbate? Watch (listen to?) a movie. Go to a bar, hear the band. Sit around and BS w/friends. One of the things I was looking forward to was going to a diner/cafe type place, anyplace w/a short order grill. At times, crowded, busy places like that induce panic attacks, and I was wondering, if it would be worse, or better without the visual input.

Ah. Part of my reaction stems from the locale I pictured you living in. Around here, there is not a square, restaurant, movie theatre, or bar within walking distance. If the things listed above are the only things you imagined doing, then I'd say your daily activities are already fairly minimized, so maybe this would provide you with a valid comparison to your normal life after all.

I'm sorry I came off as rude as I did. I just find it... self-serving, I guess, to emulate someone's very real disability as some kind of thought experiment. It's like that program high school kids sometimes do where they pretend to be homeless for a night so they can understand what it's really like to live on the streets--except they don't really, because in the morning Mommy comes and gets them and they go home and take a shower. I think it would be far more enlightening, and a far better use of your time, to find yourself a real blind person, and learn what their life is like by helping them with the things they struggle with.

[Bullitt]

You might start seeing things (upper left corner):


I've never tried any of these, but your idea reminded me of this.

[SamIam]

I am legaly blind without my glasses or contacts, so I already have a pretty good idea of how bad life would suck if I was blind. I have to be very careful to put my glasses on the same spot on the nightstand before I go to sleep. Once my cats knocked my glasses off the nightstand and I spent a panicky half hour groping around for them on the floor. I have nightmares where I find myself trying to drive on a busy street without my glasses. If I take my glasses off and sit for a while in a room full of people, I become very anxious . You are welcome to have my natural vision for a week. But, I think your idea is crazy.

[Pico and ME]

Originally Posted by SamIam

I am legaly blind without my glasses or contacts, so I already have a pretty good idea of how bad life would suck if I was blind. I have to be very careful to put my glasses on the same spot on the nightstand before I go to sleep. Once my cats knocked my glasses off the nightstand and I spent a panicky half hour groping around for them on the floor. I have nightmares where I find myself trying to drive on a busy street without my glasses. If I take my glasses off and sit for a while in a room full of people, I become very anxious . You are welcome to have my natural vision for a week. But, I think your idea is crazy.

I so totally know what you mean! About that panicky feeling while searching for your glasses. Also, if I would take my glasses off while someone was talking to me, I had a harder time registering what they were saying.

Even though my vision is still not good since my lasik surgery, that, thankfully, is in the past.

[limey]

I think what I'd have most trouble with, mentally, are the things you can't plan for - the unexpected sight of a rainbow, or an animal doing something cute or remarkable, or a happy accidental juxtaposition of colour, or idea, or anything. The good surprises that being sighted can bring.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by Clodfobble

I do personally know two blind people. It's a reality that they can't go out and do everything they'd like to do on their own, and they are quite aware of it. They're both happy people who are living fulfilling lives... but they do it with the help of others, and recognizing that there are things in life unavailable to them. They do not do their own grocery shopping, for example. So part of the "blind experience" in that case would be sitting at home waiting for your groceries to be delivered like they do, not wandering the store aisles attempting to learn the canned goods by touch.



Ah. Part of my reaction stems from the locale I pictured you living in. Around here, there is not a square, restaurant, movie theatre, or bar within walking distance. If the things listed above are the only things you imagined doing, then I'd say your daily activities are already fairly minimized, so maybe this would provide you with a valid comparison to your normal life after all.

I'm sorry I came off as rude as I did. I just find it... self-serving, I guess, to emulate someone's very real disability as some kind of thought experiment. It's like that program high school kids sometimes do where they pretend to be homeless for a night so they can understand what it's really like to live on the streets--except they don't really, because in the morning Mommy comes and gets them and they go home and take a shower. I think it would be far more enlightening, and a far better use of your time, to find yourself a real blind person, and learn what their life is like by helping them with the things they struggle with.

Open. Your. Mind. How boring it must be inside your head. Unless, of course, you are as easily amused as it sounds like you might be.

And for the record, the only thing you said that I found 'rude', was calling the idea in general 'retarded'. Well, the "you must not have a job" thing kinda rubbed my fur the wrong way. But, that's because it's kinda beyond my control, and I'm a little sensitive about it. At least I'm not sitting around like a lump on a log.

Oh, and I lived on the street for a good long while. And I sure as fucking hell didn't get up in the morning to be picked by mommy and go home and take a shower.

Seems I'm already learning things from this project, and I ain't even started it yet.

ETA: Did you really expect me to list and itemize every single thing I was going to try to do. The whole idea is to just try do things. I don't give a fig how blind people live day to day. I'm going to do this in order to better appreciate MY GIFT, not THEIR HANDICAP.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by Gravdigr

Open. Your. Mind.
I don't give a fig how blind people live day to day. I'm going to do this in order to better appreciate MY GIFT, not THEIR HANDICAP.

Gah! Some people don't see it that way. I don't like your verbiage.

That being said, I wholeheartedly endorse your idea and efforts. I think this would be a very interesting and informative exercise if done properly. Length of time . . .Couple days and take it from there.
PLEASE do not let a few perceived closed minds or negative comments deter you from posting here about it though. There are definitely posters who are looking forward to your feedback.

Good luck!