An article ‘Disabled people don’t need so many fancy new gadgets. We just need more ramps’ by S.E. Smith. Which medical model means ‘fixing disability’ Smith explains that people keep creating high tech inventions, but that doesn’t really solve the issue. Instead, it may cause more harm than good or just be forgotten. In order to fix this situation, many individuals are pitching ideas to design a ‘useful’ tool for disability in general. On the contrary, this idea isn’t beneficial for this issue, and it is lacking on accessibility as well as becoming an economic issue.
In the years to come if our society won’t stop producing fancy tools that are not beneficial then there will not be a solution. Throughout the years’ advanced technology has made a great impact and has made serious expansion all over the globe in which people rely upon the number one source technology, however advanced technology has not been very thorough with safety concerns. Overall Smith is not a fan of advanced technology because she believes it’s not the best solution and wants more accessibility in general.
One issue is that stair-climbing wheelchairs are getting updated but these updates are not really solving the main problem. ‘The problem here isn’t that most wheelchairs users find stairs challenging. Rather, it’s that most built environments rely heavily on stairs and that while elevators and ramps both exist, many designers choose not to use them’. (Smith) This quote is stating the idea that designers choose not to have more economical issues if they build more ramps and elevators to which they would keep adding stairs to fix the issue, however, companies improve the ‘quality of life for disabled people.
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‘Numerous wheelchair users commented that this device requires manual dexterity and core strength that some do not have, while others expressed fear at the thought of actually using a device, demonstration without straps or tie-downs.’ (Smith) This quote introduces the risk of danger and daily activities. Not only does some equipment have one effect, but it could also be not safe and functional. While some wheelchairs do not have restraints and require core strength that some others do not have. It is not as accurately safe!
Advanced technology is not safe and can be pretty expensive. ‘It’s not just impractical and unsafe. It’s also widely expensive. Breakthrough technology can cost more than a mid-range car and most insurers do not cover it.’ (Smith) Meaning it’s expensive and just some people don’t really have the money to purchase this because it’s so expensive. ‘Insurers, including private companies and Medicare/Medicaid, durable medical equipment (DME) coverage determines on the basis of demonstration need and they are notoriously ‘choosy’. (Smith) Simply putting companies only do it for the money and do not reflect the user’s needs. This is important because at most, it connects with individuals who have a hard time, and also which their lives are becoming more and more of a daily struggle. Thankfully there are many wonderful non-profit organizations, like ‘Ascent Project’, ‘The Mobility Project’, ‘Wheels of Humanity’, and many other organizations, that provide wheel-chairs to the people in need.
Another issue on why people do not need more expensive gadgets, but more environmental accessibilities are that companies primarily only focus on advancing tools instead of actually helping people to make them feel more comfortable with themselves. ‘It insists on underscoring differences with extremely costly equipment rather than thinking about how to reframe the built environment in a way that welcomes everyone’. (Smith 2) This connects to the idea that companies are avoiding the real issues by expanding production everywhere. Also, companies are promoting their fancy equipment even though it is not solving the problem. Furthermore, the state is authorizing new regulations against discrimination but actually, we only need them to be enforced on the ones we have presented. Therefore I believe it is best and more of being all equally to add more environmentally pleasant surroundings such as ramps and elevators for the people on wheelchairs. At the end of the day, all humans should be respected despite their ‘differences’ and should be comfortable within their surroundings.
The last reason why we do not need more gadgets is because they do not need them to be normal, which doesn’t exist. Seiber explained that people are comfortable with who they are. ‘They are comfortable with who they are, and they do not wish to be fixed or cured’. (Seibers 4) It’s easier to judge someone because they don’t know their backstory. Simply ‘judging a book by its cover’. Overall this is presenting the overall message that people with this ‘tragic problem’ are being heavily criticized by the norm. The norm makes them feel a little more difficult due to the unnecessary comments.
‘On one level, it is easy to believe that disability is only negative if one has insufficient schooling in disability studies, whereas on another level from a disability perspective, it is difficult to see disability as anything but positive.’ (Seibers) While the disability believes that they are equal like everyone else, but unfortunately everyone in the world can sleep like able-bodied and then the next day as less able-bodied thinking it’s a nightmare. Explaining that anyone could become disabled in a short amount of time. Which may create diversity between the norms and people having a disability. As well personally it is more comforting to have one group as a whole in our world, compared to having different groups.
Disabled people are getting bullied by people. ‘For the ideology of ability makes us fear disability, requiring that we imagine our bodies are of no consequence while dreaming at the same time that we might perfect them’. Seibers 9 It describes that disability a problem in the past while at the same time people could overtake in the future. Another saying that absolutely no one should not be in this circle of confusion and inequality. We sometimes dream about being perfect but perfect doesn’t really exist. I believe that not accepting ‘disability’ makes us feel more powerful because we don’t have limitations as they do.
Also, I believe for other people it’s easier to ‘bully’ to the less able-bodied people. Coming from my sister’s perspective on this, she has witnessed a scenario that applies to this point of argument between introducing more advanced tools for the people on wheelchairs against fixing our environmental areas specifically to benefit them. Unfortunately, my sister came across an event where a man was in a wheelchair and was trying to get into the store, however since she was not primarily close to him the man was having issues getting into the actual entrance. Shortly after a female had approached the entrance of Lucky’s, however, the lady gave a very disgusted look upon the man in the wheelchair as if she was bothered by him.
Shortly after she had gone through the store the man had a very confused expression on his face. Indeed it was as if he got discriminated by the lady instead of actually helping with one another as a community should. Therefore a young man and my sister helped the man eventually and made him feel more comfortable with himself after what had happened a few minutes ago. Through my sister’s viewpoint it’s easy to say that the norms can easily target people on wheelchairs due to that it makes it a whole lot easier in their state of opinion to put the victim’s down due to their problems. It is quite annoying and difficult to hurt others when in reality we all started in the same position. It’s crazy to believe that needing glasses is not ‘qualified’ as disabled because it’s so common, unlike being deaf is considered as ‘disabled’.
To summarize the main key points with these issues, overall our society is focused on producing more reliable products to capture the buyer’s attention, in favor that the company profoundly will earn more money. Though it may work manufacturers are not well adjusted to people’s needs and these fancy gadgets do not focus on the consumer’s ability to perform daily activities. Which companies do not satisfy consumers in any way. Most consumers are less likely to experience the fancy equipment because they are afraid of the risks, difficulties, and the fear; they may encounter. People with disabilities are being viewed as tragic, in which they’re comfortable in their own skin. While others may disagree who recently became disabled or less able-bodied think that being disabled is a living nightmare and it reduces their reality of becoming a normal person. It’s important to accept one another and be happy because they are equal.
