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Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,060
Registered: ‎03-20-2010

Re: Why do people make life harder than it already is?


@Trinity11 wrote:

@CrazyDaisy wrote:

@Trinity11 wrote:

@CrazyDaisy wrote:

@Trinity11 wrote:

@jubilant wrote:

As I have read through these posts my mind keeps going to the story of Helen Keller and her teacher, Anne Sullivan.


Even Helen Keller had her moments. Life is a journey and people with disabilities get their days. There are often times people just need a forum to vent. It does not mean that they are consistently making life harder on themselves. I also remember Anne Sullivan cursing her inability to see. It happens.

 

I have always felt that since I walk in no one else's shoes, I have no right to judge them if they handle a disability different than perhaps I would. And I would never consider myself so cavalier as to tell them what they should or shouldn't do.

 

 


While I am sure Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan did have their moments and needed to vent, like most they were likely done in private not posted on the Internet.  And I would think that anyone dealing with difficulties would appreciate others suggestions that would make life easier.  We see those on the Internet everyday, even this board.  When you open your life up to the public you are bound to get many different solutions from many different perspectives.


HUH?????? There was no internet back then. So how do we have any idea what either of them would have done??

Your post speaks to the fact that sharing anything personal is precarious at best. There is always someone who is ready to swoop in and tell a person (without having any real experience with the issue) how to do it right.

 

That's why when someone has a health issue, 99% of the time they are far better off communicating with people who understand the struggle. Designated forums for specific illnesses are extremely helpful. It makes it so they don't read so called solutions from some person who doesn't have a clue.


Not sure why all the animosity.  When you vent, post, speak in a public forum you open yourself up to public comments.  That is from all different perspectives.  If you are only interested in specific responses then be specific in the method of your communication and target group  The OP was commenting on a public post not a medical issue.


I assure you, the animosity is not coming from me. Rather a response to ignorance which seems to have no cure when it comes to some.


WOW just WOW

Someday, when scientists discover the center of the Universe....some people will be disappointed it is not them.
Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,900
Registered: ‎04-04-2015

Re: Why do people make life harder than it already is?


@Noel7 wrote:

@Isobel Archer wrote:

@Noel7 wrote:

@Isobel Archer wrote:

@Noel7 wrote:

@jubilant wrote:

@Noel7 wrote:

@jubilant wrote:

While I empathize with this woman's problem, I can't help but think of people who, first of all, realize that they almost always have options and,secondly, look for them!  

 

 

 

It is well within this ladies ability to choose her options more wisely and, in the process, she would be helping herself to a better life, not waiting for everyone to accomodate her.  If you wait for other people to solve your problems, imo, you will be in for a long wait.  In the end, she would make  more thoughtful choices and it would be a confidence booster for sure!  Empathy for people with disabilites is fine.  Sympathy, not so much.


 

 

@jubilant  No sympathy for people with disabilities?  I’m shocked you feel that way.


***********   The definition of empathy is..... the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.  In certain situations I feel empathy is better than sympathy.  If this woman would have taken it upon herself to choose a different avenue, imo, it would have saved her a lot of emotional pain.  If I could talk to her, I would certainly feel her frustation and pain and suggest a new way to look at things.  To me that is empathizing.  To insinuate that I have no sympathy for people with disabilities is not fair.  I am hoping that people here who know me will know that is not true.

 

 


@jubilant

 

It’s about the ability to feel for or with others, to understand their pain.  You made a blanket statement that you don’t feel much sympathy for people with disabilities.  That goes against everything we supposedly stand for, everything we are taught. 

 

I felt it strongly for someone you cared about who was quite disabled at the time.  I am surprised you don’t feel it for others.


This attack is unfair and I suspect you know it.  She clearly has empathy/sympathy/compassion for the woman's "condidtion."  What she, I and others have said is that while the woman has this condition, she is not helpless in the face of it.  She is not unable to empower herself.  And insisting that she "should not have to" is actually not compassionate at all.  How is her life better being unnecessiarily humiliated and angry?


I didn’t attack her at all, I am more than surprised she feels nothing for those who struggle.  Please don’t do your usual pot stirring, hoping to get people fighting.  It’s what you do.  I also doubt you have any idea what I am talking about with Jubilant... not a clue.


Sorry, but claiming some "has no sympathy for others" feels like an attack to me.  She clearly expressed that her lack of "sympathy" was for the behavior not the condition.


Nope, sorry, you are making something up, not what was said.  Shame on you, maybe you can get someone to help you read, you need it.


So what does "I am more than surprised she feels nothing for those who struggle" mean then?

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,752
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Why do people make life harder than it already is?

[ Edited ]

@Noel7 wrote:

@jubilant wrote:

While I empathize with this woman's problem, I can't help but think of people who, first of all, realize that they almost always have options and,secondly, look for them!  

 

 

 

It is well within this ladies ability to choose her options more wisely and, in the process, she would be helping herself to a better life, not waiting for everyone to accomodate her.  If you wait for other people to solve your problems, imo, you will be in for a long wait.  In the end, she would make  more thoughtful choices and it would be a confidence booster for sure!  Empathy for people with disabilites is fine.  Sympathy, not so much.


 

 

@jubilant  No sympathy for people with disabilities?  I’m shocked you feel that way.


 

 

Here it is, the quote:

 

”Empathy for people with disabilities is fine. Sympathy, not so much.”

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,752
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Why do people make life harder than it already is?

Just sad.  There is nothing that can be said to people who don’t care about others, another poster here said it, they were born that way.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 4,900
Registered: ‎04-04-2015

Re: Why do people make life harder than it already is?

[ Edited ]

@Noel7 wrote:

@Noel7 wrote:

@jubilant wrote:

While I empathize with this woman's problem, I can't help but think of people who, first of all, realize that they almost always have options and,secondly, look for them!  

 

 

 

It is well within this ladies ability to choose her options more wisely and, in the process, she would be helping herself to a better life, not waiting for everyone to accomodate her.  If you wait for other people to solve your problems, imo, you will be in for a long wait.  In the end, she would make  more thoughtful choices and it would be a confidence booster for sure!  Empathy for people with disabilites is fine.  Sympathy, not so much.


 

 

@jubilant  No sympathy for people with disabilities?  I’m shocked you feel that way.


Here it is, the quote:

 

”Empathy for people with disabilities is fine. Sympathy, not so much.”


Here is the entire quote.  She's talking about the behavior not the condition - but surely you knew that.

It is well within this ladies ability to choose her options more wisely and, in the process, she would be helping herself to a better life, not waiting for everyone to accomodate her.If you wait for other people to solve your problems, imo, you will be in for a long wait. In the end, she would make more thoughtful choices and it would be a confidence booster for sure! Empathy for people with disabilites is fine. Sympathy, not so much

 

Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,510
Registered: ‎06-10-2010

Re: Why do people make life harder than it already is?

Wow!  I've been accused of some things in my life but never of being unsympathetic.  I have no need to defend myself.  I believe I know why this happened but prefer to keep it to myself.

 

Thanks to those who understood that I cared how this woman felt. 

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Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,733
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Why do people make life harder than it already is?

Without taking sides here, I am very sad to see two people whom I respect so much unable to communicate honestly and clearly with each other -- in other words, unable to communicate at all.


~Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,522
Registered: ‎11-20-2013

Re: Why do people make life harder than it already is?

First, I have a grandchild with disabilities and he needs accommodations the world just doesn't give all the time. So sometimes his frustration becomes unbearable. We should strive to accommodate any people with trouble negotiating the world as others do without challenges.

 

Second, I made a joke a few days ago without any reference to any individual poster here that was removed almost immediately with no explanation and no violation of any standard either. And yet this back and forth is allowed to continue.  That's why I will never understand these forums nor become too invested in them. They make little to no sense too often.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,829
Registered: ‎03-18-2010

Re: Why do people make life harder than it already is?

I do think there are people who make life harder than it already is but I don't feel like the example used is one I would pick to make that argument. 

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
JFK
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,051
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Why do people make life harder than it already is?

[ Edited ]

@suzyQ3

I have noticed that in the past you seem to take offense at my posts. It is troubling that you do not have an ignore button to just turn my posts off since they bother you so much. However, may I suggest an alternative to assuage your sensibilities, just pay no attention to me. I will not be offended. And, for this I thank you for the gracious gesture in advance.