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Vision
I'm a pretty lucky guy in a big-picture sort of way. No handicaps, except my personality. I am particularly thankful for perfect vision and hearing. In order to more fully appreciate my gifts, I want to go without one for a while, a week to be exact.
Now, you can't really 'go deaf', temporarily, on demand. However, I can 'go blind'. I want to close my eyes, apply gauze, then tape everything down. For a week. But, I don't know if this a safe (from a health standpoint) thing to do. What are the (health) risks of doing such a thing? Besides being called a dumbass. I know I'll fall over stuff, but, could I potentially harm my beloved eyesight through such an endeavor? And would anyone want to hear about it if I go through with it? |
i'd like to... but I think your posts might be a little jumbled if you can't see the keys.
klsdhg' woj rojg'o woks S=H ROLI QWRK |
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Moisture + warmth + darkness = a breeding ground for infections. At a minimum I'd make sure to take the dressing off and clean your eyes thoroughly each day.
That said, I think the idea is kind of retarded, myself. It's the kind of thing college film students do just so they can make a documentary of themselves doing it. I can only assume that you have no job, or you have one that you can take a week off from, because I don't imagine your boss would appreciate the philosophical value of the experiment. So what will you do during this week? Either you will greatly minimize your daily activities like a real blind person would, in which case the experience won't be that philosophically enlightening, just boring, or you will attempt to go about your normal daily routine, and probably get hit by a car. |
I would highly recommend against this. I sometimes have to have my eyes patched due to my cornea problems. The cornea specialist is very careful to put antibiotics in before and have be put drops in after. You can also abrade your cornea if your eyelids are closed too long.
Plus all the stuff that clod said. |
Ya know, I expected pretty much every kind of response when I made this post. But, retarded? So much for new experiences with some folks I guess. I suppose I'm in a minority for appreciating what I've got, and trying to experience something that makes me appreciated these things even more.:sniff:
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I assumed he was a grave digger.....
is that the kind of a job you can do with your eyes closed? |
For Clod in particular
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"...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. 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. Overall this thread gets a solid:sniff: |
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Gravdigr...before you do this, spend a week organizing everything you need to use or touch, so that you will know where everything is. Unless your aim is to know whats its like to suddenly go blind, which if so, you will have a really fucked up week.
I'd suggest getting the those glasses for after cataract surgery and paint them black. |
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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. |
You might start seeing things (upper left corner):
http://kelsocartography.com/blog/wp-...75167_0544.jpg I've never tried any of these, but your idea reminded me of this. |
I'm gonna try everyone of those!
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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.:headshake 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. |
Good post, clod.
I interviewed a blind man in town for an access cable show, some years ago. It was interesting to hear of his challenges. He's well known around town. I learned, among other things, to leave assistance dogs alone, no matter how cute they may be. Though I'm sure I wasn't dumb enough before that to be all like "nice doggy, here buddy" I didn't realize how important it is that the dog is working, and it's not the time to play. |
@ gravdigr
Having worked with blind people I applaud your wanting to understand. I've wondered how it would be too. Just the other day in fact I was in the shower and having soap in my eyes was trying to adjust the water temperature and wondered how blind people feel showering in the dark. .....but I have had other more extreme experiments in blindness. At the beginning of the school year the staff went through empathy training classes. We were blindfolded and ''LED'' (sighted guide) to a starting point then told where the dish cart was ect. We were served a meal without being told what it was or given any information about fork and knife placement or have that placement be wrong. This is not a pleasant experience. If I may I would suggest just starting from your home and NOT go outside without a guide. Blind people do and the techniques you can find here. http://brailleinstitute.org/docs/Sig...Techniques.pdf Since blind people do not explore unknown areas on their own. I suggest doing like pico said. Get to know one room and map out everythings placement by the number of steps. Once you are ready enter the room and place your back against the wall inside the door. Count the steps to a particular destination with your arms outstretched. Then have your wife serve you dinner blindfolded., Make your bed, do the dishes ect. Of course you have your own ideas I'm sure. Sounds like a fun challenge! good luck! :) |
Skysidhe, thanks for your input, and for not slapping me in the face like most everyone else here. Almost everyone seems to think I'm too stupid to walk upright without dragging my knuckles on the ground. With my eyes open.
As far as orientation goes, I've tried and can do just about everything inside my own home without the benefit of vision. I can find just about everything without stumbling, bumbling, or fumbling. Wash dishes, check. Change bedlinens, check. I'll probably let this subject die, on the Cellar, anyway. I will go through with my experiment (at some point), but I probably won't discuss it any further. Seems most dwellars that responded, were only interested in bringing me down and telling me how dumb I am for it. I'm depressed enough, don't respond well to malicious criticism for criticism's sake. Plus, I just don't need it. |
If you can do all that with your eyes closed then you are a bigger man than me. lol ( I'm not a man )
I think your willingness to learn and experience something new shows an active and healthy mind. Experimenting and learning even when times are tough is an admirable trait. I just dig holes for flowers. WAY less admirable :) |
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I'm wondering why you chose a week? (Yeah, I'm weird) A day or two should give you the experience of basic functioning/maneuvering around the house and the immediate neighborhood. Of course it would take a year to experience the problems of weather, seasons, holidays, and that sort of thing. Hopefully your wife is cool with this... and not planning to bump you off. "Gosh officer, he was doing this blind experience thing, and stepped in front of my car.. four times." ;) |
Grav, I wouldn't mess with my eyes, if I were you. Just appreciate that you have vision, and have fun for a week.
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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! |
I'm gonna shoot myself in the face, just to see what it would feel like to be a gunshot victim.
:lol2: edit: I'm just jokin' grav. I don't think I said anything bad about you in my post, but as you know, I'm evil and cold. |
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. :headshake
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Even though my vision is still not good since my lasik surgery, that, thankfully, is in the past. |
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If you don't need it (opinions) don't ask for it. Ask for what you do need and people here usually some thru for ya. |
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.
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What he really should do is grow a thicker skin, cuz this place can be brutal. He should just take Clod's comments with a grain of salt, instead of taking them to heart. I think all he is after is what it would feel like for him to be sightless and whether he could manage it. I dont think he wants to do it so that he has more insight into the plight of the blind...thats a whole different issue. No big deal.
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I'd be happiest if I couldn't hear.
There is nothing I need to hear that badly, and most noise bothers me, so... |
Not being able to hear is extremely isolating. I saw it with my grandfather. It made him so grumpy when he'd see everyone around him laughing, and have no idea what the joke was. Then you would explain it to him, but the context would be lost. He would stop asking people to repeat themselves because it's just too much trouble and people seem put out.
Of my five senses, I'd rather lose my sense of taste first, followed by smell, and then it gets hard because touch, sight, and hearing are all critical. |
Well, with hearing you can learn to read lips.
I see your point, though. I guess i would hate missing my family's humor, because we mostly laugh our heads off when we're together. Admittedly, I hadn't thought about taste. That should be first to go. Then I won't want cheezburgers and Klondike bars. |
What would you do for a Klondike bar? ;)
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i would cluck like a chicken
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If you really want to get the full effect from this exercise, GD, you need to have someone hypnotize you to think your blindness is (or at least could be) permanent.
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Speaking as someone who has very nearly done this, involuntarily, it will be an (pardon me) eye-opening experience.
I lost my sight to bandages for ten days after both my retinas were detached for me one day and it took surgery to put them back (and sentence me to glasses forever). During the healing period, I was unable to see at all. I experienced hallucinations, although nothing earth-shaking or scary. I was actually amused by it. But I'm easily amused. The one thing you haven't considered, and no one has mentioned, is the aftermath of your experiment. Do be careful about initial light levels after you return your vision! You will be VERY sensitive for a while. Be sure that you reopen your eyes in a darkened room. Even the slightest light source will cause you stabbing pain at first. Just a word to the wise. |
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