My Perception, Your Identity

Identity and perception are not synonymous. Most people tend to be their harshest critics. They label themselves as too skinny or too fat; too dumb or too nerdy. Most of these self-criticisms are inaccurate and can lead to psychological and emotional consequences. In Mair's piece "Disability", she highlights that the way people perceive disabled people is demeaning. She, a person afflicted with Multiple Sclerosis, states that the way others perceive her is in a very condescending manner. She knows she walks differently, but otherwise she feels like a typical American. The discrepancy in the perception of disabled people by society and their self-perception underscores a societal problem. She asserts that many people today are afflicted with disabilities, or they soon will be. These people, who she calls “Temporarily Abled Persons”, will soon join the “majority”. She presents this as a stage in life- something inevitable. Because of this, she argues that we as a society should be more accepting of disabled people. This way the disabled person does not feel isolated. Furthermore, when the abled people evenutally becomes disabled, they too will feel accepted in society. We, as a society, must learn to perceive others the way they identify themselves.