At Defender, you made a lot of good points. And I completely agree that it's unfair that, generally speaking, blind people have to fight harder, achieve more, and go further before we're accepted at the level that most sighted people are. Thing is, they don't even need to try in most cases, or, at the very least, they have choices about how hard they want to try, what kind of impact they would like to make in society, and so on. It's not their fault, but I don't have a whole lot of patience for those who dismiss you, and then expect you to do the work just to prove yourself worthy in their eyes. In some circles, that's what would be referred to as unnecessary emotional labor, and a hell of a lot of it too. That said, we really don't have much of a choice in the matter, unless you happen to be blessed enough to encounter a majority of accepting people. In some countries, and, yes, even in certain parts of western societies, too, that isn't always the case.
Does that mean we should give up, or carry an entitlement complex the size of Jupiter? Of course not. The thing that gets me down isn't so much that blind people can't do this or that, but the fact that it's extremely difficult to be average as a blind person, not the same way that sighted folks can. Wherever you go, you stand out. You often have to overcompensate, or have skillsets that aren't even your chosen field, just to be taken seriously. And you know what? That sucks, and I'm not ashamed to say it.
This doesn't affect some people. In fact, they thrive on the challenge of being the best, or at least showing the world that they defy the odds, or the stereotypes or what have you. Some of us don't like the limelight, though, and I wish there was more of a place for people like me. I'm not saying that I won't educate someone on the use of screen readers, or other things that they honestly would have no reason to have thought about before, even when that involves accomodations for a job. The thing is, I sense things about people from the instant they open their mouths. Bullying, rejection, a string of bad relationships, family conflicts, etc. have taught me the signs to look for. It's pretty discouraging to pick up on the fact that someone doesn't believe in you the instant they lay eyes on you, and their judgments and preconceived notions are working overtime. others would embrace the battle, the race to the top. I would rather quietly accept that not all fights need to be fought. I'm sure that means I'm going to miss oppurtunities, but that doesn't really bother me. I'd love to be working right now, to contribute to society in the traditional ways that most people think of as being acceptable, but when faced with the prospect of being something I'm not just to get a job, any job, it's just not worth it to me. I don't like the idea of grovelling, or worse, changing myself into a completely different person just to fit the typical 9 to 5 model, knowing all the while that all my efforts very well may be in vain.
The glass is neither half empty nor half full. It's just holding half the amount it can potentially hold.