Random Thoughts XIII - Radioenergopithecocracy

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Giving people the power of sight is not meaningless. <shrug> Just helping sort donated lenses is necessary.
 
Giving people the power of sight is not meaningless. <shrug> Just helping sort donated lenses is necessary.
Well, they don't see that side of the argument.
 
*sigh*

Has anyone in this discussion besides me ever been in the position of going blind and being damn grateful to be able to access this surgery?

Anyone recall the frustration I was expressing 4 years ago about having difficulty reading anything at all, particularly on light-colored backgrounds, and the world being a blur of colors and shapes? I couldn't read printed material at all, and navigated around this building I've lived in since 2013 by the color of the walls and floor. It's a good thing I already knew the manager's name, since I couldn't read his name tag when I was standing right in front of him. He had to read me my mail, as I couldn't manage it myself.

Because I'm on a disability benefit, I didn't need to worry about paying for the operations. I did need to worry about how to get to the hospital where it would be done, since it was in a town south of here, and there's no bus service between cities and towns anymore.

Time was also a consideration. I was diagnosed with cataracts on a Wednesday. Just over 24 hours later I was diagnosed with diabetes and in the hospital, where it was a frustrating 2 weeks to try to get through to people dealing with both my issues that the other one mattered just as much and one couldn't be ignored in favor of the other.

The diabetes actually did me a favor, by being the reason why I got moved up the waiting list for the eye surgery. I'd been told 6 months at the earliest, and I told them that I'd be blind by then, and unable to take care of my diabetic needs (you need to be able to read to do the glucose testing, insulin injections, and label-reading). I got the first surgery a month later, and the second one a couple of months after that.

My vision isn't perfect by any means. I still have trouble with light-colored backgrounds, which is why I'm so appreciative of the time @The_J took to make the black theme for the forum. I'd have had to cut back or even stop posting otherwise, because it would have been a literal headache. Some printed material is still hard to read without reading glasses, and some is microscopic and impossible.

And that's all with me having access to eye care. Anyone who doesn't because the government deems being able to see to be a luxury, rather than a basic necessity... who cares who helps them or why, when it makes all the difference in the world?

At least this YT guy isn't a televangelist, putting on performances with fake cures for people who were never in need of them in the first place.
 
You guys will view me on a stand-up comedy show in the future.
Eye can't stop making these dumb puns.
 
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*sigh*

Has anyone in this discussion besides me ever been in the position of going blind and being damn grateful to be able to access this surgery?

Anyone recall the frustration I was expressing 4 years ago about having difficulty reading anything at all, particularly on light-colored backgrounds, and the world being a blur of colors and shapes? I couldn't read printed material at all, and navigated around this building I've lived in since 2013 by the color of the walls and floor. It's a good thing I already knew the manager's name, since I couldn't read his name tag when I was standing right in front of him. He had to read me my mail, as I couldn't manage it myself.

Because I'm on a disability benefit, I didn't need to worry about paying for the operations. I did need to worry about how to get to the hospital where it would be done, since it was in a town south of here, and there's no bus service between cities and towns anymore.

Time was also a consideration. I was diagnosed with cataracts on a Wednesday. Just over 24 hours later I was diagnosed with diabetes and in the hospital, where it was a frustrating 2 weeks to try to get through to people dealing with both my issues that the other one mattered just as much and one couldn't be ignored in favor of the other.

The diabetes actually did me a favor, by being the reason why I got moved up the waiting list for the eye surgery. I'd been told 6 months at the earliest, and I told them that I'd be blind by then, and unable to take care of my diabetic needs (you need to be able to read to do the glucose testing, insulin injections, and label-reading). I got the first surgery a month later, and the second one a couple of months after that.

My vision isn't perfect by any means. I still have trouble with light-colored backgrounds, which is why I'm so appreciative of the time @The_J took to make the black theme for the forum. I'd have had to cut back or even stop posting otherwise, because it would have been a literal headache. Some printed material is still hard to read without reading glasses, and some is microscopic and impossible.

And that's all with me having access to eye care. Anyone who doesn't because the government deems being able to see to be a luxury, rather than a basic necessity... who cares who helps them or why, when it makes all the difference in the world?

At least this YT guy isn't a televangelist, putting on performances with fake cures for people who were never in need of them in the first place.
I am sorry for you. I wish that you get better.
 
Anyone who doesn't because the government deems being able to see to be a luxury, rather than a basic necessity... who cares who helps them or why, when it makes all the difference in the world?
The people who aren't so lucky to have a millionaire pick them as a philanthropic project, probably.

Two things can be true at once: it is good that they received necessary care, and it is heinous that they were in a position of needing happenstance charity in order to access it.
 
While it is (obviously) good that those people got the surgery, I am not sure about Mr. Beast (haven't watched him enough to form any view about him). I do remember seeing some older videos of his where he donated (iirc) $10.000 to tens of streamers on Twitch who had zero followers.
He might be (like I said, I have no opinion) genuinely good, then again it could be a massive and blatant marketing ploy (along with functioning as a tax reduction scheme?).
At any rate, it is a bit saddening to need random philanthropy when the state could tax such wealth more and distribute the money to those who need it=> this way you don't have heroes but a fairer system.
 
A fairer system is definitely not going to happen if people don't prove it can be done enough to change how people think about it. Our governments are a reflection of ourselves. Tearing down the act of charity, or the system, instead of saying look what this random YouTuber does, look at what random fat not rich guys in yellow vests do every year... if they can train sight dogs, if they can sponsor sight... then maybe we all together can be knights of the blind. Much less in a way that we've never done before. Progress doesn't just happen. Progress is hard.

But that'd be meaningless, right? Changing who we actually are? Sounds like effort, too. Yuck.
 
You're differentiating will, and effort, and then saying restructuring wealth and labor away from making rich people toys and investments, by necessity reallocating labor from the non wealthy to provide sight services in a novel scale... this doesn't take the effort part?

I'll quote another scripture: from each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

Doesn't seem that easy. Not by a country mile?
 
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So in your view you'd need to set up a special way to distribute wealth to the poor, and not be able to use the added income from more taxation to the very rich through... welfare?
There is literally nothing easier, organizationally, than paying each citizen (who is below some level of income) x amount each month. And even if you are worried they won't spend it in what they need, cards could be issued for special (eg medicinal) use, with the amount going only there.
 
<looks around> Sure!
<looks around again> Where my munny at?
<plays Elden Ring>
 
I'm not the one arguing against the state doing this. I am saying if everyone is too good to do it themselves, thinking that somehow the state is gong to fix it for you... lol. No. It ain't gonna happen. Even if by some miracle it does, it will happen more slowly and suffering will have passed in the meantime. Those moments are really all anyone is made of.

Bear in mind, this triggered off complimenting one video among thousands, while expressing irritation at the rest. Then, I think the triggering mainly gets maintained by pointing out that people can indeed give people sight by helping sort glasses trash, it is that easy... to which the comeback is again... bu bu bu, that won't cure everyone, why do you not want to cure everyone? Curing a few people is useless... I quit!
 
It's not as if you need to quit or participate, you don't dictate anything - the state, on the other hand, does and could help. Removing some money from those with more than needed for 100 people, seems pretty good an idea if it is used to keep others simply... able to have eyesight.
 
Aint nobody here arguing against that. It's getting boring.

But sorry, yes you do dictate some stuff. You are stronger than you think.
 
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