Creating opportunities Quote by Ben Mattlin
““Barbara brings her chair close to mine. She says that, to the outside world, suicide could seem a rational choice for someone like her or me. After all, our shared diagnosis is terminal in many cases. “Anybody else contemplating suicide would receive intervention, because they’re assumed to be depressed and treatable. But you and me . . . ? Society is too quick to allow cripples to off themselves,” she says. In fact, society sometimes seems to encourage disabled people to get out of the way, stop being a burden or stop using up scarce resources, she goes on. It can push disabled people to the margins, where they naturally become depressed. And instead of identifying their depression as treatable—instead of creating opportunities that make their lives worth living—society (she calls it “the majority culture”) wants to push for the right to die before it’s established the right to live. “You know about Jack Kevorkian, right?” she asks.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Podcast discussion on disability rights, 2023
Society often pressures disabled individuals toward death by marginalizing them, rather than providing support and meaning.
In simple terms: Society pushes disabled people toward suicide.
Key Takeaway
Advocate for inclusive support and dignity.
Themes
disability rights
mental health
ethics
societal pressure
Mood
reflective
concerned
Type
advocacy
ethical
When to use this quote
- healthcare policy
- advocacy work
- personal counseling
- community building
Key Concepts
marginalization
right to life
burden narrative
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we reshape cultural narratives to value disabled lives?
- What policies can protect the right to live?
A Different Perspective
Society may lack resources to fully support all needs.
