Aliens disability

[Cardassian3279]

Hi guys,

I'm profoundly deaf all my life. I like to know what alien species who sign language or disability.

I wonder what gonna happen to Alien species who is deaf or disability or sign language different than human in 24th century?

Any comment.

Thank you,
Martyn

 

[JB2005]

Well in "Loud as a Whisper" sign language was still a recognised method of communication with the deaf. The deaf gentleman in that episode also had a telepathic "chorus" who spoke and heard for him...

 

[captcalhoun]

i think that they've eliminated deafness from humans - and probably most species - by the 24th century, with genetic therapies.

 

[Jonas Grumby]

There have been quite a few "disabled" characters in Trek through the years, but you'll very rarely see a character actually struggling with their disability. From Miranda Jones' sensor web garments in TOS' "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" to TNG's Geordi LaForge's VISOR, there is just about always some futuristic doohickey to give them normal (and, in many cases, much better than normal) abilities.

And even in cases where the disability is, in fact, disabling - such as Christopher Pike in TOS' "The Menagerie" or Tam Elbrun in TNG's "Tin Man" - there is usually a solution at the end of the episode which makes everything all better.

 

[jayrath]

Hi guys,

I'm profoundly deaf all my life. I like to know what alien species who sign language or disability.

I wonder what gonna happen to Alien species who is deaf or disability or sign language different than human in 24th century?

Any comment.

Thank you,
Martyn

You're very welcome here, Martyn. Thank you for sharing this. I'm sure we would all like to know more about the challenges you have faced.

One of the things I like best about "Star Trek" in all of its forms is the extraordinary efforts our heroes make to communicate well. In TNG, we see this in "Darmok" and "The Big Goodbye." In STIV, Spock even mindmelds with a whale to better communicate! Surely the same consideration is shown to all intelligent species.

I'm bothered that you say you have a disability. I think I may very safely speak on behalf of the late Gene Roddenberry and say that, in the era of "Star Trek," there is no "disability" whatsoever; that is, no one would view deafness as such. Instead, there is celebration of all the ways in which we are different. Your unique gifts and abilities would be recognized, Martyn.

Remember that Geordi performed superbly, though he would be judged blind today. In fact, he was often portrayed as far more sensitive, and therefore more "far-seeing," than many of his shipmates.

 

[sojourner]

I'm bothered that you say you have a disability. I think I may very safely speak on behalf of the late Gene Roddenberry and say that, in the era of "Star Trek," there is no "disability" whatsoever; that is, no one would view deafness as such. Instead, there is celebration of all the ways in which we are different. Your unique gifts and abilities would be recognized, Martyn.
.

You know, it's not a crime to recognize that someone has a disability. The problem is that you seem to equate the use of the word "disabled" with "useless". It's not. PC run amuck.

 

[Tora Ziyal]

I'm bothered that you say you have a disability. I think I may very safely speak on behalf of the late Gene Roddenberry and say that, in the era of "Star Trek," there is no "disability" whatsoever; that is, no one would view deafness as such. Instead, there is celebration of all the ways in which we are different. Your unique gifts and abilities would be recognized, Martyn.
.

You know, it's not a crime to recognize that someone has a disability. The problem is that you seem to equate the use of the word "disabled" with "useless". It's not. PC run amuck.

Well said, Sojourner. I usually flinch when I see phrases like "PC run amuck", but in this case I'm with you 100 percent. And, btw, I have a disability.

 

[RandyS]

I'm bothered that you say you have a disability. I think I may very safely speak on behalf of the late Gene Roddenberry and say that, in the era of "Star Trek," there is no "disability" whatsoever; that is, no one would view deafness as such. Instead, there is celebration of all the ways in which we are different. Your unique gifts and abilities would be recognized, Martyn.
.

You know, it's not a crime to recognize that someone has a disability. The problem is that you seem to equate the use of the word "disabled" with "useless". It's not. PC run amuck.

Agreed, and this is coming from a man who had survived Cerebral palsy his whole life.

That said, I was dissapointed when I heard that Melora Pazlar was originally planned as a regular character for DS9 but they decided it would cost too much to show her "flying" in zero gravity all the time. While the reasons for it are different, her situation and mine are the same. I too only need a wheelchair part time because of the CP which causes me to tire easily.

When I first heard of that character, I thought "Finally! somebody like me in Star Trek!" but sadly, it only happened once.

Of course, her depiction of being annoyed with people who try to help her was annoying. AND stereotypical. I don't get annoyed when people try to help me (like hold doors open and stuff), after all, they're just trying to be nice. Do I need their help? No. At least, not all the time, but I always accept it graciously (and gratefully), because, as I said, they're only trying to be helpful

 

[sojourner]

Yep, I was injured about 4 years ago and use a cane and wear a brace on one leg. I have no problem with people being helpful. I do get annoyed by people that "dote" on me though. It's freakin' leg injury, not brain damage.

 

[jayrath]

You know, it's not a crime to recognize that someone has a disability. The problem is that you seem to equate the use of the word "disabled" with "useless". It's not. PC run amuck.

I "seem to"?

I never said any such thing. I was trying to offer a supportive response to a fellow board member. In fact, I said quite the opposite. Don't try to read my mind. I've worked with paraplegics who are mentally retarded (the new PC term is "developmentally delayed). Have you?

I do not judge. Please do not judge me.

 

[sojourner]

I was trying to offer a supportive response to a fellow board member. In fact, I said quite the opposite.

'nuff said.

 

[jayrath]

I meant that I said quite the opposite of what you accuse me of Sojourner.

 

[sojourner]

^Yet by making a speech about how everyone is a special little star, unique in the universe, you are singling him out. Why not just treat him like the normal person he is? He didn't need you to reaffirm him about his disability. You would have been better off to just answer the question and not bring attention.

 

[You_Will_Fail]

I'm bothered that you say you have a disability. I think I may very safely speak on behalf of the late Gene Roddenberry and say that, in the era of "Star Trek," there is no "disability" whatsoever; that is, no one would view deafness as such. Instead, there is celebration of all the ways in which we are different. Your unique gifts and abilities would be recognized, Martyn.

And I'm EXTREMELY bothered by your response to the OP saying he has a disability. Do you realize how disgustingly condescending you are being? The OP knows he has a disability, try to refrain from spouting over sentimental garbage in an unasked for attempt to make him "feel better" when he has shown no evidence that he is in anyway feeling down about being deaf.

 

[jayrath]

^Yet by making a speech about how everyone is a special little star, unique in the universe, you are singling him out. Why not just treat him like the normal person he is? He didn't need you to reaffirm him about his disability. You would have been better off to just answer the question and not bring attention.

Martyn is absolutely unique in the universe. So are you. So am I.

"Not bring attention"? To what? To Martyn's deafness? That is something to hide or be ashamed of?

Perhaps you should let Martyn speak for his or her self, and about his or her needs in posting here. I don't appreciate your quoting me out of context or trying to read my mind, and I similarly doubt that Martyn will appreciate your efforts.

This is a silly spat between people who agree on 99.9 percent of everything. Let's end it now. Friends?

 

[You_Will_Fail]

We did let him speak for himself. He said he was disabled which was accurate, and you told him that not being able to hear was not a disability which is dreamland, fantasy nonsense. Not being able to hear is a disability and special provisions need to be made for such a case as this. I'm sure he's accepted this fact a long time ago.

 

[jayrath]

I most sincerely apologize if I have erred, and I thank everyone for pointing out my lack of understanding.

I stand by what I wrote: in the future represented by "Star Trek," differences will be overlooked and even celebrated. You're all talking about now.

Can we end this stupid flame war?

 

[You_Will_Fail]

Yeah exactly, we're not living in Star Trek. Glad we could pull you back into reality :-)

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

I would imagine that not all species will have the same capabilities as humans, just as we will lack the ability to do things that others can. In fact, it often seems on Star Trek that humans are one of the more "unimpressive" species in terms of our abilities, and that we are perhaps regarded as disabled by those other species.

We do know of some species that lack senses or abilities that most humans have. The Aenar, for instance, were blind.

And perhaps of interest to the original poster--while Cardassians have enough hearing that they communicate like most humanoids, they are known to be at least a bit hard-of-hearing by human standards. From the perspective of a human--or especially a Ferengi or Vulcan--I imagine that Cardassians would be considered to have at least some degree of disability.

 

[Timo]

Senses are easily compensated for through technology. One wonders how disabled we are in terms of our intelligence? We have the smallest crania in Trek, after all (no "expansion" bumps anywhere!). Yeah, I know, brain size is only loosely related to intelligence. But brain structure could and should vary between the Trek species of humanoids; it would be a bit exotic if all these dissimilar organs would provide the same average level of intelligence. Even when admittedly they all are connected to basically the same type of body, and operate in roughly the same type of environment.

How hard could it be to write Trek stories that reflect varying levels of average intelligence? Individual variation is common enough here on Earth; just extrapolate from that.

Timo Saloniemi