Dyslexia as a societal issue affected by class and political will
By valiswaverider
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Dyslexia is always addressed as an educational issue, this is obviously the case of many of us fail academically within the school system. However I contend that more broadly it is a societal issue. Society deems illiteracy as socially undesirable and also equates it with low intellectual ability and the government now wants to punish the disenfranchised, many of which are young and just starting out after school by working for dole money in menial jobs with no chance for advancement. This is a policy aimed squarely at those whose rights within the workplace are being removed and may also suffer the social stigma of illiteracy through no fault of their own. Rather they are being punished for their genetic inheritance (as dyslexia runs in families), creating a cycle of deprivation which it is impossible to escape from without the means to do so ( i.e. a more caring society which looks at individuals abilities rather than judging them for what they are not capable of doing), this injustice has to end.
Illiteracy (and so implicitly dyslexia as well) is seen as something to be punished within a Darwinian social order (which the right-wing elite seek to impose). The social order that is a hangover from our feudal past, where wealth was inherited along with titles and power concentrated within the hands of the few. James Joyce is quoted as saying that history is a nightmare from which is trying to awaken. Our history is one where dyslexia compounded by poverty allows for no social improvement. Success stories are often presented in the press as either overcoming the effects of dyslexia through huge effort of will, or being born into a family that is wealthy so that you will you are immune to its most devastating effects.
This is still the case in Britain today and was commented upon in one of Bill Bryson books where he noted that many quite capable people in England were held down by the class system. Britain needs to move towards a future as a meritocracy rewarding ability innovation, social altruism and true entrepreneurial spirit if it is to survive into the future. This highly educated generation of working-class intellectuals( we have the most working-class graduates in history many of whom are dyslexic I know this myself from experience) does not want to be ragged trousered philanthropists for a state which seeks through education and the system of denial to rob them of their birthright whilst imposing an outdated system of values which holds those in power in place.
Dyslexia is classed as a disability rather than what it really is a brain functioning difference. Consider this the scientist James Lovelock created a system theory known as the Gaia principle, describing the Earth is a self-regulatory living interactive system. This theory which was assesses by the scientific establishment and found to stand up to the most rigorous testing was developed by a dyslexic individual. Any self-regulatory system a good scientist will tell you, has resonant feedback loops which are to be ignored at your peril (so a really bad idea to do on the planet we live on).
George Osborne the Chancellor of the Exchequer who to the best of my knowledge is not a scientist has chosen to ignore these scientific findings in order to create short-term gains for big business. He is not a big picture thinker, but then again neither was Adolf Hitler when in seeking to discredit Jewish science, he ignored the findings of Albert Einstein which would have led to Nazi Germany being able to develop the atomic bomb. Luckily President Truman was not so short-sighted and based on a letter received from Albert Einstein developed the Manhattan Project which many people acknowledge as bringing an abrupt end to the conflict (it should also be noted that many of the scientists involved including Albert Einstein wanted the bomb to be demonstrated to the Japanese rather than dropped on them to end the conflict, far more humanitarian gesture).
Albert Einstein was also a dyslexic. As is Carol Greider a 2009 Nobel winning scientist awarded for her work with telomerase, a codone which determines nucleotide sequencing and ageing in cells
Carol herself states that had the University applied the normal grading system for entry she would never have started her academic career and eventually won the Nobel Prize. How many more individuals like her or James Lovelock or Albert Einstein are being let down by an outdated educational system which does not take into account learning differences and unique abilities some of which far supersede the neuro typical(normal) intellectual abilities of the average population.
Just because you can spell well does not make you intellectually superior, it is true that the well-developed vocabulary is a sign of intellectual development it is however only one sign. Too much emphasis is put on the lingual and logical regurgitated forms of education and too little emphasis is given to creative thinking, lateral thinking spatial abilities and kinaesthetic awareness all of which helped human beings progress throughout evolution . Education expert Sir Ken Robinson also states this to be the case, too much emphasis put on academia and too little into the development of an all-round individual in the modern schooling system. One that is judged on targets rather than in developing individuals who are capable of independent thought, creating instead regurgitating parrots you can jump through the appropriate hoops but never have an original thought their entire lives. Much like the character of Babbitt in the American novel they become automatons whose sole ambition in life is to consume and conform.
The way forward to take a leaf out of the civil rights movement, great thoughts create ripples and influence others across the ages. Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount influenced Mahatma Gandhi in his non-violent struggle with the British Empire this in turn influenced Martin Luther King in the American civil rights movement of the 1960s. The right not to be discriminated against on the grounds of race, class, sexual orientation or disability is one which must be fought for. A Friend told me recently how he attended a meeting on dyslexia in the workplace only to find two women from HR in his company had attended merely to dispute the fact that he was dyslexic. I was disgusted quite frankly by these women's actions and as a dyslexic I wondered if they would treat someone with another disability in a similar manner. Ours is a hidden disability which is in fact not a disability at all in the modern world, have you guessed yet that this was dictated with the aid of headphones rather than typed does that matter at as long as you understand the meaning of my words.
So what can be learned for the civil rights movement and trade union movements of the past which sought rights which were not yet attained? Firstly one is more powerful and easily heard within a group rather than as an individual where it is easy for those in charge of work or in other positions of authority to dispute your rights. We need to organise on a mass scale cross culturally across the globe in order to instigate change, the Internet is the perfect tool for doing this. Groups that meet in one location can share information through its global network with other groups, we must also become advocates for ourselves rather than only having non-dyslexic academics describe our condition this way we can show people who we really are and defy assumptions. This model has already been proven to work by universities and scientific institutions that communicate with one another globally.
Secondly we must organise events and raise awareness of dyslexic ability of the fact that as Dr Thomas West says we have not just equal but highly able brains capable of great feats which will benefit humanity for centuries to come if we are acknowledged as having a learning difference and unique solutions to underlying problems that face society (we picture think and so can solve problems the neuro typicals can not ,which makes us very useful in fast moving evolving fields of thought)
thirdly we must join with like-minded individuals seeking a change to the schooling and educational system so that all the neuro diverse that is to say autistic and Asperger's individuals are given their chance to shine and thus also add value to society. Richard Feynman the Nobel award-winning physicist was said to be high functioning autistic here in turn is a lecturer inspired generations of physicists to enter the field and push back the boundaries of human knowledge.
Links
Sir Ken Robinson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY
Dr Thomas West
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Comments
My younger daughter has
My younger daughter has dyslexia. It was not assessed as such within the school system until 6th form college. She now plans to do English Studies at University.
A lot of women my age who have dyslexia spend their working lives as cleaners. Which would be a better job if it was better paid. Elsie
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A very interesting peice. One
A very interesting peice. One small suggestion: for clarity I think it would have been helpful to give some kind of idea as to the very diverse impacts of dyslexia. As you must know, it's not just about not being able to read, and yet that seems to be how most people still think of it. There are so many myths about dyslexia - it would have been good to have seen you smash a few more in this. Thanks for posting it!
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My mother had dyslexia, I
My mother had dyslexia, I probably had it, though no one diagnosed in those days. Then came my daughter, now 27 and she got a statement (for what it was worth) and we had a label. My wife lectures on dyslexia. Perhaps the narrow-minded, target driven Secretarys of State should read and heed your article...
Well said my friend
forest_for_ever
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