Country of the Blind

 

On Wednesday was listening to the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company's adaptation of The Country of the Blind part 1, by H. G. Wells (part 2 of 2 here). I suppose I'd call it a horror story, because it serves to illustrate

1) that in a society constructed around what we regard as disability, an abled person will not necessarily find emself in a position of automatic superiority because the others are not structurally disadvantaged relative to em, and might even be in a position of advantage, and,

2) the alienation and horror of being of being thrust unwilling into a society which regards your natural state as deviance or disability, scoffs at your attempts to explain yourself, and even attempts to forcibly 'correct' you to fit its norms.

Perhaps it goes without saying that this story also draws on the fear of becoming disabled, which seems almost inescapable in such marginalisation flipping narratives.

Finding it difficult listening because of all this. Will be happy to have part 2 behind me.