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PaperclipPerfector  7mo ago (text post)   1997 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for September 22, 2024

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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Why do people find mental retardation repulsive? It's been my experience that generally, conditions like Down's Syndrome, autism, etc produce an instinctive "ick" reaction in other people. To the credit of most people, they do their best to cover it up and treat the afflicted individuals kindly - but it doesn't come naturally to them to do so.

Given that this seems (in my experience) to be fairly widespread, it seems to be a reaction that is pretty ingrained in human nature. So what might be the cause of this tendency?

First, I agree that people generally act with too much revulsion. I've spent more time with the mentally disabled than some and it's not that bad.

People have touched on general aversion to illness and the physical components of things like Down's Syndrome.

I'll add a few more things:

  • People who are retarded generally have very poor work ethics, which influences hygiene. Without sufficient pressure from caretakers and knowledge, the default will be dirty clothes and a dirty living space.
  • Lack of rationality can lead to some negative moral outputs. Retarded people have their own hierarchy where they victimize the dumbest or meekest among themselves. They can be as selfish and mean-spirited as children, which is distasteful to see in an adult.
  • Many people rightfully dread carrying along a conversation with someone who has a mental disability. It's a constant push and pull of trying to figure out what they're saying, deciding to agree or disagree with them, and constantly calibrating a totally alien quantity of IQ and EQ. It's exhausting until you know somebody really well, and even then it's still not easy.

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