A few years ago I worked outside of Bakersfield in a lil town called Shafter making laminated asphalt roofing shingles. ( I hated the job) Quality control was a large component of the process, as with almost all manufacturing endeavors. It always amazed me just how many things had to go right for the end result to pass inspection. Thousands, if not millions, of things all had to work properly and in synchronization. Electronic signals, delivery systems, materials, welds, bolts, connections computer programs, humans, gravity and countless other things all had to come together, and in perfect unison. 90% of the time it all worked, which given the odds was incredible, especially given the human element.
Now that I'm studying child/human development, I'm even more astounded by how many "systems" need to go right for a human to develop.
Saying that it "boggles the mind" is a vast understatement.
Back in Shafter, we tossed out product that was deemed "inferior".
In child development, genetic differences sometimes cause what some might refer to as, "inferior" humans.
I work with a kid every once and a while who has down syndrome. Because he has an extra chromosome some might say he's defective.
Tony (name changed to protect his innocence) cares not about taxes, politics, religion, going to the prom, what styles are "in", the Kardashians, global economics, Isis, Jesse Ventura, or straight paint lines on a shingle. All he wants is a hug and a high five.
How the make the beast with two backs is that considered defective?
I think he's the one who's cracked the genetic code and figured life out.
Off to go clean the litter box of those cats I master.
I know a kid kinda like that too.
Happiest guy in the world.
Always have called them the Happy People, and not in jest. :)
Makes you wonder about the notion of normality.....
Ignorance is bliss...
I wonder if it goes way beyond not knowing or ignorance. Maybe that extra chromosome in the 21st pair of is the "happy" trigger. Maybe Tony is aware of all those things we consider "crap" but is genetically conditioned to ignore it.
ok...another way different topic (based on a conversation I've had)
I think (be it correct or incorrect) that we as humans assume to know what animals are thinking/doing, and in doing such project human emotions/qualities into them.
the cat cuddles with me, so I assume the cat loves me.
the dog wags his tail and moves about excitedly when I come home, therefore he missed me.
I think the reality is... we as humans have no concept of what the animal is trying to convey simply because there are no formal communication ties. it's all theory and feeling based inferences.
we also assume that the animals intentions are naturally good.
I think that if you are going to assume these things and give credit to the cat because it cuddles with you, you must also assume the dog is attempting rape if it tries to hump your leg, or that the killer whale is an asshole when it tosses the baby seal around. I've seen footage of monkeys and elephants pick out rotted fruit just to get drunk on it's fermented contents. My uncle Chuck was a doucehbag when he drank, who's to say chim chim is any different.
Quote from: Grampa on February 11, 2015, 11:26:30 AM
All he wants is a hug and a high five.
I think that for a lot of people, that would make their day. They just need to be reminded. And have someone who cares enough to provide that.
Twice in my life I have been pretty banged up and had passerby's, keep passing by and a mentally disabled person stopped to help.
I will forever try to help and support them.
Grew up with a kid with Downs.
He played football with us, rode bikes with us, explored the creek and woods with us. Always with a smile on his face.
Some of the kids I grew up with picked on him.
I always defended him when they did. Hard to understand why they picked on the happiest, easiest going one in the group but they did.
Skip ahead to today and he owns and runs a business that places men and women with these "handicaps" into jobs with fair pay and equal treatment.
I see him now and then but probably the most moving conversation I have ever had with another human being happened shortly after I started doing IT work.
The company I worked for at the time placed several of his charges within their firm.
He was there introducing a new recruit to the operations manager and spotted me.
He came over and we reminisced a bit about growing up and what each other had done in our lives.
As we were saying our farewells, he suddenly hugs me and says "Thank you". I noticed that he was teared up and I felt kind of awkward but asked him "For what?"
He replied with, "Thank you for simply treating me like a human being. For not following along with the other we grew up with and actually understanding that I too have thoughts and emotions."
He wandered off then leaving me pretty much speechless.
:)
ðŸ'ðŸ'
Well said, Gramps. [thumbsup]
+11ytbn
Quote from: ZILBERT on February 13, 2015, 11:23:08 AM
Grew up with a kid with Downs.
He played football with us, rode bikes with us, explored the creek and woods with us. Always with a smile on his face.
Some of the kids I grew up with picked on him.
I always defended him when they did. Hard to understand why they picked on the happiest, easiest going one in the group but they did.
Skip ahead to today and he owns and runs a business that places men and women with these "handicaps" into jobs with fair pay and equal treatment.
I see him now and then but probably the most moving conversation I have ever had with another human being happened shortly after I started doing IT work.
The company I worked for at the time placed several of his charges within their firm.
He was there introducing a new recruit to the operations manager and spotted me.
He came over and we reminisced a bit about growing up and what each other had done in our lives.
As we were saying our farewells, he suddenly hugs me and says "Thank you". I noticed that he was teared up and I felt kind of awkward but asked him "For what?"
He replied with, "Thank you for simply treating me like a human being. For not following along with the other we grew up with and actually understanding that I too have thoughts and emotions."
He wandered off then leaving me pretty much speechless.
People remember stuff. You did good.
one of my favorite stories from the PIF thread on TOB was when (I forgot who) gave a ride to a couple of soldiers.
Mankind is a species.
All species eventually die off.
We (mankind) are just dumb enough to think we're smart enough to cheat the system based on the notion that combining things like chocolate and peanutbutter or phones and cameras makes us a superior, immune species.
Off to work on a trilobite beiber app.
Mmmmmmm, chocolate and peanut butter.... [drool]
Sitting in class hungry :-\
Quote from: Grampa on February 17, 2015, 11:01:40 AM
Sitting in class hungry :-\
as long as your stomach isn't louder than the instructor, that can be a good thing.....keeps you awake. [thumbsup]