The Similarities Of Erik Weihenmayer And Stephen Hawking

893 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Brief bio of Stephen Hawking

Possibilities and Disabilities The disability is not the factor that limits one’s ability to be free, as it is rather the holder of the disability that determines whether he or she remains or steps beyond the depressing line of comfort. There are several disabled people in the world who have had to find ways to tolerate and live with their disabilities. Two examples of those people are Erik Weihenmayer and Stephen Hawking. Erik Weihenmayer is a blind adventurer, while Stephen Hawking is a theoretical physicist with ASL, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. After sharing the struggle of having a disability and going in two very different directions in terms of their paths in life, the two have a lot in common as both Weihenmayer and Stephen Hawking share several traits. Those traits include endurance, mental strength, and usefulness. Weihenmayer and Hawking both have endurance as they do not let their disabilities get the best of them. Weihenmayer’s eyesight was completely taken away from him at the age of thirteen. Being the risk taker he is now, one would expect that at that age he was confident and still did what he enjoyed …show more content…

Weihenmayer has shown the world that blind people are not limited to doing what they know and living the same life everyday. This has gave several blind people hope and inspiration to experiencing life to the fullest. Weihenmayer has also given others with disabilities the chances he had. The “No Barriers” project has helped educated other people with disabilities that they do not have limits when it comes to life. He has also given other blind students the chance to climb Everest. Stephen Hawking has contributed to society by setting bases for many scientific theories. This shows the world that people with even the most severe disabilities and the limit to only a chair and a computer still have the capability of doing good

Show More
Related

  • On Being A Cripple And A Plague Of Tics

    1139 Words  | 3 Pages

    The two essays “On Being a Cripple” by Nancy Mairs and “A Plague of Tics” by David Sedaris are excellent pieces of work that share many similarities. This paper would reflect on these similarities particularly in terms of the author, message and the targeted audience. On an everyday basis, people view those with disabilities in a different light and make them conscious at every step. This may be done without a conscious realisation but then it is probably human nature to observe and notice things that deviate from the normal in a society. In a way people are conditioned to look negatively at those individuals who are different in the conventional

    Read More

  • Dylan Alcott's Disability

    1496 Words  | 3 Pages

    Disability is a ‘complex issue’ (Alperstein, M., Atkins, S., Bately, K., Coetzee, D., Duncan, M., Ferguson, G., Geiger, M. Hewett, G., et al.., 2009: 239) which affects a large percentage of the world’s population. Due to it being complex, one can say that disability depends on one’s perspective (Alperstein et al., 2009: 239). In this essay, I will draw on Dylan Alcott’s disability and use his story to further explain the four models of disability being The Traditional Model, The Medical Model, The Social Model and The Integrated Model of Disability. Through this, I will reflect on my thoughts and feelings in response to Dylan’s story as well as to draw on this task and my new found knowledge of disability in aiding me to become

    Read More

  • Nancy Mairs, Andre Dubus, Harriet McBryde Johnson: Disability

    1916 Words  | 4 Pages

    What comes into one’s mind when they are asked to consider physical disabilities? Pity and embarrassment, or hope and encouragement? Perhaps a mix between the two contrasting emotions? The average, able-bodied person must have a different perspective than a handicapped person, on the quality of life of a physically disabled person. Nancy Mairs, Andre Dubus, and Harriet McBryde Johnson are three authors who shared their experiences as physically handicapped adults. Although the three authors wrote different pieces, all three essays demonstrate the frustrations, struggles, contemplations, and triumphs from a disabled person’s point of view and are aimed at a reader with no physical disability.

    Read More

  • Stephen Hawking Essay

    1276 Words  | 3 Pages

    Stephen Hawking is an extraordinary being to say the least. Stephen is possibly the smartest person on the planet, and if he isn’t quite there he is extremely close. Hawking is a very interesting person between his family, being diagnosed, education, and many other things, including his research, he is definitely worth reading about. This paper will inform you of everything you need to know about Stephen William Hawking.

    Read More

  • How To Write A Persuasive Speech Outline On Intellectual Disabilities

    452 Words  | 1 Pages

    They are human beings determined to make something good in their lives. Across the world, people with disabilities have poorer health outcomes, lower education achievements, less economic participation and higher rates of poverty than people without

    Read More

  • Making And Remaking On City Road

    750 Words  | 2 Pages

    ‘“Now it’s my turn to make it better for generations that come after, which is why I’ve become, involved in disabilities issues”’ (Open University, 2016a).

    Read More

  • Dr. Arnold Beisser’s Flying Without Wings

    1103 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... adapted to his ever-changing circumstances, became a doctor, got married and, most importantly, overcame countless obstacles. He managed to do all of this in the second half of the twentieth century. Given the advancements in technology and greater acceptance of those with disabilities in today’s society it would be easier for him today. Beisser succedded and I will too. I will travel, I will find good jobs that fulfill me, I will surround myself with loving people, and, perhaps most importantly, I will be financially independent.

    Read More

  • Medical and Social Models of Disability

    1847 Words  | 4 Pages

    It could be said that in modern industrial society, Disability is still widely regarded as tragic individual failing, in which its “victims” require care, sympathy and medical diagnosis. Whilst medical science has served to improve and enhance the quality of life for many it could be argued that it has also led to further segregation and separation of many individuals. This could be caused by its insistence on labelling one as “sick”, “abnormal” or “mental”. Consequently, what this act of labelling and diagnosing has done, is enforce the societal view that a disability is an abnormality that requires treatment and that any of its “victims” should do what is required to be able to function in society as an able bodied individual.

    Read More

  • Helen Keller Benefits

    748 Words  | 2 Pages

    Keller’s abilities had attracted a great attention from many people around the world. However, the most important reason that contributed to Keller’s international reputation was at all the works she had done for the society. Before anyone had ever heard of Helen Keller, people that were blind, deaf or handicapped were treated very harshly. They were sometimes an embarrassment to their families, and were often sent off to be cared for away from the rest of the family. No one ever cared if they could learn and be productive people. However, thanked to the example of Helen Keller and her victory over deafness and blindness, everyone realized that everyone has something positive to contribute to the world around them—if they are given the chance. In addition, Through Keller’s fundraising efforts for deaf and blind people, AFB continues to assist blind people in the areas of technology, education, independent living, literacy, and employment, which was a big advancement for those who misfortuned. Overall, if Keller had hadn’t challenge, she would haven’t well known, and therefore deaf and blind people would haven’t had chances to improve their

    Read More

  • Disability Rights Essay

    1258 Words  | 3 Pages

    Disability: Any person who has a mental or physical deterioration that initially limits one or more major everyday life activities. Millions of people all over the world, are faced with discrimination, the con of being unprotected by the law, and are not able to participate in the human rights everyone is meant to have. For hundreds of years, humans with disabilities are constantly referred to as different, retarded, or weird. They have been stripped of their basic human rights; born free and are equal in dignity and rights, have the right to life, shall not be a victim of torture or cruelty, right to own property, free in opinion and expression, freedom of taking part in government, right in general education, and right of employment opportunities. Once the 20th century

    Read More

  • Personal Narrative: My Disability

    762 Words  | 2 Pages

    In middle school I was diagnosed with a disability with the way I expressed myself through writing. Ever since, I have gained multiple values and learned several lessons about self confidence. I was taught to push past my limits, in order to be successful in reaching my goals along with my dreams. Today I am a senior in high school who was once thought to struggle, but was able to succeed beyond expectations. To some, a disability may seem like a setback from achieving goals, but to me I used it as a challenge for myself. I accepted myself for who I was and looked at my disability as a unique trait of mine. I was able to provide a message to others that anything you set your mind to is possible with dedication and hard work. It might take

    Read More

  • Understanding the Disabled

    1223 Words  | 3 Pages

    While these three authors have different reasons to write their essays, be it media unfairness, ignorance, or ethical disputes, they all share a basic principle: The disabled are not viewed by the public as “normal people,” and they are unfairly cast away from the public eye. The disabled have the same capacity to love, desire and hurt as any other human being, and deserve all of the rights and privileges that we can offer them. They should be able to enter the same buildings, have representation in the media, and certainly be allowed the right to live.

    Read More

  • An Essay About Helen Keller

    1073 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... blind and deaf at the same time she still helped people. People around the world found her to be a very strong lady. She did so much in her life. She helped people and joined organizations for others. She also started organizations as well. Keller wanted everyone to be treated equally, no matter what they looked like or the disabilities they may have. She’s still known today to be a very strong and uplifting person. Keller helped many and also encouraged people to be whoever they are inspired to be. She knew it was going to be a very difficult journey but she did it. She lived a long, healthy life helping others. She was a role model to lots of people; not just the deaf and blind. Helen Keller never gave up and to me; she’s a very strong person. I don’t know anyone who is stronger than Keller. She couldn’t see nor hear, but she lived her life like everyone else.

    Read More

  • Discrimination Against People With Disabilities

    1586 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...eglected social issues in recent history (Barlow). People with disabilities often face societal barriers and disability evokes negative perceptions and discrimination in society. As a result of the stigma associated with disability, persons with disabilities are generally excluded from education, employment, and community life which deprives them of opportunities essential to their social development, health and well-being (Stefan). It is such barriers and discrimination that actually set people apart from society, in many cases making them a burden to the community. The ideas and concepts of equality and full participation for persons with disabilities have been developed very far on paper, but not in reality (Wallace). The government can make numerous laws against discrimination, but this does not change the way that people with disabilities are judged in society.

    Read More

  • Disability Reflection Paper

    933 Words  | 2 Pages

    I have always grown up in a more ‘normal’ setting and seeing people with disabilities was something that was rare to me. When I was younger, my thoughts on people with disabilities were that they could only be physically seen, nothing else (mentally, intellectually, etc.). As I reached middle school, I realized how broad the world is and how many ways people were affected by disabilities. Some of them led a more normal life and some have a harder time adjusting. Just seeing and reading how so many are affected and how harder it is for them really opened up my mind and allowed me to have a wider perception of how broad things are in the world.

    Read More

More about The Similarities Of Erik Weihenmayer And Stephen Hawking

Open Document