David N Wallace makes a very important point. It is much more than a coda to Doc’s piece and my follow-up post, and deserves its own space, not just on his blog, but on mine as well. So I reproduce it here:
Now I know about the edge, I live there. On the edge, the fringe of society. Maybe not as near as some, maybe further out than others. As a general statement, most people living with disability live there, as do other marginalised groups of individuals.
Marginalisation occurs when something on the edge is unconnected.
This can be seen in the area of housing and disability. Institutions versus community living. It is simply human decentralisation. Where rather than data moved out and siloed, people are. People living in the community without the freedom of connection to the ‘network’ of other human beings living around them become cut off, isolated – marginalised. What should be a clear path is blocked by barriers.
Institutionalisation is not a state of place, but a state of disconnection.
On the fringe you need to be adaptable. My whole life is one of intense adaption – a life-kludge.
That’s essentially why Lifekludger exists, to remove barriers to connection – to connect around the idea that technology is a great way to get people living with disability, even though they may be living on the edge, that they might be connected and not marginalised.
Thanks for opening my eyes, David.
For me at least, this opens up a completely different perspective and frame of reference.
No I’d like to thank you and Doc. You guys inspire me.
I can’t help but be a bit subjective. I see technology offering so much potential for good yet so much human potential going to waste.
Dave