Is virtue its own reward? (part 2)

Top: A photo of a younger me in my school uniform taken for the class album.

In this second and concluding part of this series, I continue to talk
about how awarding a prize for kindness affected me and my
friendship.

I argue that such prizes go against the value of inclusion and a misunderstanding of what friendship and a wrong idea of what charity and compassion actually require of us. And instead of promoting
equality and friendship, such awards risk to reinforce the idea that
inequality is inevitable and that friendship with a less valued member
of society is always a personal sacrifice and an unbalanced
relationship based on power and status.

I fear that other children today may go through what I went through if
society and the organisers of this prize ane similar initiatives ep
not consider the implications their misguided good intentions they
might have.

For, they mustn't forget that friendships between disabled and
non-disabled children, for all intents and purposes, just like any other.
Until we adults have to go and impose our own assumptions while, at
the same time, doing little to remove the real barriers in society
that cause our greatest problems.

The fact we feel the need to reward some children over others simply
sends a message that people aren't equal and those in need to be
included are often force to believe that they are given their rights
out of generosity ane not because they're entitled to them.

At least for me, this prize has forced me to question my value as a
human being and as a member of my own society.

To this day, I am happy to remain just that- as AB outsider. I want to
live my life on my own terms because only I can know who I really
am.

More Info:

You can find a blog entry on this subject on both my blog at Gordon’s
D-Zone (http://gdzone.gordonGD.com) or at ZoneMind
(http://www.ZoneMind.com).

Email: ZoneMind.starchild@gmail.com

#inclusion, #disability, prize for kindness, childhood, friendships,
#charity, #compassion, #value, #virtue, #Malta

To listen to Part 1, visit:
http://audioboo.fm/boos/1469424-is-virtue-its-own-reward-part-1
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