Today I watched a program on Channel 4 that aired last night. It’s called The Experiment.
It’s a documentary to see if people in the uk could be manipulated into the same sort of policies from Nazi Germany. The kind of policies that determine that disabled people’s lives are worthless and expenditure on disabled people is a waste of tax payers money.
It was really difficult to watch. As someone who hasn’t been able to work for the last twenty three years,due to illness both physical and mental it was deeply upsetting. I have struggled with my self worth. I’ve struggled with this idea of what am I contributing to the world? I’ve got better with the thinking around the issue but it still rears up every so often.
Why put myself through the viewing of such a program then? Curiosity. More and more over the past year I’ve seen so much conflict online and from proposed government policies. Threats of cutting benefits. The narrative that people on disability benefits are lazy, work-shy and conning the system. Over the last twenty years I’ve witnessed the severe decline, particularly of mental health services and the cuts to external support services.
The documentary was both harrowing and interesting. The simple fact that people can be manipulated into thinking that segregation for the disabled is a good thing! That’s a frightening concept. There’s such a lack of education and a lot of misinformation about disabled people. Many disabled people do actually work and pay taxes. That’s not what the critics want to focus on. I was shocked how some of the people on the show could not see the deeper cruelties that were being promoted like sterilisation or ending suffering via assisted dying!
The challenges of facing physical and mental health problems. Fighting the healthcare system for the most basic needs. Dehumanising benefits assessments. Public and governmental judgement. I would take full time employment over that list any day of the week!
I was disappointed that there wasn’t more discussion at the end of the documentary but it was worth a watch.
I will continue to stand in my own light and find my own worth even if the world can’t see it!
Phoenix
Leave a Reply