The more I think about it, the more I notice it. The world is based upon too many assumptions. And granted, it has worked fine for most part. Perhaps it’s partially because I’m an aspie that I’m being confronted with the fact that either I, nor others with whom I (have to) interact shouldn’t assume anything and everything.
Add in that I saw 2 documentaries on dutch national television, which fall perfectly in line with what I’m addressing here.
One documentary painted a picture about the fact that roughly 8000 children in this country (on a population of almost 17 million), who still are required to go to school, as it is law that until you’re 18 years of age. Yet the report showed kids, 13 years old, not being able to go to school. Reason; since august 2014 a new law pretty much cut funding for special education and made it a “law” that any schools should accept new students and offer suitable education. Of course, that plan failed miserably, but the government remains ignorant.
What I found interesting is that from all the families they showed on the 35 minute program, pretty much all of the kids who were being homeschooled by parents, were on the spectrum.
There apparently is this assumption that schools can make ends meet and educate everyone, even if schools actually point out what they can’t offer and it doesn’t require a genius to realize that it’s not a suitable plan.
I kinda relate to it, since the first thing that comes to mind is “these kids will turn 18 in a few years… and give it another decade and they’re somewhere around my age. With no school, no education, no qualifications and most likely, in the future, a bigger lack of funding”.
Then there was this other documentary which dealt with how society is becoming too complex for some people. As it is, this country has roughly 2 million people who are in need of support to maneuver through society; plenty with intellectual disability. As it is we’re making everything a bureaucratic mess for people to get through, going all digital and more importantly, we assume that everyone knows how all of this works. The moment you have waiting lists for support to get your stuff sorted out by (and/or with) a social worker, there’s a mismatch in supply and demand. But let it sink in… 2 million. It means that our (and by that I mean dutch society) is too complex for roughly 11%. And that, in my opinion is way too much of a significant number to just let slide. Yet we do berate someone for not doing what we expect them to do. We assume they knew what they should be doing… which in turn makes it sound like you’re assuming people did this on purpose.
Now, with that out of the way, since I wanted to talk about it.
I’ll go on and ramble about assumptions a bit more.
A few things from the past week I’ve come to realize.
You cannot assume…
…Someone can drive a car safely; not even if he/she passed a test once.
…That everyone has the ability to learn through the same, standardized methods.
…Everything can be standardized and yield the same results overall.
…That everyone has a clear understanding of what they want out of life.
…That everyone understands the implications of his or her troublesome situation in life and knows where to go to fix this.
…All humans have the hardwired desire to do things that define us as a species in roughly the same way.
…Everyone has good intentions. Some people might have a different moral compass and some might be outright malicious.
…Everyone wants to fit in.
…There is meaningful and gainful employment for everyone regardless of skill and location.
…Everyone will eventually get there. Some people just don’t make it. Period.
This list can go on ad nauseam I suppose.
I once read this quote, and while it’s on a more funny note, it’s well worth posting in relation to this blog entry
“Don’t assume, it makes an ass out of u and me”
Add in that I saw 2 documentaries on dutch national television, which fall perfectly in line with what I’m addressing here.
One documentary painted a picture about the fact that roughly 8000 children in this country (on a population of almost 17 million), who still are required to go to school, as it is law that until you’re 18 years of age. Yet the report showed kids, 13 years old, not being able to go to school. Reason; since august 2014 a new law pretty much cut funding for special education and made it a “law” that any schools should accept new students and offer suitable education. Of course, that plan failed miserably, but the government remains ignorant.
What I found interesting is that from all the families they showed on the 35 minute program, pretty much all of the kids who were being homeschooled by parents, were on the spectrum.
There apparently is this assumption that schools can make ends meet and educate everyone, even if schools actually point out what they can’t offer and it doesn’t require a genius to realize that it’s not a suitable plan.
I kinda relate to it, since the first thing that comes to mind is “these kids will turn 18 in a few years… and give it another decade and they’re somewhere around my age. With no school, no education, no qualifications and most likely, in the future, a bigger lack of funding”.
Then there was this other documentary which dealt with how society is becoming too complex for some people. As it is, this country has roughly 2 million people who are in need of support to maneuver through society; plenty with intellectual disability. As it is we’re making everything a bureaucratic mess for people to get through, going all digital and more importantly, we assume that everyone knows how all of this works. The moment you have waiting lists for support to get your stuff sorted out by (and/or with) a social worker, there’s a mismatch in supply and demand. But let it sink in… 2 million. It means that our (and by that I mean dutch society) is too complex for roughly 11%. And that, in my opinion is way too much of a significant number to just let slide. Yet we do berate someone for not doing what we expect them to do. We assume they knew what they should be doing… which in turn makes it sound like you’re assuming people did this on purpose.
Now, with that out of the way, since I wanted to talk about it.
I’ll go on and ramble about assumptions a bit more.
A few things from the past week I’ve come to realize.
You cannot assume…
…Someone can drive a car safely; not even if he/she passed a test once.
…That everyone has the ability to learn through the same, standardized methods.
…Everything can be standardized and yield the same results overall.
…That everyone has a clear understanding of what they want out of life.
…That everyone understands the implications of his or her troublesome situation in life and knows where to go to fix this.
…All humans have the hardwired desire to do things that define us as a species in roughly the same way.
…Everyone has good intentions. Some people might have a different moral compass and some might be outright malicious.
…Everyone wants to fit in.
…There is meaningful and gainful employment for everyone regardless of skill and location.
…Everyone will eventually get there. Some people just don’t make it. Period.
This list can go on ad nauseam I suppose.
I once read this quote, and while it’s on a more funny note, it’s well worth posting in relation to this blog entry
“Don’t assume, it makes an ass out of u and me”
