the key to one's future has been instilled into us regardless of any country: education. education is what opens up the door to a house with food on the table, a car and various material needs we need to sustain our lives. without receiving proper education and knowledge in an urbanised society, we would not be able to get a job and all the basic material needs which we require to sustain ourselves will be unattainable. unless, of course, one receives charity aid.
assuming charity aid does not exist, and man needed to rely on himself. would being mentally handicap be a liability to him/herself in society? i believe yes, it will be a liability. how many mentally disabled in society holds a middle-class salary job working 9 to 5 from mondays to fridays? rare but many works in less mentally demanding jobs which is able to provide him/herself with the most basic material every needs. anything more, would be practically impossible. he/she would take public transport, he would not be able to drive(because he is not mentally able to do so), let alone afford a car. he/she would very unlikely be married due to disabilities and discrimination from society for being abnormal. lastly, what would happen to him/her when she has lost all ability to contribute to society for a paycheck, or worse, when his/her job gets replaced by artificial intelligence to boast productivity.
i come back to the point about responsibilities and consequences at stake when it comes to a human child, because the future of one depends on the child's parents, while the child is in his/her mother's womb, the labour process, the growth and development of a child. if you could look at it from my perspective, a child is not cute, adorable and cuddly. a child is beyond that. to say that seems to demean the child. instead, it is a diamond in the rough. it is a subject waiting to be developed and shine. because one day it will end up right here, in front of this computer, typing out thoughts on life and pondering away on possibly bigger things.
a child, i see, is a miniature version of an adult. He/she has all senses undeveloped and sitting there waiting for someone to hone it into potential where he/she will ultimately commit the most important objective in life: contribute and shape society.
thinking of my future, i wonder if i have the means to raise a child. would my child be healthy in my womb, would my child develop and grow into a fine being.. i guess such worries and questions are unnecessary now. i should put that in the back seat till the time comes where i have my child.
as i sit and watch my friend's mother shower my friend with love, care and concern. i shall do just that to my child. my love, care and concern shall be endless for my child.
image from http://acelebrationofwomen.org
