I have noticed over the last few years that charities like to use a clearer trick to disempower disabled person and especially their own service users which I call aspirational oppression. The trick is to design, with their users, a list of top levels ‘aspirational’ goals for everyone to get excited about, like the right to have accessible housing, with the belief it is too big to be achieved in their lifetime. This than makes the users happier to accept the second class existence the charity is prepared to offer them.

There are two points with this. The first is these aspirations are a way for the charity to claim to control the destiny of their users when in reality this may indeed not be the case. And the second is the goals set, like accessible transport, have already been achieved but the charity need people to believe otherwise they will lose control over their users and funding from the public.

It is just one way charities abuse disabled people and others in this era of political correctness since when they were just patronising, it was clear what they were doing.

–

If you like what I say, have a look at my site at www.simonstevens.com or follow me on twitter, @simonstevens74, or even leave me feedback on +44 (0)121 364 1974 or email simon@simonstevens.com