Media Culture Disability

Society plays a big role in the lives of those with disabilities. Ferris explains how disability culture acknowledges that an individual’s disability is often socially constructed (“In (Disability) Time”). Disability studies has started to recognize society’s influence as a common denominator in many cultures (Ferris, “In (Disability) Time”). Radio was majorly affected by how his society saw him. For years he was seen wandering around the town, but the locals would not pay him any attention - unless he wandered too close to them (Radio). At the beginning of the movie, a mother is scene pulling her child away from Radio and crossing the street to get away from him as if he were contagious (Radio). The community he lived in was not used to people …show more content…
Media often displays disabilities in a poor manner (Disability Culture Series). It is said that it is rare for a disability to “win the attention of the media”, but when it does, disabilities are used the wrong way (Disability Culture Series). Disabilities are often used for crude humor, or the media suddenly decides that they want a “happily ever after” and decide to not deal with the finality of a disability. Radio is different from the usual types of media portrayals. Radio’s disability is not used as the punch line for the movie, and Radio does not miraculously get healed by the end of the film. This film displays what people with disabilities have to deal with in everyday life. It shows that even with a disability, Radio is capable of interacting with society and is able to live some semblance of life, just like everyone …show more content…
He states that the concept of Alienation is used more frequently, “due to the fact that so many different things make up the sociocultural life of a society” (176). Politics, popular culture, and societal values all contribute to people being “alienated from society” - disability is said to be only one of the many social alienations (Schacht 176). By stating this, the writer is basically saying that all people bear the risk of feeling as though they are different from society. This is true in some instances. Everyone has a different view of the world, but that does not mean that those with disabilities are considered to be on the same level as able bodied people. Even though the world can be a cruel place to everyone, people with disabilities still tend to suffer more. Society still makes an individual’s “limitations” the center of attention, and that negativity can contribute to a lower quality of