Use Humor

“I’m nice.  I trust people, I try to help people.  They take advantage of me.”

This man is alight with joy and humor.  He's quick to quip an answer and share a laugh.  Though he has experienced a brain injury, he is resilient and was kind enough to share some of his wisdom with me.

What kind of oppression have you experienced in your life?

People not accepting that I use humor beyond the scope of what’s humor to everybody else.  Because they don’t know how to control me.

I need one-on-one help.

I’m just having a bit of trouble figuring out how I can get the help I need.  Or is there any help for me?  Besides putting me in a home and feeding and diapering me and putting me in front of a 400 channel idiot box.

How would you suggest someone redefine normal in order to overcome oppression?

There’s no such thing as normal.  Everybody’s individual.  Everybody’s different.  I learned that before I fried my brain.  I wasn’t “normal” then either, by the way.

I was in real trouble in elementary school because I said I wanted to walk on the moon and my teacher said “no, no, that’s impossible.”  And they said "you’ll never be able to walk on the moon.  That’s impossible."  Damn it.  Nothing is impossible. 

 

How do you wish people would listen to you more- what would you like to tell society in order to overcome oppression?

Give us time.  Understand that we aren’t as stupid as we sound. 

Use humor as a coping skill. 

Listen.

If I were to take a picture of some part of you or your surroundings that would symbolize overcoming oppression for you, what would you suggest I take a picture of?

My garden, my yard, my lake. 

Why would you say that symbolizes overcoming oppression to you?

I’m not oppressed.  I’m not being oppressed by anybody.  I’m in my own space.