you know those mentally challenged kids at school who have a lot of friends? are those friends genuine friends that are really interested in the person, or are they just feeling pity for them and decide to talk to them?
2006-10-23 19:45:08 · 10 answers · asked by Sminty 2 in Social Science ➔ Sociology
Some people actually enjoy the company of their mentally challenged friend. I know a couple of people who have such challenges, and they can be every bit as nice to be with as anyone else. No, you probably won't discuss physics with them (but you won't discuss physics with me either, and I have no challenges when it comes to learning), but we find things to talk about with a lot of different people based on their interests.
Maybe, too, even when someone is nice to a mentally person and is friends with them, it isn't so much pity as it is having respect for that person (and there is a difference). If you respect someone else you will behave in a way that amounts to your treated them well and doing what a good friend would do. I think it underestimates a lot of people to believe its pity they feel for someone with mental challenges.
Also, people who have mental challenges are often people who are the most friendly and most helpful. Maybe some kids at school see that and find it kind of nice to be pals with someone who isn't all wrapped up in the superficial stuff. Many people like to have all different types of friends.
Some people may want to take advantage of challenged kids, but I don't think that kind of thing is as common as the other factors above.
Finally, a couple of examples: There's a guy I know who is challenged. He dresses in funny clothes and is loud. Still, he somehow sees me as younger than he is, and when I meet him he has often tried to kind of watch out for me. He made sure to tell me the best bus route to get somewhere once. Another time he showed up when he thought someone else was bothering me. How could I not feel a little friendly toward someone who has taken it upon himself to kind of watch out for me like this?
I know a young woman who is also challenged. She's so friendly, and she hugs me when I meet her. She's funny too. One day, though, she was walking with me as we came upon a local mall that had just been torn down. It was a pile of rubble. As we got to where we first saw the rubble we both stopped and were surprised to see the old mall gone. She said exactly what I (in all my non-challenged intelligence) thought. She said, in the most somber tone, "That looks like Ground Zero." All of a sudden I realized how she and I are far more alike than we may be different.
People who know challenged people know this. That's probably why they are friends with them.
2006-10-23 20:35:34 · answer #1 · answered by WhiteLilac1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you'd have to take that on a case by case basis. I'm sure that there are some people who are friends with a mentally challenged person because they feel sorry for that individual.
And there are probably as many, or more, who genuinely like the person for who he or she is. They focus on the individual and not the disability.
2006-10-23 19:49:00 · answer #2 · answered by Wolfeblayde 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pity / or just being polite would make up 90% of the cases.
Look to see how many of those kids have friends go to their home after school or on the weekends and you will see who is the true friend.
:o)
Jerry
2006-10-23 23:12:26 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
kids are usually very straight forward with their thoughts & actions, the attraction must be genuine...whether that is from intrigue, concern or friendship it is impossible to know unless you ask the kids individually but the motivations behind the approach is always the same regardless, positive interactions bring about positive associations & relationships. Tolerance, compassion & acceptance of others is a wonderful thing.
2006-10-23 20:14:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is complicated to confirm somebody who's challenged in some way mentally, or bodily, be made relaxing of. I also have a youthful pal who i've got been pal's with for approximately 10 years. by way of recommendations surgical technique at age 2 she has some issues now. i've got seen her go through on the palms of unkind persons, yet on the different hand there have been such quite some who've reached out and regarded previous her obstacles and seen the spectacular and lively ( and clever) youthful lady it quite is there for all who will take a while to truly get to renowned her. i think of we could get up and by occasion handle others the way each and each people desire to be dealt with and to open the eyes of others to three of the problems that a individual with severe stressful circumstances could face each and on a daily basis.I agree that to apply the be conscious "retarded" in a unfavorable way isn't style, and actually quite uninformed. I as quickly as challenged an assistant supervisor in a eating place who became making very derogatory comments brazenly on an identical time as chatting together with his youthful workers. I went to the administrative and defined my place and how injury between the complicated working youthful adult males( who became employed there) could have felt while he heard those words.. the administrative agreed and went to the assistant supervisor and knowledgeable him on what he did and how others perceived it. such quite some circumstances those with large stressful circumstances in existence are quite loving and dependable people who're genuine exhilaration to have as a pal.
2016-10-16 08:15:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some feel pity. Some want to take advantage. Some are just very lonely themselves. Some really are true friends.
2006-10-23 19:47:14 · answer #6 · answered by Kuji 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It really Depends on the person meaning everyone has individual reasons for what they do. Im sure some are genuine while others arent so genuine.
2006-10-23 19:58:47 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
when i was in school i got detention for a week cause i get this kids *** cause he was messin with a mentaly challenged kid that was my friend, and that was genuine, but it depends on the person some people are assholes and they just hangaroud them to look sensitive and nice and use the MC kid, so **** them
2006-10-23 19:54:37 · answer #8 · answered by fagassjim 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps people are attracted at them because they are less likely to be phoney and backstabbing like many of their other peers.
2006-10-23 19:49:29 · answer #9 · answered by andromega 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They just want to take advantedge of their gullibility.
2006-10-23 19:53:31 · answer #10 · answered by darrkadlubowski 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋