Dyslexic Editors?

[Buh4Bee]

Sure, you're using the example of THIS woman with dyslexia to make a more generalized conservative point. The point I am making is that dyslexia does not have to limit or define some as a handicapped person in a free world. It is a lower level flaw, its like a tick, that can be suppressed if properly remediated and controlled. Under these conditions, someone with dyslexia can do many jobs that require interpreting the written language. To say they have an impaired cognitive interpretation of the written word, misses the mark. This woman can't comprehend and probably has some other learning disablity, like ADD that often accompanies dyslexia. But I won't jump to any further conclusions since you know her life story and might correct me, or a cheerleader might jump across my screen, cheering for who made a better point on this post.

This is what made me think she was a young person:

"their endeavour to achieve a degree in creative writing. Not just any creative writing though, oh no. They are specialising in editing."

[Hawkman]

Maybe, but he seems to be willfully neglecting the fact that there are a multitude more writers who, with no dyslexic symptoms whatsoever, and even a tertiary education in literature, WRITE COMPLETE CRAP!

Perhaps proof reading is required of a dyslexic editor's assessments so that the Hawk doesn't read an acceptance as a dismissal?

We ar pleazd too except yore manuscript for publishing Mr Horkman.

reads the same forwards as backwards to me

Yes, well they're probably the ones who've been accepted by dyslexic editors...

Are you dyslexic MM? is that why you appear to be so personally affronted by the suggestion that a lack of aptitude should preclude an area of literary endeavour from colonisation by dyslexics, and feel it necessary to personalize your response rather than construct a logical argument?

B4B: well yes, nervous ticks can be suppressed, as can the symptoms of Dyslexia, as stated in the original post. However, I did point out that they are often aggravated by stress and pressure of work. True, there are varying degrees of severity in the condition, and someone with ADD as well as Dyslexia is unlikey to retain a position after graduating, with help. This kind of emphasises the other point I was making about the devotion of higher education courses to those with learning difficulties. True, I cited one example to introduce the subject, but the argument is based (in general terms, I admit) on the Wikipedia quote.

I can see why you might assume someone reading for a bachelor's degree might be in their late teens or early twenties, but there are a lot of mature students too you know. In fact, in this country, persons with diagnosed conditions like dyslexia are far more likely to be mature students than school leavers, as school leavers with dyslexia are less likely to have matriculated.

Live and be well - H

[Delta40]

But I won't jump to any further conclusions since you know her life story and might correct me, or a cheerleader might jump across my screen, cheering for who made a better point on this post.

Waving my pom poms for all and sundry

[Hawkman]

^___^

Good for you, Delta

[MystyrMystyry]

Well I see you tried to hastily correct your text within the tiny window of opportunity without being noticed. Maybe you?

No I'm not dyslexic in lit, just in a few other areas such as alluded to earlier.

An editor's job is not only to make cuts, but also to offer suggestions. There's an opportunity to argue your case as to why the cuts would be wrong, and why the suggestions would harm.

When I hear crap it's my duty to expose it for what it is.

Suppose they proposed a law tomorrow, backed by opticians - people who need glasses will henceforth be forbidden to read books because tests have proven that reading weakens the eyes.

Wouldn't you be a bit outraged?

What if:

Nor will they be allowed to drive or operate heavy machinery because we've arbitrarily decided that a well-sighted individual can obviously do these things better.

Where would it stop? You'd soon find educational opportunities gone completely. Some prime minister might come along and say that the foureyes can't be educated, besides which it's too expensive, and risky to even try. Leave them alone to stitch the serviettes.

Clearly that's not going to be the case any time in the near future as the majority of people need glasses, at least for some things.

But what if dyslexia was the norm? The idea that a dyslexic can't analyse and assess a text's worth would seem ludicrous to a parliament run by them, don't you think?

[Shea]

I agree with Charles, MM, and B4B. It’s not really an issue of political correctness. It may help you to keep an open mind. If that student of mine happened to decide, and prove despite the stress, that he was capable of being an editor and wanted to edit my work, I would have no problem with that. But if my former co-worker for some reason wanted to do some editing for me, I probably wouldn’t let him touch it since he couldn’t even handle simple writing on technical tickets.

You call yourself an intellectual snob, I happen to be a chocolate snob. But that doesn’t mean that Hershey, Nestle and even Godiva should stop making chocolate just because I think it’s not worthy of my palate. How do you know that there haven’t been dyslexics editing the very works you hold in high esteem? If they can and desire to handle the work, why shouldn’t someone with dyslexia be an editor?

Imagine someone telling Einstein that he couldn’t be a physicist because his dyslexia would cause him to buckle under the stress.

[Charles Darnay]

reads the same forwards as backwards to me

It is a misconception that dyslexics see things backwards. The letters are more jumbled, not backwards.

[MystyrMystyry]

It was to quell the fear of the OP, that their book may be accepted for all the wrong reasons...

[Hawkman]

Imagine someone telling Einstein that he couldn’t be a physicist because his dyslexia would cause him to buckle under the stress.

What on earth makes you think Einstien was dyslexic? He wasn't. You shouldn't believe every crackpot piece of (mis)information published either on line or in print until you've verified it. You might want to check this out.

http://dyslexia.learninginfo.org/famous-people.htm

[DocHeart]

I bet all of the folks who are comfortable with the idea of a dyslexic editor wouldn't be equally comfortable with the idea of an airline pilot with bad eyesight. Even if plenty of assurances about the effectiveness of his glasses were offered.

[Buh4Bee]

I wouldn't want an incompetent doing a job they aren't qualified to do. I think that point has been made clearly. It is a matter of aptitude. It's also a matter of someone getting hired. Who is going to hire someone who is unqualified? You should be uncomfortable if the person doing the job is a moron.

But again, I'll say it one more time, dyslexia does not necessarily equate to one's inability to comprehend. By now, this is a moot point. I'll wave mine for the dyslexics, since I have to remediate them and I do take this somewhat personally.

[Shea]

What on earth makes you think Einstien was dyslexic? He wasn't. You shouldn't believe every crackpot piece of (mis)information published either on line or in print until you've verified it. You might want to check this out.

http://dyslexia.learninginfo.org/famous-people.htm

Oh, give me a break! I’m not a historian. You missed my point anyway. Fine, here’s a link from the University of Michigan.

http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/success-stories

Steve Jobs didn’t let some hoity-toity egoist tell him he couldn’t handle Apple because he was dyslexic.

[Buh4Bee]

This is a writer's (and reader's) forum, not a platform for educational celebration stories. I think the writer's perspective will remain as such. But since we live in a free world and everyone is entitled to their own opinion, I take comfort in the fact that there are laws to control and prevent discrimination.

[Shea]

That’s well said B4B. I just get a bit indignant when someone, who believes themselves to possess a higher intellect, arbitrarily tells someone else they shouldn’t follow a dream.

[Hawkman]

Oh, give me a break! I’m not a historian.

Obviously. If you were you wouldn't have said this:

How do you know that there haven’t been dyslexics editing the very works you hold in high esteem?

You missed my point anyway. Fine, here’s a link from the University of Michigan.

http://dyslexiahelp.umich.edu/success-stories

Steve Jobs didn’t let some hoity-toity egoist tell him he couldn’t handle Apple because he was dyslexic.

This is irrelevant. Was Steve Jobs working in a publishing house? The subject under discussion is whether dyslexics should take places from more gifted English students on English degree courses and have editorial control over an author's work. Anyway, by this argument, a gifted dyslexic individual doesn't need an English degree to be successful. Steve Jobs was not an accademic. Had you actually read my posts properly you would have noted that I was at some pains to point out that I do not consider dyslexics to be wortheless and consigned to the vocational scrapheap.

That’s well said B4B. I just get a bit indignant when someone, who believes themselves to possess a higher intellect, arbitrarily tells someone else they shouldn’t follow a dream.

Well I can think of a number of individuals who should never have been allowed to follow their dreams, Hitler and Pol Pot for starters! But taking the statement as intended as refering to normal personal development, then yes, it's all very well to follow your dream, but following your dream should not necessarily give you the rights of high, middle and low justice over someone else's dreams or literary endeavours when you have dyslexia.

I can't help wondering if everyone who has argued so vigourously against my position in this thread is actually dyslexic. It might explain why they keep wandering off topic and misinterpreting what has been clearly stated, whilst resorting to snide remarks about someone who raised a valid topic for discussion. You disappoint me.