# Would you rather be a quadriplegic, or be blind? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 28, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222 "2017-03-28T15:07:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/1 "2017-03-28T15:07:21Z")
Just wondering, because I just asked my husband this question and he and I had different answers. He’d rather be blind, because then he could at least still do things himself. I said I’d rather be a quad, because at least then I don’t lose awareness of my surroundings (I could still read people’s facial expressions/body language, I would still know who’s in a room when I enter it, etc.). Though I think my husband has a good point, and I might chance my mind if I think about it enough, but for right now, I’m going with quad. Both possibilities frighten me, though. Oh, one more thing: when I ask this question, I mean that it happens to you now, at whatever age you are. Not that you were born with the condition. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/2 "2017-03-28T15:41:24Z")
Given that I am already blind, I am quite contended to accept that as a trade-off for the other option. However, my blindness is not yet complete to the point at which I have no useful vision,whereas I assume quadriplegia does not come on gradual phases. And I’ve had 30 years of diminishing vision to get used to it and make any necessary adjustments to my lifestyle. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/3 "2017-03-28T15:44:50Z")
Blind people can live full free lives, quadriplegic people really can’t. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/4 "2017-03-28T15:45:02Z")
You would rather be unable to move, take care of yourself, wipe your own behind, feed yourself, have sex, and hundreds of other things, just so you can see a person’s facial expression when you are talking to them?? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/5 "2017-03-28T16:04:37Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > You would rather be unable to move, take care of yourself, wipe your own behind, feed yourself, have sex, and hundreds of other things, just so you can see a person’s facial expression when you are talking to them?? And, for bonus points: this whole conversation? Going on without facial expressions. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/6 "2017-03-28T16:26:45Z")
Blind I could adapt to; I know a lot of people who have. Being totally dependent on other I don’t think I could mentally handle. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/7 "2017-03-28T16:33:32Z")
Would “neither” violate the spirit of the OP? I vote blind. Paraplegic vs blind would be a tougher choice. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/8 "2017-03-28T17:26:05Z")
It wasn’t an option on the poll, but might I choose occasional bouts of ennui? ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/9 "2017-03-28T20:02:11Z")
Blind. Not-even-close. ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/10 "2017-03-28T20:24:16Z")
I’d rather be blind, no question. My father-in-law is blind, but he can feed, dress, and bathe himself with no more assistance than would typically be required by an elderly man with cognitive issues and crappy hips. He has trouble finding his way around, but that has a lot to do with becoming blind late in life and the aforementioned cognitive deficits. I can easily imagine being blind. I’d probably find some of my favorite hobbies rather challenging (knitting could be tough), but I’d still be able to take care of myself and enjoy my pets. I can’t imagine not being able to manage my own body. Actually, I can imagine it, and it horrifies me. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/11 "2017-03-28T20:29:35Z")
I would rather go blind, Than to see you walk away from me, child. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/12 "2017-03-28T21:41:31Z")
I get the argument about more reliance on others for a quadriplegic (my sister was bedridden for a decade, so I have direct experience), but for me I am very visually oriented. My favorite things in the world are cinema and visual arts. I would not want to give those up. I frankly don’t understand how people without sight can function in the world, it’s such a fundamental element of how I perceive the world. By that I mean full-darkness blindness, I can somewhat imagine functioning with greatly diminished visual capabilities. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/13 "2017-03-28T22:09:18Z")
Can I choose the color type of blindness? mmm ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/14 "2017-03-28T22:12:09Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > You would rather be unable to move, take care of yourself, wipe your own behind, feed yourself, **have sex** , and hundreds of other things, just so you can see a person’s facial expression when you are talking to them?? Quads actually can have sex. Just wanted to correct that error. Paralysis comes with more than being simply unable to move - there are all sorts of nasty consequences that come from that lack of movement. Quads rarely have anything near a normal lifespan, they have no privacy, they are utterly dependent on others for the most basic things, and the associated expenses are horrific. I’ve know quads and I’ve known blind people. Blind people have much better quality of life. Plus the whole not being completely physically helpless thing. ---
**Author:** ![Renee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/renee/32/287_2.png) [@Renee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renee)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/15 "2017-03-28T22:47:10Z")
I am way too much of an introvert to handle being a quad. The lack of independence would drive me crazy in about 3 hours. Blind would be awful, but with current technology its not even close. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/16 "2017-03-28T23:12:01Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Quads actually can have sex. Just wanted to correct that error. Just like most things about spinal cord injury, some can and some can’t. There is no blanket answer for all quads. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/17 "2017-03-28T23:14:46Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > I vote blind. Paraplegic vs blind would be a tougher choice. Blind without a second of hesitation. But I would take paraplegic over blind without much hesitation either. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2017, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/18 "2017-03-28T23:27:46Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > But I would take paraplegic over blind without much hesitation either. Me too! 🙂 But who knows? Maybe if I were already blind (and not paraplegic) I’d feel differently. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/19 "2017-03-30T04:03:53Z")
Blindness is one of my worst phobias, but I’d still take it over being paraplegic. I can do much more things while blind than the latter. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2017, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222/20 "2017-03-30T12:46:17Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Quads actually can have sex. Just wanted to correct that error Yes, I’m sure women who are quadriplegics can technically have sex. And men for that matter I guess. Depending on your definition of “sex” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-rather-be-a-quadriplegic-or-be-blind/783222.md?page=2)