A double edged sword. I mean, who doesn’t want to inspire others? It’s a normal feeling. It’s kind of cool to know others think highly of you. Yep, inspiration is a warm fuzzy.

Then, there’s “inspiration porn.” That’s the idealization of disabled people and their accomplishments to make yourself feel good. Think about this.

That fish swims well.

That fish swims well, for a fish.

Sentence one just states a fact. No qualifiers, just a statement. Sentence two has a qualifier that objectifies the fish. Sentence one is inspiration. Sentence two is inspiration porn.

Anytime you have a “yes, but” in a sentence, you are objectifying the subject of the sentence. You are pointing out that the subject should be seen differently and judged by another standard.

Think about this for a bit. Think about how it applies to people. Are you judging with your words? Retrain yourself to avoid “yes, but” sentences. Think before you write or speak.

Once you realize the way “yes, but” affects perspective, you can begin to understand why inspiration porn is hurtful.