Nathan
SF VIP
- Location
- High Desert- Calif.
The young grocery bagger gal at the store this morning said something about a growing belief spreading on the internet that Helen Keller had faked being blind and deaf.
I had to check that out, here's one Google result: Helen Keller: why is a TikTok conspiracy theory undermining her story?
"When the internet is riddled with conspiracy theories, it can be difficult to decide which to worry about. While QAnon and Pizzagate are proving themselves to have radicalising potential with real-world repercussions, others are flourishing beneath the radar, or certainly going unnoticed by anyone over the age of 25. What I mean to say is: teenagers on TikTok doubt the existence of Helen Keller.
I know – I had to read that sentence a few times, too. How could Keller’s existence be up for debate? There is extant film footage of the author, activist and disability rights advocate, who became deafblind after a childhood illness, learned to communicate using hand gestures and to understand others through the Tadoma method, and learned how to speak. She attended Harvard, wrote 12 books and many more essays and lectures. Her autobiography was adapted for film and stage. She travelled the world, campaigning on civil rights, labour rights and women’s suffrage. Her book on socialism was burned by the Nazis. She died in 1968. Her birthplace is now a museum. Rest of story "
I had to check that out, here's one Google result: Helen Keller: why is a TikTok conspiracy theory undermining her story?
"When the internet is riddled with conspiracy theories, it can be difficult to decide which to worry about. While QAnon and Pizzagate are proving themselves to have radicalising potential with real-world repercussions, others are flourishing beneath the radar, or certainly going unnoticed by anyone over the age of 25. What I mean to say is: teenagers on TikTok doubt the existence of Helen Keller.
I know – I had to read that sentence a few times, too. How could Keller’s existence be up for debate? There is extant film footage of the author, activist and disability rights advocate, who became deafblind after a childhood illness, learned to communicate using hand gestures and to understand others through the Tadoma method, and learned how to speak. She attended Harvard, wrote 12 books and many more essays and lectures. Her autobiography was adapted for film and stage. She travelled the world, campaigning on civil rights, labour rights and women’s suffrage. Her book on socialism was burned by the Nazis. She died in 1968. Her birthplace is now a museum. Rest of story "
