Practically Human (I/DD Human Dignity) Part 2

Last week we talked about what it means to be human – and what determines the value of a human being. Is it intrinsic (relational, based on their inherent value as a person with whom we can relate), or extrinsic (transactional, based on what that person can do or provide for me in the moment)?

In the human services field, especially in providing supports to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities (IDD), it is crucial to see every human being as intrinsically valuable – regardless of what they can or can’t do for me. The individuals we serve at Cheyenne Village have a whole host of issues like Cerebral Palsy, Down’s Syndrome, Autism, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, or traumatic brain injuries sustained before the age of 22. This is sometimes paired with mental health issues like depression, bipolar disorder, or borderline personality disorder. Their care can intensive – and expensive. While some may interact happily, others may offer little to no interaction.

So with all this expense, and all the work involved, why is it worth it? The answer is simple: because they are human beings with intrinsic worth and value. If we do not believe this, then there is no point in providing the challenging and costly services necessary for their care. They are, in the words of Charles Dickens, part of the “surplus population.”

A philosophical note to follow up on last week: All things have some intrinsic value to varying degrees. Substance is inherently valuable on at least some small level. But rocks are primarily valuable because they provide minerals for our use, an object to skip on the water for our amusement, or beauty. Plants provide carbon dioxide/oxygen exchange, food, the basis of many medicines and also beauty. Animals provide companionship (many animals do have a pre-frontal cortex, however less developed, and so can bond to people), sometimes food, clothing and labor for us. All of these things – among many others – make non-humans extrinsically valuable to varying degrees.

Not so with human beings. Or – at least – not as it should be. We care for others because we can – because they are human and for that alone, deserve whatever care we can give them. It’s why funding like Medicaid is so important. When we care for those who are most in need among us, we are at our most intrinsically human.