Very disappointed in this episode. The parallel between Cyborg's suit and a disabled person's aids has been drawn before, and I thought it was well handled. In this episode, Cy talks about his mechanical muscles having "limitations" - which is to say a finite amount of power. He laments not being able to build up his speed and strength through training, the way he could when he was an athlete. This surely strikes a chord with many disabled people, especially those living with an acquired disability.
So, what does Cy do? Does he find an inventive way of overcoming his limitations? Does he find a way to work within them and still win? Does he, in fact, do anything that might inspire a person living with limits to find a real solution? No. He simply "tries harder", "puts his mind to it", and "believes in himself". All very Hollywood, but totally useless in reality.
In the first scene, Cyborg has a terrific line: "When I say I can't, I mean I *can't*!" Great to hear, from a strong and confident character. Hey kids: it's okay to accept that some things are out of reach. If you genuinely are giving it your best shot and you can't do it, then you can't. Happens to us all. 100% is all there is to give. Find another way around the problem. Unfortunately, by the end of the episode, big strong Cy has caved and is toeing the party line: "If I put my mind to it, there's nothing I can't achieve!" Hey kids: if you accept your limits and try to work within them then you are weak and cowardly. There's no such word as can't! We can all give 110% if we just "try harder". Ugh!
Would you tell a blind man to "try harder" to see? Would you tell a person in a motorised wheelchair to "try harder" and the chair will go faster? Would you tell an average guy on the street to "try harder" to leap tall buildings? Or would you rather people with limitations (and that's every single person on the planet, BTW) be encouraged to get creative and work within those limits to achieve great things?
So, what does Cy do? Does he find an inventive way of overcoming his limitations? Does he find a way to work within them and still win? Does he, in fact, do anything that might inspire a person living with limits to find a real solution? No. He simply "tries harder", "puts his mind to it", and "believes in himself". All very Hollywood, but totally useless in reality.
In the first scene, Cyborg has a terrific line: "When I say I can't, I mean I *can't*!" Great to hear, from a strong and confident character. Hey kids: it's okay to accept that some things are out of reach. If you genuinely are giving it your best shot and you can't do it, then you can't. Happens to us all. 100% is all there is to give. Find another way around the problem. Unfortunately, by the end of the episode, big strong Cy has caved and is toeing the party line: "If I put my mind to it, there's nothing I can't achieve!" Hey kids: if you accept your limits and try to work within them then you are weak and cowardly. There's no such word as can't! We can all give 110% if we just "try harder". Ugh!
Would you tell a blind man to "try harder" to see? Would you tell a person in a motorised wheelchair to "try harder" and the chair will go faster? Would you tell an average guy on the street to "try harder" to leap tall buildings? Or would you rather people with limitations (and that's every single person on the planet, BTW) be encouraged to get creative and work within those limits to achieve great things?
