I always said that independence is a characteristic I admire in people with disabilities. I have a hard time with people who pretend to be more impaired than they are just to get a "free ride." Recently, I began to like someone but I knew something didn't sit right with me. I realized what it was- he was unnecessarily sitting in a wheeelchair and he said it was fun. Later he qualified his statement but it didn't matter, he already set it. This lack of motivation to be independent really bothers me. Although part of his negative attitude is due to his surround-ings, however, if he was a true fighter, he wouldn't allow an environment to change anything. Am I being too harsh? Maybe but learned helplessness is not an endearing quality to me.