What Is "Deaf Culture"?

[Benji]

Geeeze, you deaf (or partially deaf) people ... you seem to want things from us NORMAL people like looking at you when we talk and speaking clearly. Next thing you are going to want is for us not to cut in line ahead of you, to let you change lanes when you are trying to get off the interstate, and gods forbid, the right to vote.

 

:king: Dr. Mr. Snow :snowy: Dog

 

P.S. For those of you who aren't sure, I was being sarcastic.

 

 

.....You mean you normal hearing people want to be looked when being spoken to?? ...hahah!! I do have a pet peeve when people I know (and they know about my hearing) pull that "talk to the back routine".

[rknapp]

Have you looked up 'disability' in a dictionary?

It has nothing to do with being born in a certain way. I was born with brown hair and hazel eyes - that is not a disability. I was not born blind or deaf, which would have been a disability.

 

A disability: 1. State of being disabled; deprivation or want of ability.

Hearimg is an ability. Deaf people do not have it (or have it to a lesser degree) therefore they are disabled.

 

A better question is, did you read that definition? It seems that you missed the third to last word -- want. If so many people in the Deaf community do not want the ability to hear than how can you say they are disabled?

 

Of course, according to that definition many little boys are disabled because they want to fly like Superman, but can't. Therefore I would take that definition with a grain of salt.

 

If you don't like that analogy, then how about this: Many humans are very mathematically inclined. Therefore solving an advanced calculus equation is an ability -- one that many people do not have. Are these people mentally disabled?

Many men my age are capable of doing many sets of push-ups or pull-ups in one sitting. I lack this ability. Am I physically disabled?

 

Not wanting the ability to hear, or see, or do math, or do push-ups means that not being able to do them isn't hampering our lives. The only thing Frost can't do is be a switchboard operator. If he doesn't want to be one, then how is he disabled?

 

I'm not sure what you're arguing here. That just because there is some partial ability doesn't mean that there is no disability? A blind person uses sound more than a sighted person to get information about his surroundings. Does that mean he's not blind? He still can't see the stars in the sky, so he still has a disability.

A blind man uses the sounds around him to "see" just as a deaf man uses the sights and vibrations around him to "hear". Therefore I would argue that they are not totally disabled (assuming that they want these a abilities, in which case the above definition would label them disabled). They have some ability to do these things

 

Presuming that you mean my thought process is ignorant and/or that I am ignorant, in what way is it ignorant? If there is some information that I have wrong or if my understanding of some information is wrong, please let me know. Merely saying someone is ignorant doesn't really help the discussion.

Wrongly assuming something about someone is being ignorant. Some people may agree with you, and that's fine, however I strongly believe that much of what you are saying is not true simply because you yourself are a member of the hearing world. You're assuming that deaf people should want to hear, but who are you to make such a decision or assumption for them?

[Benji]

I strongly believe that much of what you are saying is not true simply because you yourself are a member of the hearing world. You're assuming that deaf people should want to hear, but who are you to make such a decision or assumption for them?

 

 

.............Actually, I think the hearing impaired people prefer to not be considered themselves being labeled as disabled. In general, there are some who do not wish to 'hear', just as there are some who wish to hear.

[Rakuten06]

I agree with rknapp, it's wrong to assume for the other communities even if you're not of the community. I'm deaf, I know that few of the deaf people does want to hear, but most deaf people realize that deafness is a gift, a community to share stories, laugh, talk and enjoy the company of others. Even if anyone labels deafness as a disability, it means they thought that we can't do anything because we're deaf, that's wrong! we CAN do anything but hear!

[Masked Monkey]

I agree with rknapp

of course you do , Robbie is a stud

 

:king: Dr. Mr. Snow :snowy: Dog

[Jack Frost]

Even if anyone labels deafness as a disability, it means they thought that we can't do anything because we're deaf, that's wrong! we CAN do anything but hear!

Some of us can hear, but with aids, you know?

 

Technically it's disablity, but I don't think of it that way. I just think of it was a normal thing in my life. What annoys me a lot that many people keep treating it as such and act a little differently for me. Seriously, don't do that...just treat me like everyone else. I never ever mention I am deaf because it's not my place to annouce it to people and it shouldn't be a factor either. It annoys me so much when my boyfriend does it and makes a huge deal out of it. Like telling some people that "Oh he's deaf by the way" during my apartment hunt and I nearly killed him....especially when the person on the other end of the phone made a huge fuss out of it and ruined my chance to get an apartment. I am not obligated to tell people whatsoever unless I think it's necessary to do so. At a job interview, I don't tell them. I tell them after I get hired so they know my position. It took a while to get my message really clear to my boyfriend and his mother. C'mon....

 

I do want to hear, but I lived my whole life hearing with hearing aids and I go insane when both of my hearing aids break down and not hear a thing for days.

Edited June 17, 2008 by Jack Frost

[rknapp]

Some of us can hear, but with aids, you know?

 

Technically it's disablity, but I don't think of it that way. I just think of it was a normal thing in my life. What annoys me a lot that many people keep treating it as such and act a little differently for me. Seriously, don't do that...just treat me like everyone else. I never ever mention I am deaf because it's not my place to annouce it to people and it shouldn't be a factor either. It annoys me so much when my boyfriend does it and makes a huge deal out of it. Like telling some people that "Oh he's deaf by the way" during my apartment hunt and I nearly killed him....especially when the person on the other end of the phone made a huge fuss out of it and ruined my chance to get an apartment. I am not obligated to tell people whatsoever unless I think it's necessary to do so. At a job interview, I don't tell them. I tell them after I get hired so they know my position. It took a while to get my message really clear to my boyfriend and his mother. C'mon....

 

I do want to hear, but I lived my whole life hearing with hearing aids and I go insane when both of my hearing aids break down and not hear a thing for days.

I hope he doesn't still do that? I can understand if he did it initially because I he didn't realize what would happen, but it can't continue. Just like a gay person, you can't tell if someone is deaf simply by looking at them. Also like gay people, there is no reason to tell someone that you are deaf unless it's necessary (in your case, Jack, this is true, though in Rakuten06's case it isn't).

 

I personally hate the word disability because I see "disabled" people all the time who are completely capable of doing many of the things I do, including those who can't use their legs, or don't have legs (in which case they can't use them).

[Benji]

I hope he doesn't still do that? I can understand if he did it initially because I he didn't realize what would happen, but it can't continue. Just like a gay person, you can't tell if someone is deaf simply by looking at them. Also like gay people, there is no reason to tell someone that you are deaf unless it's necessary (in your case, Jack, this is true, though in Rakuten06's case it isn't).

 

I personally hate the word disability because I see "disabled" people all the time who are completely capable of doing many of the things I do, including those who can't use their legs, or don't have legs (in which case they can't use them).

 

 

........It's kind of interesting how many of us are hearing impaired (don't know if it a higher than norm number or not on GA site) and the severity of each of our hearing loss. I stated mine, I concluded Jack needs hearing aids (won't work for me BTW) pardon me for asking but Rakuten06 is 100% deaf, am I right? Then it seems there are at least two or three more that chimed in on this thread.

[Rakuten06]

Yes, Benji. I have severe hearing loss (100%), doesn't need hearing aids but need only a paper and pen to solve the communication problems every time I wanted to walk in downtown...

[rknapp]

My hearing isn't as spectacular as it could be, but that's due to listening to loud music a lot. I have completely overhauled the sound system in my car so that it now produces around 744 watts RMS, (they don't call my subwoofers "Road Thunder" for nothing lol) plus the nifty sound system on my computer and a decent home theater (5-CD changer stereo with aux. inputs and subwoofers built into each main speaker, plus three satellite speakers). I recall taking a hearing test that someone had posted here a while ago and found that my hearing is only slightly below the average for my age, but sometimes I can't hear people speaking and need them to repeat themselves and there seems to be a near-constant ringing in my head, even in complete silence. It's not a terrible ringing, but just barely noticeable.

[Graeme]

I'm jumping in late, but I thought I should give my views on one of the topics of discussion:

 

Yes, being deaf is a disability. However, what is being left off is the fact that disabilities range from minor and trivial, through to major.

 

In many situations, being deaf is not a disability because it has no impact. As an example, being deaf is insignificant when working online as there is still very little content that requires the ability to hear. As such, being deaf can be a minor disability.

 

A deaf person can have a restricted ability to communicate in some situations -- the example above about the couple at the theatre is a good one. But in many cases, that's no different to someone who lives in a country where they don't speak the language, with the added complication of never being able to speak that language.

 

On the other hand, sometimes a deaf person has an enhanced ability to communication, such as the example of being able to communicate in a noisy environment.

 

What is really important is how a person copes with a disability. As has been mentioned above, there are people without limbs who, while technically disabled, are able to do everything they want to do because they have that mindset -- are they really disabled? I even recall hearing of someone who was blind who learnt to drive... :wacko:

 

My first job was located near the Victorian College for the Deaf. I was always impressed by the kids on the tram communicating happily. As far as I could tell, they were normal teenagers who simply used a different language.

 

In the interest of disclosure, I have a minor disability -- I'm short sighted and astigmatic and have needed corrective lenses since I was ten. I don't consider that minor disability to be significant, or something that defines me in any way. I certainly don't belong to a 'short sighted' culture

[Jack Frost]

I hope he doesn't still do that? I can understand if he did it initially because I he didn't realize what would happen, but it can't continue. Just like a gay person, you can't tell if someone is deaf simply by looking at them. Also like gay people, there is no reason to tell someone that you are deaf unless it's necessary (in your case, Jack, this is true, though in Rakuten06's case it isn't).

 

I personally hate the word disability because I see "disabled" people all the time who are completely capable of doing many of the things I do, including those who can't use their legs, or don't have legs (in which case they can't use them).

No, he doesn't. After so many pissed-off moments, he let it go. About time too, or otherwise he's up in the shitcrik.

[GaryK]

Ben, I had no idea you were deaf. It's amazing the things you learn about someone even after knowing them for awhile. I grew up with a cousin who was profoundly deaf and I learned early on that he needed to see my lips to understand what I was saying. To this day I don't even have to give it any conscious thought when we're talking. It was weird for awhile when we were kids because I'm used to someone looking me in the eyes when we're talking and Mitch always looks at my mouth. Eh, it's no big deal. He's one of my favorite cousins and he's an absolute blast to be around. Despite his deafness he has earned two college degrees dealing with psychology, so to me that proves being deaf is not a disability. A challenge perhaps. But certainly not a disability.