This morning my eldest daughter sent me a essay to print out explaining why she would rather be deaf than blind. We talked about it on our way to school. I agreed with her despite my absolute love of music. My Ipod is the best present Ilona ever got me, except for Luka Brasi 
. My main reasons are that my family would probably dress me funny and well how to put this? How would you know you were done with the paperwork in the loo? Even going to lift weights at the Y would be problematic. I know that this is probably very shallow and perhaps odd, but really would you want to got through life looking crazy and maybe smelling none to fresh. You could hear a movie but obviously not watch it. Whereas if you were deaf you could watch a movie with subtitles. The book thing is 50/50, deaf could read, blind could listen to audio books.
So basically I guess the question is which would you rather be blind or deaf and why? I mean really deaf, not get a hearing aid and you’re good to go deaf.
P.S. Kate 4 snippit to follow shortly.
I rather be deaf than blind. I concur with many of your points: still watch movies/tv with subtitles, still see faces of family/friends, see surroundings, etc.
As to reading, listen to books can be fun, but I can read faster than listen to a book and skimming is easier.
I’d much rather be deaf than blind. That way I’d have a very good excuse when my family gets mad at me. That aside, I read so much more than I listen to music or watch tv or movies. I tend to live in my head quite a bit, so often times I don’t even hear what’s around me.. I can’t imagine being deaf would be such a huge stretch. But being blind? Not being able to see animals? the sunset? Walking around the beach looking at people with
their families and animals? To me, I think being deaf would be preferable to being blind.
And WOOOOT@ Kate 4 snippet!! Yay!!!
Your dog is adorable =)
I would rather be deaf. I know sign language. I have two friends: one is deaf [Jessie] and the other blind [Letrice]. Nobody would be able to guess that Jessie can’t hear. She’s independent. Trice on the other hand has depend on people for the most part and has been the focus of some really mean people.
Going for the deep questions, aren’t you? My beloved mom-in-law is without both now. It was bad enough for her to lose her hearing when she was in her 50′s, but when her sight went she’s lost almost all direct contact with the world. Of course, she’s sharp as anything and just passed her 90th birthday.
Because of her, my vote is I’d rather be deaf if I was given the chance. I’d so miss my music and the sound of birds and gentle chiding I get from my spouse, but sight is everything to me. I want to see the world around me.
I have thought about this question so many times! I always used to try cheating and asking for the option of one ear deaf and one eye blind… (not allowed???…shucks!)
Ultimately, i would have to go for being deaf. Although the thought of never listening to music and voices is a real wrench, simple freedoms like driving, flicking through a magazine, laughing at the random outfits my sister wears… they would be so horrible to live without! I couldn’t live without colour.
Someone told me once that people who are born blind have auditory dreams, but those who become blind later in life would continue to have visual ones.
Looking forward to the release of On the Edge
im a art college student and if i went blind any caeer as an illustrator would be over, so yes i would rather go deaf.^^
deaf. I want to have kids and the thought that maybe I would not be able to see my own child with my own eyes somehow pains me.
also, though I love music, losing the ability to read would be worse. I’mnot that fond of audio books.
as it is, I’m very glad that I’m healthy and hope to stay that way.
You are going for the deep questions… I would rather be deaf. I love photography, reading, and cooking, in that order. To lose my sight would devistate me in these areas. I would manage but I would not want to. Thanks for the coming snippet.
I would also much rather be deaf than blind, because you don’t lose as much contact with the world around you. There are also so many more things you wouldn’t be able to do when you’re blind, like most sports.
I’m reaaaaaaaaaaally looking forward to the Kate 4 snippet. I’m rather new to your books, but I’m completely addicted to them now. I’m dying to know what happens next between Kate and Curran
If I had to choose – I guess Id be deaf cause it is less isolating and sign language is a beautiful thing.
WORD! If I had to choose I would rather be deaf too.. Kate 4 snippet! OOOOHHH YAAAAHH! Now I have 2 things to look forward to “The Edge” release and a yummy snippet.
i can’t say because i’m superstitious.
I would rather be deaf. I need my eye sight for my career. I want to be able to see my children when they are first born (and when i have some) the only thing i would miss would be music but all i would have to do is turn the volume up and stand next to the speakers and feel the vibrations to know what type of song it is.
Ooooo a sneaky snippet… exciting
I’d rather be deaf than blind, absolutely. Until I had LASIK surgery about 5 years ago, I had terrible eyesight so being completely blind has always been a phobia of mine. Also, I process information a hundred times better with my eyes than with my ears so, for me, audio books can’t replace reading. Maybe with practice my hearing skills would improve, but I wouldn’t like to bet on it.
the book thing is not as simple as that
sign language is so different than a simple text to them is completely bizarre in construction.
I knew several people who are deaf and they simply do not read, it’s too complicated and alien for them.
But i’d rather be deaf as well, i’ve suffered from serious myopia since i was born, as a child i never saw faces (not good with faces to this day).
But i have a blind uncle and he nearly died (instead was only crippled) in an elevator accident, they put a sign but didn’t disable the doors, so the doors opened but no elevator there…
when i walk around i listen to music very loudly on the iphone, so i don’t usually hear people around me, and even those i’ve had a couple of near accidents, i can still navigate streets well, whereas a blind person needs to know where he’s going and will often need help crossing roads.
I am with colleenlaughs. Do not want to challenge the fates by giving an answer. YIKES!
The essay wasn’t a school assignment, was it???
I guess it could worse. It could be health class and you have to choose an STD to pretend to be infected with and then write about the disease you “have”. :O TRUE STORY!
Picture my 12 year old brother coming home from school saying, “Mom I have gonorrhea, can you help me figure out how to get rid of it?” My Mom almost fell over.
It was a school assignment for her language arts class.
Seems to be the majority, but I have to agree that I would much rather be deaf. I have a degree in American Sign Language/English interpretation so I know sign language already (and most of my close friends already know sign too – added plus!).
I have to say that not getting to hear music would absolutely kill me for awhile but being blind would be much much harder for me.
Got to answer different. Having a mother-in-law who went deaf, I’d have to say blind, since I’m fairly social.
Being deaf is incredibly isolating, sure you can learn sign language, but how many people do you know will be able to respond or understand? You no longer can chat with friends, call up grandkids and catch up, sit in a group of buddies and just hang out and visit. Texting isn’t the same. You don’t know why people are laughing, crying or upset around you. It can make you paranoid…are they laughing or mad at me?
She couldn’t communicate well with children, would get frustrated when she wasn’t understood, or worse, had misunderstood what they asked of her and she unwittingly agreed to something she didn’t want.
The worst is if you are hard of hearing or deaf, you are frequently treated as if you are severely slow by most people. That brilliant, educated woman was patted on the hand and had people treating her with pity because they didn’t know deaf didn’t mean stupid.
It really changed my whole outlook.
I would rather be deaf. I can’t imagine never seeing my husband or my kids grow (well my husband doesn’t need to grow anymore
). They grow so darn fast already I have to look twice.
I agree for the same reason not seeing my husband or son would broke my heart. as long as the most important people know sign it wouldnt bother me so much.
I have to go with deaf too. I love my music but I can’t imagine not being able to read or see my family. I also know some sign language so at least I would have some sort of starting point.
Darn it, I read a really funny joke once about the bathroom thing and Daredevil… and now I can’t remember it. I’ll probably remember it three months from now and have to come back and post it on principle.
I have to go with the majority. I would rather be deaf. Although it is hard. Would I rather see my children or would I rather easily communicate with my children? I would hate to not be able to see them, but so many times I’ve heard a thump and a wail from the other room and run in to see what my toddler has done to himself. What if I couldn’t hear that any more.
But, selfishly, how much of the internet, gaming, and the rest of my hobbies would I have to redefine or miss out on. When I have free time I am usually scrapbooking, cross stitching, quilting, or playing MMORPGs or LAN games with my friends.
I know nothing is impossible when you are blind, but so many things I love would be so much more difficult.
I’d rather be deaf, than blind, hehe… although I don’t want to be either, but if I had a choice, then I’d rather be blind. I’m not really a fan of audio books, and I’d much rather imagine things when I read rather than just hear it….
Huh? I don’t hear so well anyway, so I’ll cast my vote for deaf.
LOL @ paperwork in the loo. Excellent point though.
Deaf definitely.T
The I’d have the perfect excuse to get up and walk away from someone saying something stupid.
I mean, I get up and leave now, but I have no excuse and I’m pretty sure they are calling me nasty names under their breathe.
If I had to choose, it would be deaf. I can’t imagine not being able to see my daughter or forgo the pleasure of reading a book..
Here’s one for U. My little Bichon dog is a diabetic.
She has to have 2 shots a day. The insulin, is making
her blind, she doesn’t mind it at all. As a family
(husband,3 sons, 4 granddaughters myself) have all
wished it would have been her voice taken and not
her eyesight. The dog groomer says my little dog has
The most God awful voice she has ever heard, we all
agree!
I have to say I would rather be deaf than be blind. This is mainly because, in my opinion, we have more societal visual cues than we have audio cues. For example, although some street intersections are starting to have different beeping sounds to let blind people know when to cross the street, many intersections still only have the visual walk lights. I think it would be easier for me to be independent as a deaf person than as a blind person. I would still be able to talk, even if I have to learn to read lips or sign language to know what someone is saying back to me. Although using the phone would be awkward, I could still contact people by email and IM. I’m already used to reading subtitles on movies thanks to anime.
Deaf. I would be devastated not to see the faces of my grandchildren.
I am apparently one of the few who would rather be blind. I couldn’t live without music. A life of silence would drive me insane. Blindness also heightens the sense of hearing. I would miss being able to see a man’s face… but I could touch it.
Alternatively, if I went deaf, there is a small possibility I would be able to hear music I’d already heard.. as has been documented with a few cases of hearing loss. Blindness would take away photography from me (although there are a few blind photographers), as well as faces, fire, animals, and television/games and such. I just hope I’d be ready to live with either one should something happen.
Honestly, losing my hearing would possibly be the worst thing for me. I would go insane in under a day if I had nothing to listen to besides my nearly constant inner monologues. I would simply get sick of listening to myself rant.
This for me is really a question of necessity or extremely useful utility. Eye sight would be definitely missed and would require adaptation, but I can’t imagine losing hearing.