Axis Mundi X discussion

Would you rather go through life blind or deaf... I don't know how this choice would be thrust upon you but for debate sake just pick one... maybe a little skiff about why.

Deaf all the way. I get a little panicky when I can't see stuff.

I was kinda thinking the same thing… But a quite bedroom is so boring… And if you can’t see well… who cares how much damage gravity and age inflict.

N-I see your point (no pun). But just think, if you were deaf, you would be able to go see plays in sign language, and instead of clapping, you can do the "sparkle & shine" fingers like cheerleaders do... Wouldn't that be fun?

Was there an episode of the Cosby show when Theo was at a deaf play for some reason??? Hmmmmm...

Sprit fingers... Hmmm I think I will keep my hearing. Sprit fingers are pretty weak... Just saying.

I just think alternative methods of clapping are intersting. I could never have come up with that one on my own. And shame on the cheerleaders for stealing that move from deaf kids.

I'm an artist. That is how I make my living. I am also a writer. It's hard to write when you are blind. I LOVE my music... and I play music... but if I HAD to choose... it would be deaf over blind. I'd cry myself to sleep every night... but at least I'd be able to walk in the woods and watch my daughter grow.

Actually, in sign language, applause is more like jazz hands and shaking them a bit. Spirit fingers just wiggles the fingers.

--Sarah, the former cheerleader and sign language teacher's assistant

I took sign language for four semesters in college and all my instructors were deaf. What was interesting was that more important than learning the signs in the class was learning all about deaf culture. Deaf people are a tight knit group who are weary of outsiders. They feel that they have been subject to overwhelming discrimination by hearing folks and generally don't distinguish between folks that hear and make negative judgments against the deaf and those of us who just hear. I also found it interesting that many deaf people are against cochlear implants. They feel that hearing parents who have the procedure done to their deaf kids are doing them a disservice in the sense that they are excluding them from this other deaf world and also believe that not being able to hear has it's advantages. In a documentary I saw about the implants, one guy testified to tearing them out the same day they were put in b/c he couldn't stand all the harsh and "ugly" sounds.

I've thought about this question a lot and for me it's hard to say once you've grown up seeing and hearing. When you are fortunate enough to have those abilities your entire life it's hard to imagine being able to live without either of them. But I would probably choose deafness b/c a) I know the language and b) you can feel the rhythms of sound and if you already have the memory of that particular sound than it probably wouldn't be that bad. But bumping into walls and having to cross the street and not seeing the faces of my cats and friends and family etc. to know their expressions would suck. I mean, I can plug my fingers in my ears way longer than I can keep my eyes closed!

My husband and I have actually had this discussion. I chose deafness because I could still feel music through vibrations and songs are stored in my memory. I could manage to get through day to day without my hearing more so then without sight. Just the thought of never seeing a sunset, birds, flowers or another fall is so sad to me.

Deaf...without a doubt. As much as I love music and film, I have no doubt that I could be happy and independent as a deaf person. I went to school to interpret for the deaf, and had a lot of deaf friends in Texas, so that helps with the decision as well. To be blind would scare the life out of me, I would be too dependant on others. No matter what I had to give up, I could not give up my independence. I would just shrivel up and die!

Oh, Ian Anderson, your sweet sweet sound brings such bittersweet joy...

A gut reaction would be likely to be to choose deafness. However on reflection, i may choose blindness.

Perhaps depends on ones interactivity.. if one likes to mostly interact physically, in face to face encounters and is more receptive than ...(hmm im not sure what the opposite of receptive is in this case?) giving one's own opinion, then being deaf excludes one from the majority of the worlds population (unless they sign etc) (at least it excludes dialogue.. clearly one could still monologue) eg if an avid internet user and this is where most forms of communication take place rather than "irl" - then deafness is a much "easier option", when speaking in terms of communication.

Love of music would be the main reason for hesitating to choose deafness however.

Going blind, as an adult, would enable one's imagination to still be strong. One could still visualise everything one had seen and people one had seen before. It wouldnt exclude one from experiences either, as many things can be experienced with the other senses.

Hmm, i only meant to say 2 sentences heh.

Do you think that you would choose based on selfless reasons or selfish ones? (i wonder if choosing blindness would be less selfish than deafness? for above mentioned dialogue reasons)

To go without music or reading?! That's like choosing to go without breathing or eating. Could I just go deaf in one ear and blind in one eye? If I had to sacrifice, I would say hearing. I "hear" music playing in my head all the time, especially in the morning for some reason. If I went deaf now, I imagine I would still have that same catalogue of songs to play in mind. But never reading again? I may as well die.

I think I might go with deafness although it's a hard call. My first reaction is to go with blindness because I can feel my way around the house but leaving the house, traveling, etc. would be tough if you're blind. Like Keo, my hearing kind of sucks now anyway. I blame the Ramones.