Poll: That old dillema! Blind or Deaf?

[krazykidd]

Deaf, at least i could still play Video games, which is my only hobby, plus i like Jrpgs, so a lot of reading going on there ( yes i still put subtitles). Although theres probably a few games with voices and no subtitles, can't remember any names, but i know theres some. Anwyays, I rather be deaf than blind for that reason.Plus i could still walk around without any problem, and people couldn't tell i'm deaf just by looking at me, and i hate music ( all kind of music i absolutley hate it ).

 

[DanielDeFig]

I'm torn, I love music too much to give up my hearing. But almost none of my hobbies are possible without sight.

I guess I'd rather be deaf the. "looking" for new music would be a challenge if blind.

 

[Amphoteric]

If I was Blind I would need help if I needed to go anywhere. If I was deaf I could still get around without assistance.

I would rather be deaf no question.

Also Being blind means no internet and no video games.

 

[Slayer_2]

Dead, easy. Just crossing the street is scary as hell if you're blind. Being deaf would suck, but it's 10x better than being blind.

 

[Kanatatsu]

deaf and it's not close. anyone who says otherwise hasn't thought this through well enough, no matter how much they like music or whatever.

being blind is crippling. being deaf is inconvenient.

 

[Mutough]

Neither.

 

[Restoshamankk]

Blind, I'd rather be able to hear than see. A persons opinions are the only thing that matter anyway, not appearances

 

[Wushu Panda]

Find a place where I can buy the entire Wheel of Time series in braille, find a place where I can buy all my text books in braille, find movies that I can enjoy without seeing anything find a game that can be enjoyed without seeing anything.
Being deaf is no joke, but being blind would mean I would have to learn to do everything I do now in a different way. I know how to read, but reading braille really can't be compared to reading normal letters. I can read it if I see the dots, but not by using my finger. My favourite activities require eyesight though being able to hear enhances them it's not essential.

The blind can order any textbook/book in braille or on tape. And yes you can use your fingers, every blind person does...that's the point of Braille, raised dots.

Do you really think being deaf wouldn't alter anything? How are you going to enjoy movies when you cant hear suspenseful music or the tone of anyone's voice? How can you play sports if you can't hear your coach yell commands, or friends saying they're open? Did you miss when I also noted that Deaf also do not speak well. It doesn't matter if you become deaf from birth or halfway through your life, deaf people cannot form words well at all because hearing is an essential part of speaking.

I'm not trying to say you're wrong. But most people on this thread are seriously underestimating the cons of being deaf, and actin g as if will only be a slight hindrance compared to blindness.

 

[Wushu Panda]

First off, I wanna make everyone aware of the movie See No Evil, Hear No Evil [link]http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098282/[/link]. Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder, great watch.
I choose blind but would want a deaf buddy as in the movie.

I would rather be deaf, because you can still read and participate in society when you are deaf. But don't think of it too lightly; Deaf means you will never be able to listen to music again, and never have that much fun at festivals and concert!

What the hell do you think Braille is numb-nuts? Blind people can read too.

I know there is a huge deaf community in the world, but I think being blind would have a much greater effect on my social life than being deaf would.
I wouldn't be able to read anymore (even IF I would learn Braille, still I would only be able to read books that were translated into Braille) And what about this forum or Internet itself! Also, I'm a big movie fan, and I wouldn't want to give that up. (I'm an even bigger music fan, but therein lies the dillema for me personally)

The fact that I was the one who first USED the word braille in this topic makes it's safe to say I know what braille is.

Then why didnt you take that into account in your FIRST post? Instead you just imply the blind are useless. Why do you assume the blind cannot participate in society? I see blind people all the time doing just fine in society.

A friend of my family is deaf. She was a student of archaeology on a dig in South America. She didn't know sign language because she had a very special and expensive computer to communicate for her. The first day or two of working the computer broke and she was stuck in a foreign country with people she didn't know very well, unable to communicate with anyone. For weeks she couldn't do anything but sit in the hotel room.

Blind people get awesome loyal dogs to help them cross streets, deaf people get useless shouts of "watch out" before the truck ultimately runs them over.

 

[SuperToaster]

Blind.

I'll miss seeing this world...
But i'd rather listen to it's sounds.

 

[RaffB]

Deaf

I would hate to miss out on the amazing sights and artistic creations that this world has to offer. I can survive without music, I can most definitely survive without hearing some people, and those who I would miss hearing would still be able to communicate.

 

[N_of_the_dead]

I'm big on reading, video games and watching movies...so yeah I'm gonna go with being deaf over blind

 

[internetzealot1]

Humans get 90% of their information about their surroundings from sight, so yeah, no-brainer.

 

[Ravenbom]

Blind, wouldn't matter if I dated butterfaces and it wouldn't matter who gives you BJs.
And I could pretend I was Daredevil.

Also, I'm a musician and it would kill me to lose music. It would suck not being able to drive anymore though. And you pretty much need someone to take care of you, which sucks.


I think I'm mostly picking blindness to go against the grain.

 

[Alar]

I can't exactly answer this one... or vote. Why? Because sound is so important to us as modern, first world humans. Movies and TV without sound? Never to hear music again? Not registering the sound effects in video games? Unable to tell if someone is talking to us when we're not looking at them? Not to mention detecting danger.

But sight... the things we see have so many functions. Guiding us as we move and travel, helping us orient our locations, letting us know who we're interacting with before they even speak, (also) detecting dangers before they get to us. And that's not to mention seeing art, and natural landscapes, and other things of beauty (and people of beauty!).

I don't know if I could choose.

 

[loc978]

Either would suck, but deafness is easier to overcome, what with still being able to feel vibrations and see where you're going. Plus, I know a lot of people who know American Sign Language.

 

[TheMariner]

Blind. No question. There has been research and testing into various ways to restore both sight to the blind and hearing to the deaf. However, until that technology becomes available to John Q. Public, I'd never give up music by choice.

 

[Death God]

Way too much beauty in the world to be blind so deaf. Plus, being deaf, you can not have to deal with distraction anymore.

 

[Yopaz]

Find a place where I can buy the entire Wheel of Time series in braille, find a place where I can buy all my text books in braille, find movies that I can enjoy without seeing anything find a game that can be enjoyed without seeing anything.
Being deaf is no joke, but being blind would mean I would have to learn to do everything I do now in a different way. I know how to read, but reading braille really can't be compared to reading normal letters. I can read it if I see the dots, but not by using my finger. My favourite activities require eyesight though being able to hear enhances them it's not essential.

The blind can order any textbook/book in braille or on tape. And yes you can use your fingers, every blind person does...that's the point of Braille, raised dots.

Do you really think being deaf wouldn't alter anything? How are you going to enjoy movies when you cant hear suspenseful music or the tone of anyone's voice? How can you play sports if you can't hear your coach yell commands, or friends saying they're open? Did you miss when I also noted that Deaf also do not speak well. It doesn't matter if you become deaf from birth or halfway through your life, deaf people cannot form words well at all because hearing is an essential part of speaking.

I'm not trying to say you're wrong. But most people on this thread are seriously underestimating the cons of being deaf, and actin g as if will only be a slight hindrance compared to blindness.

So I am not sure if you understood me. In theory I have no problems reading braille. I know what the dots mean, I just have problems being able to feel them. I have tried to learn it for a long time. I blindfold myself and try to read braille, but I don't think my fingers are sensitive enough to make me do it without problems.
Eyesight is important both for my interests and my profession. I would have to learn sign language and while that would be hard the difference is that I would be MORE likely to get hired than I already am, and trust me I wont have any problems getting a job when I am done with my education.
However being deaf is horrible and I wont deny that. It makes it almost impossible to communicate with anyone who isn't dead I can never listen to music and even games and movies lose some of their value. All in all though if I lose my eyesight I will lose almost everything I care about. Most of my hobbies and my aspects of getting a job would disappear with my eyesight. Loss of hearing would increase my chances of getting a job, make me lose one of my main interests and dull some others.

 

[Wushu Panda]

So I am not sure if you understood me. In theory I have no problems reading braille. I know what the dots mean, I just have problems being able to feel them. I have tried to learn it for a long time. I blindfold myself and try to read braille, but I don't think my fingers are sensitive enough to make me do it without problems.
Eyesight is important both for my interests and my profession. I would have to learn sign language and while that would be hard the difference is that I would be MORE likely to get hired than I already am, and trust me I wont have any problems getting a job when I am done with my education.
However being deaf is horrible and I wont deny that. It makes it almost impossible to communicate with anyone who isn't dead I can never listen to music and even games and movies lose some of their value. All in all though if I lose my eyesight I will lose almost everything I care about. Most of my hobbies and my aspects of getting a job would disappear with my eyesight. Loss of hearing would increase my chances of getting a job, make me lose one of my main interests and dull some others.

Of course I cant understand you, you havent been doing a very good job of explaining yourself. "Being deaf is no joke, but being blind would mean I would have to learn to do everything I do now in a different way." It doesnt matter if youre blind or deaf, youre gonna be relearning skills. Did you even consider that balance is a skill based on the inner ear? Depending on how you become deaf youll probably have trouble walking.

Blindfolding yourself doesnt exactly simulate actually being blind. Just because you wrap some cloth around your eyes doesnt mean your brain stops dedicating ability towards those muscles. You dont have the NEED to pick up Braille so the learning is slower. You still have use of all 5 senses, so Touch hasnt been finely tuned.

Exactly how would loosing hearing increase your chances of getting hired? Do you plan to work at Walmart or is your field of study flexing your oral orifice to imbibe copious amounts of male reproductive organs?