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JonRobrt · 10-14-2007, 07:42 AM

doh,

Yes, I could mute the sound but, my main point was with regards to those (people) who are deaf from birth! It would be pompous for me to suggest, even with the sound muted, that I could ever truly gain their perspective. I could try but, I have experienced something (sound) and developed neural pathways they can never have. It is simply apples and oranges. Art for most is visual and sometimes can include sound (think Foley artists). Other artistic displays, pantomime for example, can be completely silent and wonderful to observe (Tia Chi can look beautifully poetic) but, do they generate the same types of physiological responses that music does to the listener? Such a study could be done and the results would be very interesting to me. When I first began studying ASL I used to think that, if I had to lose one of my senses, I would pick my hearing. Why? Because it would be 'easier' to live independently (though blind people can be 100% independent too). Now, as I gain more of the Deaf perspective, I am questioning my, "what if..." scenario. Music has moved me to tears, brought me great joy and generated so many different wonderful feelings inside me that I do ache with remorse for the Deaf from time to time. I KNOW they do not want pity. All I am saying is that I never really considered deafness a big deal and ultimately, I suppose that is the goal of the Deaf community as a whole but now, the impact of this loss of sense is becoming more apparent to me than ever. It is true: losing the ability to experience music is a tragedy on whatever level of importance you wish to place there and the video on Amy's Vlog of the Bison Song and the excitement generated in those kids is the REAL example of what music can do. Music needs to be FELT to be experience or, it is simply NOT music, it is visual performance art... Sorry so long kids:-((

Have a great Sunday!
John

NOTE: Some deaf do look poetic and their signing can look quited beautiful, my teachers fascinate me with the rythmic beauty of their signing and the "stillness" lends to a peacefulness for the Hearing that is hard to describe!

10-14-2007, 07:42 AM	#9 (permalink)
JonRobrt Hearing ASL student Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: St. Louis Mo Posts: 54	doh, Yes, I could mute the sound but, my main point was with regards to those (people) who are deaf from birth! It would be pompous for me to suggest, even with the sound muted, that I could ever truly gain their perspective. I could try but, I have experienced something (sound) and developed neural pathways they can never have. It is simply apples and oranges. Art for most is visual and sometimes can include sound (think Foley artists). Other artistic displays, pantomime for example, can be completely silent and wonderful to observe (Tia Chi can look beautifully poetic) but, do they generate the same types of physiological responses that music does to the listener? Such a study could be done and the results would be very interesting to me. When I first began studying ASL I used to think that, if I had to lose one of my senses, I would pick my hearing. Why? Because it would be 'easier' to live independently (though blind people can be 100% independent too). Now, as I gain more of the Deaf perspective, I am questioning my, "what if..." scenario. Music has moved me to tears, brought me great joy and generated so many different wonderful feelings inside me that I do ache with remorse for the Deaf from time to time. I KNOW they do not want pity. All I am saying is that I never really considered deafness a big deal and ultimately, I suppose that is the goal of the Deaf community as a whole but now, the impact of this loss of sense is becoming more apparent to me than ever. It is true: losing the ability to experience music is a tragedy on whatever level of importance you wish to place there and the video on Amy's Vlog of the Bison Song and the excitement generated in those kids is the REAL example of what music can do. Music needs to be FELT to be experience or, it is simply NOT music, it is visual performance art... Sorry so long kids:-(( Have a great Sunday! John NOTE: Some deaf do look poetic and their signing can look quited beautiful, my teachers fascinate me with the rythmic beauty of their signing and the "stillness" lends to a peacefulness for the Hearing that is hard to describe! Last edited by JonRobrt; 10-14-2007 at 08:09 AM.