Have you ever been asked "Would you rather be deaf or blind?"

I think I have..if someone would ask me that randomly I think I'd pick deaf over blind. In my point of view I would rather live in a silent world then a black world.

My ASL teacher last year said he got mad because his twin brother picked blind because he wanted to listen to music.

If you're hearing what would you pick? Sorry it's a bit of topic, just wanna see what people would pick.

If you're deaf would you keep your deafness rather than go blind?

Since I never experienced what it is like to hear normally, I really cant compare deafness and blindness. Because sight is everything to me, I would stick with deafness.

My friend and I discussed this a while back. He said that hearing people have told him they would rather be blind than Deaf. I told him that was funny because all of my hearing friends that have met him have all said they would rather be Deaf than blind. He said that he would rather be Deaf than blind as would I. I said being deaf you can do anything I can do except hear. Being blind there are many more limitations on you. As a hearing person I would rather Deaf than blind. Especially since I have so many Deaf friends and know sign it would not be as difficult a transition.

How about "neither?"

Since I'm totally deafblind, I'd rather be normally hearing and sighted.

If I *had* to pick one disability over the other, I'd pick blindness only because it's all I've ever known. If I were born Deaf, I'd probably choose deafness.

Unless someone has had experience with deafness *and* blindness, it's really difficult to make a fair comparison of both disabilities.

Southern: What kind of limitations do you think blind people have? Can you share some examples?
Of course, driving is one of them , but what are some others? Perhaps I can share some of my own experiences as a congenitally blind person to prove otherwise. Personally, I've never thought of my blindness as being limiting in any way...

When I attended my local deafblind center, I learned that people who are born with one disability and acquire a second disability later in life have the most difficulty adjusting to/accepting the second disability. I was also told that most Deaf people prefer deafness over blindness while most congenitally blind people prefer blindness over deafness. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense considering how the Deaf rely on their vision and the blind rely on their hearing.

I'm deaf I would choose deaf than being blind, no offended to those who are blind, I would rather to have my sight to see the beauty in all things, than being blind and hear all the sounds in life.

Yes driving is one. Until recently using the internet, now you have the braille display which is great technology. A lot of places to eat have their menues on the wall behind the counter unless some one tells you what is there you will not know. Things of that nature. Of course there are plenty of things that blind can do, and if they can hear, they can hear much better than hearing people. I knew when i said that some one would say something about it and i actually thought about you when i said it, but i would rather people be honest with me and not patronize and i think if i didn't give my honest opinion that is what i would be doing to people. (being honest and being rude are two different things and i hope i wasn't rude, if so i do appologise) It just seems that we depend on our eyes for so much even more than our ears. Think of all the technology that we have that depends on the smallest detail work. That actually damages peoples eyes from doing it. Surgeons, mechanics and so forth depend on their eyes these are jobs that cannot be done by a blind person. That is what i mean by limited. There are limitations to what can be done. But as a person, you are who you are and you can be what ever you are not limited in that sense. I hope my ramblings made sense! LOL =)

Southern said:

Yes driving is one. Until recently using the internet, now you have the braille display which is great technology. A lot of places to eat have their menues on the wall behind the counter unless some one tells you what is there you will not know. Things of that nature. Of course there are plenty of things that blind can do, and if they can hear, they can hear much better than hearing people. I knew when i said that some one would say something about it and i actually thought about you when i said it, but i would rather people be honest with me and not patronize and i think if i didn't give my honest opinion that is what i would be doing to people. (being honest and being rude are two different things and i hope i wasn't rude, if so i do appologise) It just seems that we depend on our eyes for so much even more than our ears. Think of all the technology that we have that depends on the smallest detail work. That actually damages peoples eyes from doing it. Surgeons, mechanics and so forth depend on their eyes these are jobs that cannot be done by a blind person. That is what i mean by limited. There are limitations to what can be done. But as a person, you are who you are and you can be what ever you are not limited in that sense. I hope my ramblings made sense! LOL =)

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Southern: I didn't consider your post rude at all, so no worries!

A blind person's hearing isn't *better* than a sighted person's. (This is a misconception many sighted people have.) Blind people learn how to use their hearing more effectively than sighted people which is why we are able to hear things in the environment that sighted people usually don't. If a sighted person were blindfolded for a week, they would be surprised to learn just how much information can be obtained from listening to their surroundings.

As for reading a menu, it's true that a blind person would need sighted assistance. However, if a blind person has access to a computer, many restaurants now offer their menus online. Furthermore, if a blind person has wireless access to the Internet through a BrailleNote or PacMate (PDA notetakers for the blind), they can read the menu right along with their sighted family and friends.

From your perspective, I can understand why you would think blind people have more limitations than deaf people. It's true that the world we live in is very "sight dependent."

As for mechanics, this can certainly be done by a blind person. In fact, I know several mechanics who are totally blind and are excellent at what they do.

If you're interested in reading it, I have a website which lists all of the careers a blind person can do. About the only things blind people *can't* do are being a surgeon and race driver.

Me rather be deaf.

I'm sorry but I would rather to be deaf than blind....

I would rather be deaf. I'm halfway there.

A cobbler sticks to his last...so I will stick to being deaf...

I would pick deafness. I've learned that I am a very visual person.

If I was hearing and suddenly became deaf, I could still get through life fine.

If I could see and suddenly became blind, I'd be lost and not know where to go.

VamPyroX said:

I would pick deafness. I've learned that I am a very visual person.

If I was hearing and suddenly became deaf, I could still get through life fine.

If I could see and suddenly became blind, I'd be lost and not know where to go.

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Deafness for me, too. Even though I recently got a CI, I am still a very visual person - I am an artist (it runs in the family) and I like to do oil painting, crafts, drawing, etc. I need to do those things, it's part of who I am. If I lost my sight I wouldn't be able to do any of those things and I would be so lost without those things.

Lucia,

You may not be able to enjoy crafts, drawing or painting visually if you went blind, but you could still do them.

Even though I'm totally blind, I love woodworking (yes, I use a drill and saw ), doing crafts and working with clay/pottery. Now that I have my CIs, I also enjoy drawing while listening to music.

When I'm in the mood for drawing, I use a raised line drawing kit. This kit allows me to create drawings that can be felt.

The experience of drawing and painting isn't the same when you can't see what you're doing, but it can be done even if one is blind.

By the way, you might be interested in reading a book called,
"A Brush with Darkness: Learning to Paint After Losing My Sight" by Lisa Fittipaldi. This book describes Lisa's experiences losing her vision and learning how to paint.

Amazon.com: A Brush with Darkness: Learning to Paint After Losing My Sight: Books: Lisa Fittipaldi

You might also want to visit the National Exhibits of Blind Artists (NEBA) website and take a look at some of the paintings that have been created by blind artists:

National Exhibits by Blind Artisits

I knew someone who was blind was able to sew and knitting blankets etc, so that didn't stop her for enjoying what she loves to do even she is unable to see...

The only thing she is sad about is not being able to see the sun rise, as she heard it was the most beautiful thing to be seen, but she can only image what it may look like when shes dreams of it, but she knows one day she shall see it..


So it's not true when some people say blind people can't do things such as sewing, crafting, knitting, doing wooden craft etc....No matter whether they can not see, nothing stops them from doing what they want to do....just like deaf people doesn't let their hearing stop them from doing like everyone else does....It's the same thing...

^Angel^ said:

So it's not true when some people say blind people can't do things such as sewing, crafting, knitting, doing wooden craft etc....No matter whether they can not see, nothing stops them from doing what they want to do....just like deaf people doesn't let their hearing stop them from doing like everyone else does....It's the same thing...

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Well said, Angel!

Hear Again said:

Lucia,

You may not be able to enjoy crafts, drawing or painting visually if you went blind, but you could still do them.

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Yeah, but I wouldn't be able to see the work I did on my art and to admire them. I also like to admire other people's art a lot as well.

im raise deaf since i was baby at 10 month old

i havent problems with my eye but im never been blind when im grown-up but my vision looks perfect

mostly people who had blind for their lifes and become deaf and blind like Helen Keller had it

LuciaDisturbed said:

Yeah, but I wouldn't be able to see the work I did on my art and to admire them. I also like to admire other people's art a lot as well.

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That's true. While you could appreciate the art of other people through the visual descriptions of a sighted person, you would be limited to their interpretation instead of being able to form your own judgements.

We are more sight dependant than hearing and i didn't know that about mechanics. That is very interesting about you drawing. Is it all textural or is some visual. That would be great to experience both visually and by touch.
As for the sighted person being blindfolded. The movie "Ray" that Jamie Fox won an oscar for, he had his eyes covered every day while making that movie for hours upon hours. They said that at one point he asked a person to stop tapping a pencil and everyone was amazed because the man was 50 yards away or so. Yes i know the hearing isn't technically better, it is how your brain percieves it and what your brain does with the information that is different and better. 60 minutes had this blind boy who did not use a cane. His hearing was such that he clicked with his mouth and knew what was around him and where it was. They showed an example he was walking down the street clicked and said there is a garbage can, it's plastic about 3 feet from me. It was really amazing. Hearing/sighted person could never do something like that. That is what i mean blind hearing is better. Not that you hear more, hear different in a much more detailed way.