Oh, Sense Less One
One thing I dislike about daylight savings time is having to drive home from work in the dark. Reason being: I can’t see. I can’t count the number of times I have driven on the curb thinking it was a driveway or completely missing my turn altogether because I could not find the driveway.1
If I have to drive at night, with people in the car, in between conversation I work in the occasional “I can’t see” or “I hope nobody steps out in front of the car” or “It sure is dark”, just so they know my last words.
I’m a great driver but sometimes I have to rely on my hearing to guide my way, or listen out for screams when I’m temporarily unable to see. This got me to thinking would I rather be blind or deaf. If I had to lose one of these two senses, which one could I live without? As much as I LOVE music, I would have to give up my hearing because I could still be independent and deaf.
Several years ago, I took a course in ASL (American Sign Language) I never completed, but I’m still a quick finger speller and would have no problem communicating as a deaf person. If however, I lost my sight….well I get lost with the lights on. I would not be able to cope as well.
Out of curiosity which one would you choose? Would you rather be blind or deaf and why?
Additional Reading:
Cardiogirl.net – The Book of Questions
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In: Disabilities, Life, Music, Senses · Tagged with: Darkness, Deaf, driving, Hearing, Senses, Sight, Vision
on December 2, 2008 at 4:38 pm
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It seems we both have the same problem with nighttime driving. I do just fine during the day, but I feel unsure of my driving at night. It’s not bad, but I sometimes feel afraid that I might hit something.
If I were to either be blind or deaf, I would be deaf. I could still at least feel music if I cranked it up enough. It’s kinda hard to feel colors though, hehe.
TheAndySan´s last blog post..Finding A Job Is Hard!
on December 4, 2008 at 3:33 am
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This was an interesting post. For some reason it really made me think – at one time I think I would have said that I would rather lose my sight, but I met a guy that is deaf and we became good friends – when I first met him I was so amazed by how he interacted and reacted to the world around him – it was almost as if he had this inncence about him, so after meeting him I think I would say that I’d rather give up my hearing…besides, I’d like to be able to see my nephews and nieces grow up.
Tony´s last blog post..The Hunger
on December 5, 2008 at 5:39 pm
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An American in France, it’s more challenging at night for me, I’m not at the point where I need to stop driving, just need people to stop flashing their lights in my eyes…finding the side streets are difficult or a dimly lit road. I was all ready to give up my smell, but I do like smelling other people and laundry.
TheAndySan it doesn’t help when people dart out into the road either. A jogger just got hit for that reason 3 days ago. Why do people need to jog in the dark? That important? I think not.
Tony, yep, the deaf can at least get around with little to no assistance. Glad I have all of my senses (well maybe the common one is gone ; ) )
on December 7, 2008 at 4:49 pm
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My husband and I actually had this conversation a while ago and he was stunned when I said I’d much rather be blind than deaf. I knew immediately that if I lost my hearing it would feel like my whole world had gone away.
I’ve since studied some great work by Dawna Markova (author of How Your Child is Smart) all about how our brains process information using auditory, visual and kinesthetic modes and it totally made sense to me why I felt that way.
It turns out, when I took a test in one of her books, that my auditory mode is what they call “up front”, meaning I process all the information coming in from the world through my auditory mode FIRST. That’s why, if it went away, I would feel like the connection to my whole world was gone.
I’m an “auditory” driver like you and sometimes, I admit it, I listen both ways instead of looking when I cross the street! It’s a great question, thanks!
on December 12, 2008 at 10:58 am
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Hey Susan, that’s an interesting book, I’ll have to add that to my long list of books to read.
I know some people that turn down the car radio so they can see. Very interesting.