How Cochlear Implants Are Being Blamed For Killing Deaf Culture

First time accepted submitter Maddie Kahn (3542515) writes "Deaf culture has its own language, its own social norms, its own art forms, its own theater. But it's under threat. Why? Because most parents of deaf children now choose to use technology to help their kids hear. This piece explores why a revolutionary technology stands accused of killing a culture."

Comments

Let it die

[Anonymous Coward]

I mean seriously. There is no down side to going from not hearing to hearing except for having to listen to contemporary "music".

Re:Let it die

[narcc]

This. Deaf "culture" is significantly responsible for many of the problems facing the deaf community, such as the outrageously high unemployment rate, and abysmally low literacy rate, and unimaginably poor deaf schools.

Deaf "culture" can't die soon enough.

Re:Let it die

[Mikkeles]

Not to forget how modern antibiotics is killing leper culture!

Re:Let it die

[meerling]

So I guess we've already killed the paralyzed polio victim culture, and disfigured by smallpox culture. Does this mean we have to stop curing diseases and physical impairments? Don't be stupid.

By the way, and ass is an ass no matter what 'culture' they claim.
I used to ride the bus that went by the deaf school, so there were always deaf people on the bus.
A rather attractive deaf lady was visibly upset, but she didn't do anything. So I asked her what was wrong. She kept insisting nothing, but it was pretty obvious what was going on, so I asked her, "Is it the two assholes there that keep insulting everyone because they think nobody else can understand them?".
She was shocked that I knew what was going on and turned even more red. I explained that I wasn't fluent, but I knew enough. She then confronted the two idiots and chewed them out thoroughly. I never caught anyone doing that on the bus again.

That just goes to show, that separation breeds contempt.
There's no reason that the art and other positive things from 'deaf culture' need to be left behind, just the discrimination and hate that isolation invariably brings.

Re:Let it die

[thunderclap]

And that is what is so deeply wrong with political correctness. All handicaps are debilitating You are deprived of something that others have and its ability. It should never be equated for beauty considered a power or believed to be fostering a culture. These people are crippled in the worst possible way. They actually believe that makes them special. If that was true then those with PTSD, austism and having lost limbs are special too. I seriously doubt they would agree with you. (especially those who have to care for the autistic.)

Re:Let it die

[erroneus]

In so many ways this mirrors black culture and I'm willing to accept down-modding for this. But it's basically true.

1. Self-improvement is viewed as traitorous.
2. Entitled to royal treatment and royal public assistance.
3. Highly exclusive.
4. Views others with suspicion and contempt.

I think point #1 is especially important. EVERYONE, myself included, are perfectly comfortable around people who simply want to join in and be one of the crowd. We've got common interests and what have you and that's okay. We're co-workers and we can get along, work and play well together. But the moment words like "traitor" or "sell-out" get asserted by their other identity groups, things get pretty screwed up.

I don't mean to say being black is a disability. I don't mean to say being deaf is a race. I mean to point out that identity groups can be harmful at times. ID grouping is NATURAL. I'm a man. I'm white. I'm southern. I'm [fill in the blank]. And I like to do and share things with people who are like me. That's natural. But I might also identify with groups which tend to disagree with my other ID groups such as being atheist. Being atheist does not 'require' that I hate anyone else. Being white does not require that I hate anyone else.

But in the case of certain, let's say 'radical' members of these ID groups, they believe it IS license to hate.

Really? Who the fuck cares?

[Anonymous Coward]

What a BS reason to get angsty. Technology has enabled clidren to hear so a new generation can NOT have the problems of being deaf. Rejoice that children dont need to be deaf, rather than mourn the disappearing kludges they had to do.

Good?

[geekoid]

I'd like to see deaf culture go away because there are no more deaf people.
Also:
I'd like to see paraplegic culture go away, blind culture, Amputee culture, and furries culture. That last one may be tricky

I wonder how many people were angry and vaccine destroying the polio culture?

Yes I did.

I had deaf friends.

[Oligonicella]

And yes, they were adamantly supportive of the view that "for many Deaf people, every implanted child is a person stolen from their culture." But, keeping in mind that "More than 90 percent of deaf children are born to hearing parents", they are effectively laying claim to other people's children.

Vaccines killed measles culture...

[Anonymous Coward]

Cars killed horse culture.
Airplanes killed passenger rail culture.
Woman's rights killed (harmed) misogynistic culture.
The civil war killed slave culture.
The Internet killed letter-mailing culture.

Seriously, what the fuck is the point of this?

This pisses me off.

[Lord Kano]

Maybe, for me, this is more about "minority culture" in general than "deaf culture" in particular. "Deaf Culture" is an adaptation for people who can't hear. Once you can hear, you no longer need the social adaptation.

I'm a member of a minority. For those of you who don't know, I'm black. At one time, black people were denied access to educational opportunities an that in turn lead to fewer career prospects. My parents and grandparents worked very, VERY hard to give me opportunities and I took advantage of them. I finished high school. I attended college. I earned a Master of Science degree. Consequently, I have a pretty good job. I've been accused of turning my back on "African American culture" because I speak like I paid attention in school. I don't use the "What up dawgg?" vernacular that some other people (who happen to look kind of like me) do. I have been accused of having "forgotten where you came from", as if I didn't come from a middle-income, racially diverse suburb.

Once we were no longer denied access to quality education, it was no longer necessary to speak AAVE (African American Vernacular English) or "Ebonics" that some people like to call it. We were able to learn standard American English and it benefits one to do so.

I understand the desire for deaf people to adopt the mantra "There's nothing 'wrong' with the way we are." but in reality there is. You can't hear!

I'm sorry if people take it personally that their social adaptation is becoming less necessary for future generations. I'm sorry that they feel lonely or abandoned. This is a good thing. This is progress. This means that fewer people will have to live with the handicap(sorry for the loaded term) of not being able to hear.

LK