All The Young Dudes

Primitives, Savages, and Modern Deaf!

This article, Deaf Hope vs Deaf Right, and A Weeping ASL Deaf User and Confession of A Former Anti-CI for Deaf Babies are precisely why I have such a problem with blogs such as Cochlear Implant Online. All written by an anonymous poster, under the Pseudonym, Open-Minded Deaf Observer, who has chosen to “… remain anonymous since I have seen so many uncivilised comments/reactions by ASL deaf people and I am still in Deaf Culture.”

The problem isn’t that I object to the perspective “offered” by Open-Minded Deaf Observer, who has elected to devalue their own self worth as a human being, in deference to this so called new generation of implanted deafies, who will have better opportunities

Open-Minded Deaf Observer in Deaf Hope vs Deaf Right [and the other articles], glorifies the world of sounds and hearing, and elevates the cochlear implant recipients [or people who benefit from this technology] to a god like status, because of their closer proximity to the hearing world. Then posits those who don’t or cannot “benefit” from these technologies as worthless.

No one on Cochlear Implant Online, seems to think that this is a problem. Least of all Rachel who runs the blog. Does everybody who contributes, either articles or comments, seriously think it’s ok to push negatively slanted stories like those by Open Minded Deaf Observer, to boost the promise of the implant. Does anybody seriously think it’s ok to use a “sob story”, a “victim perspective” to boost the wonders of this miraculous technology? Does anybody seriously think it’s ok, that we Deaf people are portrayed as primitive, and the beneficiaries of the implant as Modern?

Drags his woman back of the hill
Rough, and tough, but I don’t care
You be Tarzan, and I’ll be Jane
Run off and leave you
But I’ll come back again [Primitive Love]

Can anybody else see what’s wrong with this picture? Does anybody else really care?

Open Minded Deaf Observer’s articles, opens up deeper issues, to which the only response they attract is the relative merits of different communication methods. Never mind that Deaf people or deafness is belittled in the process. And An American Mom in Tuscany, really wants us to believe that Cochlear Implant Online “..is reflection of diverse perspective, asserts a choice in deafness with a passion..”

Does not Rachel, as the blog open, THINK to editorialise and provide some context, some background, perhaps even show some equanimity and inform her readers that there is nothing wrong with being Deaf? Or is she going to respond with the cheap retort, “Don’t tell me how to run MY blog!” as I have encountered in the past. Or even more pertinently, another avoidance tactic, paraphrased of course, “We respect your right to express yourself, but you must do it politely.”

Well, if we are primitive, savages, then how are we to know the meaning of polite? The only sounds we can utter are grunts and growls!

The Holy Trinity, who as usual don’t think, are complicit in the spreading of negative images of Deaf people. Cochlear Implant Online is Rachel’s blog, then she has to accept the ultimate responsibility for contributing to this negative perception of Deaf people, Deaf culture and Sign Language.

NO! I am not going to accept the argument that the person has a right to their viewpoint, to refrain from criticism or mounting a challenge to some of the terminology that Open Minded uses. But the failure belongs to Cochlear Implant Online, who without, as I said previously, don’t editorialise, contextualise, or counteract that negativity, implicitly endorsing this negative portrayal of Deafies as primitive, effectively contributing to the deep divide between Deaf and deaf!

Cochlear Implant Online can argue that they are presenting a Deaf view! [This is any ironical statement people. And irony has no place in the Deaf Village does it?]

Further Reading:

None. I’m letting you off easy tonight.

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Deaf People, Music and Audism

I quite agree with tasteforideas that music is intoxicating. I even agree that it is amazing. But tasteforideas emotional response to a Deaf person hearing music for the first time, as detailed in their post Deaf culture, men, music, CIs leaves me a bit cold.

“…I feel a little audist for my reaction to learning that one of the young Deaf boys that were so helpful at the weekend had gotten a CI only three weeks prior. I’m still ambivalent about them although I’m also eager to obtain more information; when I say more information, I mean hard, nasty, crunchy medical details, not pamphlets. However, one of the young girls there who was learning ASL to interpret asked him what he thought of music, and I can’t even think of that question without getting a bit teary. He’s only been mapped for a week, so he’s got a lot to get used to; the way he put it was that he was a one-week old baby in terms of his hearing.

However, his answer was an immediate, “It’s amazing. Amazing.” It was rather funny when he stated that some music left him completely cold, thinking to himself, “That’s music?! That sounds awful!” The hearing people in the room laughed and assured him that plenty hearing folks thought the same thing when he heard certain kinds of music.

Nevertheless, it still amazes me to think of someone apprehending music for the first time. As a hearing person with unusually (and occasionally uncomfortably) sensitive ears, music is hypnotic for me. Transcendent. It’s the case for many hearing people; it’s why we’re so damned addicted to the stuff. I don’t know if that makes me audist; it sounds terribly patronizing to sniffle like that when hearing of a Deaf person who can suddenly appreciate music, and I don’t care for that. However, as a hearing person, I can’t help it. My gut makes me sniffle when I think of someone able to enjoy music. Now, I felt the same way when I first saw a “Flying Words” poetry performance online; my chest felt tight when I first watched it. I don’t know if that equivalence makes it “okay,” nor do I want to excuse my reaction so much as understand it. But still. He heard music…”

I have to admire tasteforideas honesty. It shows that they possess a measure of self-awareness that most hearing people don’t have. Especially, when it pertains to matters of deafness. Even though it was not intentional, the response is patronising. That I would agree with, but it is not audist. Tasteforideas is not engaging in discrimination, or denigrating Deaf people, Deaf culture and sign language, which is the lynchpin of audism.

Tasteforideas’ response is akin to internalised audism [much like internalised homophobia, sexism, racism, et al], which can manifest itself subconsciously. This internalised audism is something we all suffer from - Deaf and Hearing - due to the inescapable enculturation and inculturation from the dominant society and power structures, which are inherently audist. This enculturation and inculturation is internalised, and no matter how we progress, vestiges still remain, and often express themselves subconsciously.

But there is a case to be made for the idea that Tasteforideas feelings as expressed in the post Deaf culture, men, music, CIs,are not audist. These expressions are to be found in the pride ethnic and other cultural groups exhibit, in response to outsiders, who express a keen interest in their language and culture.

We have learnt to view this emotion as audist in the Deaf context, because music is an aural experience, and is associated with hearing. Hearing in turn is associated with many of the negative experiences that Deaf and deaf people have of hearing people. As a consequence, our responses towards all things Deaf and hearing, tend to be black and white, and leave little room for perspective.

Further Reading:

Audism
Audists and Audism
Audism
Deaf Culture - Audism
Audism
Audism [Wikipedia]

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On Being Me [But A Mask Is All You'll Ever See] P2

My last post,On Being Me [But A Mask Is All You'll Ever See], invoked a long forgotten memory of mine.

I can’t remember the year, but it was the early 1980’s, and I had signed up to do the summer school, with the Australian Theatre of The Deaf. It was an enjoyable experience, and while it was one aspect of my foray into the arts, it really was one step along the road towards finding Deaf community.

One exercise stands out however. One that taught me alot about me, only that it wasn’t obvious at the time. It involved the use of masks.

A selection of different masks were provided. The exercise was to choose a mask that attracted us. We were to pick up the mask, look at it for a few moments, before putting it on. The idea was to allow the character of the mask into yourself, and you were to interact with the rest of the group as that character.

I didn’t last very long before I took off that mask. I felt I was being taken over, and my real self being suppresed. My instinct [as always] was to fight it. I wasn’t receptive at the time to any analysis of acting and how the actor is supposed to use that, not be consumed by that feeling.

Another exercise, that I wasn’t aware of its significance, but I found more enjoyable, was creating short, postcard style scenes - think stills -, which had to communicate a theme, action or situation. We were divided into teams of three. I ended up as the director/ creator. This exercise was far more satisfying than the masks.

Fast Forward to 1994, the UK, Leadership Training Parts 1 and 2, with Friends For The Young Deaf [FYD - now sadly defunct, swallowed up by the National Deaf Children's Society, much to everyone's relief, where it sank into obscurity]. One of the oft repeated comments was how I didn’t like authority.

It’s true. I still don’t. Especially positions of authority occupied by boors.

Further Reading:

On Being Me [But A Mask Is All You'll Ever See]
What’s This Choice, That People Speak Of?
DEFINITION: Poison Person/ People
ASSASSINATING ALISON BRYAN - The Foaming Jaws Of The Poison People: The Prequel
ASSASSINATING ALISON BRYAN - The Foaming Jaws Of The Poison People: The Sequel To The Prequel.

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On Being Me [But A Mask Is All You'll Ever See]

I’ve always maintained that one of the hardest things you can do is, to be yourself! I always have this conversation with G.O.D. “Why the hell is it so hard to be yourself?” She’s at loss for words, and maintains that because I am older than her, I should have the answer!

I’ve always played smoke and mirrors with people. A lot of which is to do with body image, sexuality, enculturated [or is it inculturated?]fear, and of course, deafness. Confidence and esteem, were never constant companions of mine. My journey on the road towards autonomy was dotted with potholes, mines and cluster bombs. But you could say that is the same for all of us.

One could be forgiven there are forces conspiring against us becoming autonomous beings. It doesn’t behoove the dominant society that we become individuals. With independent thoughts. So forces, both covert and overt, are set in motion to that undermine that tendency to autonomy. And it takes a strong minded and willful personality to challenge and overcome those forces.

You look around on the streets downtown
Every face has got its evil side
They gather here below round midnight
Creeping like a black king tide..[Too Long, Don Walker]

Ben chides the Deaf Community for not being open to diversity. While I understand what he is saying, and have experienced some of the same things he describes, I don’t agree that the Deaf Community is not open to diversity. He isn’t being fair in his analysis. The Hearing world that he longs to embrace, is just as riddled with intolerance as the Deaf community he seemingly sees as lacking the necessary qualities of openness and tolerance.

I do empathise with Ben’s struggles.

My experiences with the Deaf community in Australia and in the UK, have been positive. That is not to say they were free from conflict. I’ve had my share of bullshit, backstabbing and being sidelined. But they are par for the course when interacting with people. It seems more intense with the Deaf community, because it is smaller. It is easier to find an enclave of like minded people in the Hearing world because of sheer numbers.

Ben’s story, The Truth about Me: A Personal Letter, made me think of a friend who had made a dogged determination to find his niche in the Deaf community,  but was met with continual rejection. The end result was he decided to seek a place in the Hearing world. To increase his chances and opportunities, he decided on getting the cochlear implant.

For all my ambivalence about the implant, and stalwart advocacy of Deaf culture, I do empathise with my mate. He wanted to fit in somewhere. He wanted friendships. He wanted relationships. He wanted a meaningful life. A simple desire. If the Deaf world wasn’t going to give it to him, then damn them, he will seek it in the Hearing world.

A WORD TO THE WISE: This post is not to be taken as a perfect illustration of the opportunities afforded by the implant. Furthermore, the decision to get an implant is not to be taken as an absolution of the Hearing world’s own prejudices and intolerances, and an indicator of its benevolence towards Deaf and deaf people. Nor is the acceptance of the implant to be taken as a negation of the Deaf as a culture and community, for its rejection of my mate.

I do envy my mates dogged determination. He is a classic case of, “Feel the fear and do it anyway!” However, his implant, is changing the dynamics of our relationship. How could it not? Not so much my rejection of him because of the implant, because I haven’t rejected him. But that his implant will take him, is taking him, down a road, that I won’t be travelling with him.

But that is OK. The shift in polar opposites demands that you renegotiate your responses.

And my responses to the never ending conflict between deafness and hearing are different. While I do know the opportunities and temptations of technology, I am not convinced by their promises. I am too well aware of the fact that the onus of the technology success falls on the Deaf/ deaf person. More pertinent to this conflict, is the tension between who I am and becoming someone else in order to fit in or increase your chances at happiness.

A Faustian bargain if there ever was one. A bit overwrought perhaps, but nonetheless, still a case of all that glitters is not gold.

In The Tree Of Knowledge, and The Idol-Maker: David Lodge - Deaf Sentence, I spoke about Deaf and Hearing being polar opposites. The same thinking can be applied to our sexuality, our gender, our race, culture, art, music, senses, et al. The decisions we make are the result of contemplation opposing forces and arriving at a decision that usually rejects one for the other, where often the happy medium is somewhere in the middle.

In a sense this is what my mate has done, rejected one world for the other. Ben, doesn’t want to reject one for the other, but his experiences are forcing him down roads he doesn’t want to travel. Meanwhile, I sit on the fence singing:

Look like nothings gonna change,
Everything still remain the same,
I can’t do what ten people tell me to do,
So I guess I’ll remain the same, yes…[Dock Of The Bay, Otis Redding]

Further Reading:

What’s This Choice, That People Speak Of?
DEFINITION: Poison Person/ People
ASSASSINATING ALISON BRYAN - The Foaming Jaws Of The Poison People: The Prequel
ASSASSINATING ALISON BRYAN - The Foaming Jaws Of The Poison People: The Sequel To The Prequel.

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What’s This Choice, That People Speak Of?

What is this CHOICE thing that people speak of? I’m a bit flummoxed by this whole notion of choice. Throw in the equally confusing notion of RIGHTS, and you end up with a debate that sinks into a quagmire of reaction and not much, or a very skewed perspective!

But let me make it clear, the state of autonomy that is freedom of choice is important to our wellbeing and ability to navigate the direction our lives follow. Without which, our lives have little or no value [to mine own eyes].

I understand what Ben is trying to say in his recent post, The Truth about Me: A Personal Letter, when he laments:

I cannot support the idea that the Deaf community is open to diversity. I was denied a choice…..Throughout my childhood, I did not speak. There is a stigma against being able to hear and speak in the Deaf community and that is a fact. My ability to fully integrate in the hearing society is impaired by the Deaf community’s adamant stance on “ASL first, English second,” mentality. At one point of my educational years, my Deaf principal actually kicked out the speech therapist from my IEP meeting. I never became fluent in spoken English–a hearing person can tell I have speech problems. I wasn’t really given a choice.

It’s exactly the same kind of lament that first generation children of migrant parents make. The same kind of kicking out against the cultural background that has Ben so riled. The cultural conflicts, the embarrassment of their cultural and familial background [momentary or otherwise], and the desire to discard the artifact of difference and embrace the prevailing norm. The irony of course lies in the accusation of the minority group as intolerant of diversity, and eyeing the mainstream as the benevolent one.

The question that immediately sprung to mind when I read Ben’s lament [entire post] was, “Who gets the kind of choice that Ben so desperately wanted?” I certainly didn’t. I have never known anyone who had that kind of upbringing, where choice was de rigueur. I don’t know anyone who once having attained their independence, exercises choice and decision making, unencumbered of past baggage or free from cultural conflicts.

I don’t condone intellectual boors, or the kind of behaviour that Ben describes in The Truth about Me: A Personal Letter. Lord knows I have a low threshold for tolerating fools. Deaf or otherwise.

Reading Ben’s post brought back memories that I would rather avoid, but keep haunting me, due to various incidents that I have witnessed or been privy to. I’m not one to kick the deaf community for exhibiting the same kind of behaviour that Hearies are want to do, and pretend that the Hearing community is better.

Further Reading:

DEFINITION: Poison Person/ People
ASSASSINATING ALISON BRYAN - The Foaming Jaws Of The Poison People: The Prequel
ASSASSINATING ALISON BRYAN - The Foaming Jaws Of The Poison People: The Sequel To The Prequel.

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