The Magic Pill – to see again

In DeafDC there was a discussion in the comments page over whether a deaf or Deaf person would take a “magic pill” that can restore hearing loss would that person take it? But another commenter tried to use the old “jelly bean” analogy and that by eating it has the power to turn one non-Caucasian person into a “white, college-educated, upper-middle-class, handsome, successful male” with the “would-you-take-it” question.

I think using the color-of-your-skin “cure” analogy is flawed on so many levels because hearing loss range from mild to profound and people have a variety of experiences regarding sound and how they deal with it makes this particular pill analogy more problematic than it is not. Even from a Deaf culture point of view. The color of your skin is not the disability in question but rather it’s about discrimination, bias and even acceptance. Disability affects all people regardless of skin color.

Let’s take this a bit further by saying that there is a “magic” vision pill that can help restore your vision to 20/20 perfect vision would you take it if your vision is 120/20? 80/20? 40/20? Would you take it if you have Usher Syndrome and get the full peripheral vision back again? What if you were blind for awhile would you take it to have your vision restored again? Honestly now, would you take that pill? How many of you wear glasses wished your vision was 20/20 and not wear glasses or contacts anymore? And so I ask this question, how would this “magic” vision pill be any different from a “magic” hearing pill that can restore hearing loss for people with mild, moderate, severe or profound hearing loss?

I can imagine that most Deaf people would very well likely not take the “magic” hearing pill for a variety of reasons with one of them being the cultural and identity connection. This is completely understandable. After all, taking one would indeed put that deaf person into a brave new world not yet experienced. But that doesn’t mean a Deaf person would not take it. And if one does take it, would he still be considered as part of the Deaf culture or Deaf world even if he continues to sign in ASL?

Now, you’re probably wondering if I would take that pill.

I certainly would. Why should I not given the fact that I have the gift of being able to hear and enjoy a variety of sound, music and people talking?

Why would people even have a problem with that?

Ok.

What about if hearing parents gave that “magic” hearing pill to their deaf baby? What about if deaf parents gave that “magic” pill to their deaf baby? Would you have a problem with that? Why should any of that be a concern to you at all?

Now, many people have their reasons on why they would want their hearing loss restored just as the many reasons why people would want their vision restored. Some would say it’s because of music. Others would take the pill in order to finally hear all the small and enjoyable sounds in the great outdoors. Or be able to converse more freely and without any impediment.

Today, we’re already progressing in the field of hearing loss where we have powerful digital hearing aids with built-in Artificial Intelligence programming, cochlear implants that continue to improve and get smaller to neural hearing implants that’s better than cochlear implant that may likely be available in about 5 years after FDA review. This is not to mention the growing field interest in the use of stem cells to treat and cure nerve deafness such as sensorineural hearing loss. And that one might be about 10 years away before it is finally applied. Those are amazing technological and biological developments. What they have done and are doing is almost like magic itself.

The “magic” hearing pill. Would you take it?