I like what Common said:
"If only we protected our ears like we do our eyes."
That's true for hearing people who don't realize how vulnerable and sensitive their hearing is, especially when it comes to being exposed to loud sound on a daily basis and risk losing some of their hearing. Too many musicians after playing so many years are finding out the hard way when they realize loud music can cause them to lose some hearing.
I see all this as no different from making a public awareness campaign about vision loss on educating people about glaucoma or cataract, and how important the ability to see is. Peppered with sage, common sense quotes and perhaps some corny quotes. Wouldn't you consider keeping your eyes healthy so that you may witness a colorful sunset, see your kids, stand in awe the beauty of majestic mountains and green forested trees? Of you do. Let's not be hypocrites when it comes to a public relation campaign for the prevention of hearing I certainly don't see a bunch of "blindhood" people going around mewling and complaining with mock outrage and show of indignity. Really, folks. C'mon. Is this what you are going to do? Complain about how hearing people feel that hearing is a gift to be protected? And play the victim every single day and do the whole "woe is me" song and dance?
Let me play a violin for ya.
12 comments:
I also see nothing wrong with raising awareness, Mike. Not only that, this "Hear The World" awareness campaign is nonetheless promoted by Phonak... a hearing aid manufacturer...
In few years from now, they will using Cochlear Implant.
I do not know the difference between being able to hear and being deaf because I was born deaf. Everytime my two grandmothers played the piano, I could hear nothing. It was the movements of their hands on the pianos. I saw the music in their hands and felt the piano. I discovered that it was their HANDS that vibrated the piano. What happened then? There would be no music if my grandmothers did not use their HANDS. That was how I became fascinated to the piano, the cello, and the violin. I studied the notes to play the cello at Gallaudet.
I do not need to have hearing. Music is brought to me through a sense of touch, not of hearing.
Jean Boutcher
anony @ 11:53 PM,
More like a hearing aid and not a cochlear implant. Especially among professional musicians after so many years of playing loud music that it causes high frequency hearing loss. Same for truckers with the loud engine noise reverberating inside the cab. My stepfather has that problem and now wears a hearing aid after being a trucker for 30 to 40 years.
Have I missed something? This is the first mention I have seen regarding this campaign. Can you direct us to the outcry against it?
With the ear it does pick up all the nuances from those musical notes. The soft mournful wail of a song in a clarinet can make people cry. The haunting, floating sound that speaks a sad story emanating from a cello with it's deep bass notes can send shivers up your spine. Or certain songs from instruments or an orchestra can bring back memories just as smelling a certain smell brings back wonderful childhood memories.
This is why musician and people alike cherish their hearing. I don't see why they should stop with these public relation campaigns on warning people about the preciousness of hearing. I agree. Being able to hear *IS* precious. Yet we get a bunch of deaf people complaining about some of their quotes in the ad campaign. You have two different world with two different perspectives on what they perceive as important. This Deaf group seems to have these constant anger issues ranting all the time. If they can't hear, then they can't hear. Move on. Focus on the things you can do and not what about what you cannot do or what other people can do that you cannot.
anony @ 8:09 AM,
It's coming. It hasn't become *publicly* vocal....yet. I think it has to do with some internal jealousy and with a certain bent they wanted to rant about it.
*shrugs*
I totally don't see the problem with a hearing aid company promoting this.
Should I be angry that PETA is promoting vegan?
Ever since getting my implant, I have to say that everything I knew about enjoying music changed.
Sure, you watch hands playing music, feeling the beat, seeing people dance, et al... but I learn though my implant that the relationship between sound and what i see is completely re-defined.
I saw an old disney clip, "skeleton dance" as the first video after being activated. Previously, I'd believe that I'm enjoying this as much with an implant or not... but now I can tell you that the entire time, i was only enjoying a mere fraction of what it actually sounds like.
From here on out, whenever someone says stuff like Anon who watches his grandma play the piano, I can't help but reminded that I was actually missing out a huge range when I believed I wasn't.
Just my experience and opinion: hate away.
There will be a hearing aid for starters but some musicians would take that option to enhance their hearing capabilities. The research shows when a hearing adults became deaf overnight and implanted with CI can relearn into normal sounds within months. Most enjoyed with new sounds. A rapper Foxy Brown has turned deaf overnight and who knows if she is getting one. This will be the first rapper with implant, ha.
The electrodes are getting thinner for people who have hearing so there's a market for hearing people.
Anonymous @1:31 PM not sure if you misunderstood my comment, but I don't see a problem with a hearing aid manufacturer promoting it either. They should be raising awareness. What I find unique in this "Hear the World" campaign, is, yes... promoted by a hearing manufacturer, their business is selling hearing aids, but on the flip side, they are also informing the public of hearing protection. Why be angry about it? Consumers should be informed don't ya think?
Hi Magarita. Lets not misunderstand each other. We are both not angry.
Yay for hearing aids! :)
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