retired_embartl

Now I'm belatedly enjoying the company of friends in Cardiff once more and conversation randomly turns onto how the disabled cope. Not sure how, but that's by the by, anyway, one issue that was brought up was how do deaf folk, from birth that is, think? I mean they can't think in words can they - they don't know how they sound? Do they shout at themselves internally or do they sign language to themselves?

It's a curious issue a bit like the conundrum as to whether being kicked in the balls or being pregnant is more painful... we'll just never know.

retired_MikeMcC

Huh, Deaf people can still read to learn words, the real conundrum would be for people who are deaf and blind from birth.

retired_Monica65

I love the way you can command your brain to say things and do things all the time. Right now I'm telling it to play me the theme song from 'Allo 'Allo, and it is.

As for the topic at hand a lot of the time you don't think in words anyway, or at least I don't.

retired_civilian888

Pretty simple really, if they've never heard sound then they're not going to think using sound as they don't know what it is, the only thinking they'd do would be visual thinking

retired_heather

when I go deaf
I won't even mind
I'll be all right
I'll be just fine

I'll stay out all night
looking at the sky
I'll still have my sight
yeah, I'll still have my eyes

and, we will make love
we won't have to fight
we won't have to speak
and we won't have to lie

and, i'll stop writing songs
stop scratching out lines
i won't have to think
and, it won't have to rhyme

when I go deaf
when I go deaf
when I go deaf
when I go deaf

when I go deaf
when I go deaf
when I go deaf
when I go deaf

retired_naudts

my step dad is deaf, he says he thinks in signs, but also from talking to him he thinks a lot more in visual imagery than a hearing person would.

a quick google search found this article

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/031226.html

Nicoblu

I honestly wouldnt mind being deaf. You wouldnt have to put up with a lot of annoying idiots.

Being blind would be FS though.

retired_rmschaffer

I used to wonder how my cat thought.

I still can't comprehend how a mix of chemical connections can create and store thoughts and ideas.

retired_susan mcdonald

same here sean, same here

retired_slk55

I'd hate to be deaf. end of music for you for one, but obviously a million other little reasons.

much prefer it to being blind though. think I'd consider suicide if I was blind, it'd suck that much