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I wasn't sure where this thread should fit, we don't have a psychology section and it isn't really philosophy. A recent <A HREF="http://www.cellar.org/showthread.php?t=11701"> thread</A> in the IotD section brought up an interesting issue that's interesting to look at on it's own. Brianna brought up the point that the girl should be at least given the opportunity to pursue treatment for her condition, but I'm almost certain no one would let her do it even if she wanted to be just like other kids. People often identify themselves with conditions such as this, there's even records of people who got a false positive on HIV tests being more depressed than angery when they find out the truth. A while back there were widespread protests in Canada in response to the implanation of prosthetic hearing devices in infants born with significant hearing loss. Their argument? We are trying to wipe out the deaf community. This often isn't logical and like I said is more of a psychological bizzarity than anything.

A friend of mine (who isn't physically deaf herself but has been diagnosed with "auditory processing disorder") has dived deep into deaf politics...it's pretty amazing. Recently the appointment of a deaf woman to the presidency of Gallaudet University is opposed because, even though she *is* deaf, her approach to the problem wasn't politically corect in the view of the activist crowd....who consider themselves in the vanguard in opposing "audism", defined as the patronization or oppression of people based on their hearing ability.

i think it's only natural for society to want to reboot a computer. why have "worse" when you can have better. fuck society. you can take it back to victor the "wild child"...assimilation...but wait, isnt that governmental? dont get me started.

huh? what does rebooting a computer have to do with solving a disfunction? And how is wanting your child to be able to hear count as selfishly (I'm assuming the implication) wanting 'better'.

I thought it was about eating too many of those WOW chips.

I wonder if anyone would say the same thing for vaccines? It is a foolish argument IMO. They can always go back and get their hearing taken away if they like.

They don't see it as a dysfunction. They see it as another way of being, which has created a unique culture. This issue is only going to get bigger and more complex as time goes on. As we get control over our genes any number of things that makes us individuals may become substandard. Maybe we should watch Fantastic Four again?

I've never understood why trying to give deaf people hearing, or blind people sight, is disrespecting them, viewing them as less-equal, less-perfect, humans.

Giving you something you don't have, but want, is not being disrespectful. :smack:

after we give them prosthetic hearing lets program them to be able to turn their ear lobe and have the ability to hear different frequencies. then how about we give those without limbs titanium replacments and watch as they form a race of super humans capable of crushing skulls like pepsi cans

Sure, someone finds a way to reconstruct my skeletal structure & connective tissue (it would be a lot more complicated than that, but just sayin'), I would be out of pain and be able to walk again... my first thought is, "gee, & give-up being part of this great disabled, osteoperosis and chronic pain community? Hmmmm... give me some time to think about this."
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