The Classical Music Guide Forums

Without wishing to offend anyone who is physically challenged by either blindness or deafness, I'd like to poll forum members on this poser.

Suppose you HAD to lose one of these two senses. Which would you sacrifice? Almost everyone of whom I've asked this has said, predictably, hearing. But as someone who would rather die than never hear music again, I say sight.

I figured this might make for an intriguing poll/thread discussion, given the reason why we're all here. (And I've posted it in here, rather than the Corner Pub, as I feel it's more relevant to our reasons for joining this forum.)

I've thought about this from time to time and couldn't make the choice.

It would all depend on the situation of my life, if I had the oppurtunity to choose (both my eyesight and hearing are impaired slightly ironically enough).

I've thought about it from time to time too. I had such poor eyesight before my cataract surgery that good vision was always an elusive goal and my prospects for attaining it diminished yearly. On the other hand, I have very acute hearing and would really hate to give that up.

I can't cast a vote on this one. One never knows how "fate" may react (yes, I'm just a tad superstitious!). I listen to enormous amounts of recorded music, so hearing is important. But in order to listen and find the proper CD/LP and track, I'd have to see it. I don't think I could ever want one without the other. Indeed, however, I do have a preference if it really came down to selecting one over the other. I, therefore, remain silent for the reason given above. I don't think anybody wants to vote on this one. It's an interesting question that many ponder (silently), however.

It's an intriguing question, and, as Lance points out, it's hard to answer - all of our senses are essential, after all.

That does not mean they stay withn us through the years. With the passage of time one or the other sense will fade - but not necessarily one's appetite for life. So we have the task of dealing with what part of our capacities remain, and make the best of that.

It's not a question I can answer.

If I lost my sight, I could still listen to music, though how would I tell one CD from another?

And I'd have an excuse for not doing housework, and believe me, I need one.

I rely so much on my sight, can't lose it.
I can't concentrate with my eyes closed when listening to classical music.
And then, blindness means no movies, that's too much for me.

I have thought about how I would listen to music if I lost my sight. I suppose I could get my wife to help me locate records. Like everyone else it strikes me as an almost impossible choice. It is well that fate and not the individual has to make that decision. Beethoven was devastated by his deafness, but so was Milton by his blindness, yet they both gained in depth and intensity of expression.

Too me, It actually depends on my future wife. Depends on the year i've been with her. in the beginning of our marriage i would choose SIGHT but after spending 15 years with her. I DEFINETLEY CHOOSE DEAFNESS

Ah, yes, the age-old question.

I would like to think that I would rather give up sight because of my love for music, but I cannot possibly comprehend how much harder life is for a blind person than a deaf one. I'm inclined to believe that blind people are much more dependent on others for even the most routine activities.

So, sadly enough, I'd rather go deaf.

-G

Ralph wrote:It's not a question I can answer.

Nor I. I consider life dependent on the functioning of those senses and doubt very much that I would have the strength, as many others have had, to survive the loss of either one.

My poor father, a fine musician as many of you know, has had hearing problems since I can remember because of an accident in his childhood. They were greatly exacerbated by having frequently to fly in unpressurized aircraft and otherwise to play various loud (even in those days) gigs in his military career. He now needs a hearing aid in his right ear to hear anything at all there (which in my book is why they should not close Walter Reed Hospital) and has lost all his upper frequency hearing. He cannot hear birdsong. He requires closed captioning on tv or the sound would have to be so loud it would drive anyone else out of the room.

No, not a decision I wish to make.

jbuck919 wrote:He now needs a hearing aid in his right ear to hear anything at all there (which in my book is why they should not close Walter Reed Hospital)

Headsnapping segue, there, John. What's the link? I thought your dad lived in Florida.

BTW reminde me when you arrive back in the US of A?

I can answer your question in three words:
Ludwig van Beethoven.

If he could create fabulous music whilst falling ever so slowly into complete deafness, perhaps I would be more inclined to lose my hearing, hoping that I could maintain some sense of vibration and rhythm.

Corlyss_D wrote:

jbuck919 wrote:He now needs a hearing aid in his right ear to hear anything at all there (which in my book is why they should not close Walter Reed Hospital)

Headsnapping segue, there, John. What's the link? I thought your dad lived in Florida.

BTW reminde me when you arrive back in the US of A?

He still lived in Cornwall up until five years ago. He got a whole week at Walter Reed to deal with his hearing problem and refused to stay with me (within walking distance in Takoma Park) because they put him up in nicer quarters at the time. Since he has been in Florida, he has been dealt with most kindly by whatever ministry currently handles 36-year veterans who are also, technically, war veterans (he enlisted in the navy before the end of WW II to make it even more complicated).

I'm flying back on June 23 and will probably recover from the experience around June 25. After that I imagine I will need approximately weekly refreshers requiring the absence of my dear but somewhat failing mother. I imagine I will be in NYC several times if only for my own sanity. If you're planning a trip, I still have a whole life history on the east coast and max flex in an eight-week time frame.

If I lost my hearing, I could console myself by reading Keats "Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter."

NO ONE has actually cast a vote on this subject! Interesante.

Lance wrote:NO ONE has actually cast a vote on this subject! Interesante.

Really? I can see 10 cast votes?

shadowritten wrote:

Lance wrote:NO ONE has actually cast a vote on this subject! Interesante.

Really? I can see 10 cast votes?

Well, it didn't calculate the "votes" in the normal manner. I don't think anybody actually submitted a vote by clicking on a button.

Lance wrote:

shadowritten wrote:

Lance wrote:NO ONE has actually cast a vote on this subject! Interesante.

Really? I can see 10 cast votes?

Well, it didn't calculate the "votes" in the normal manner. I don't think anybody actually submitted a vote by clicking on a button.

How odd. Any way to find out who DID vote?

shadowritten wrote:

Lance wrote:

shadowritten wrote:

Lance wrote:NO ONE has actually cast a vote on this subject! Interesante.

Really? I can see 10 cast votes?

Well, it didn't calculate the "votes" in the normal manner. I don't think anybody actually submitted a vote by clicking on a button.

How odd. Any way to find out who DID vote?

As the votes tally by someone making a selection of sight or hearing, it automatically tabulates and shows how many voted for each one and also shows percentages. If you go back to a post that says POLL in front of the subject line, and open the site, you will see what I mean.