Are cochlear implants oppressive or do they increase the quality of life? "The non-deaf community pushes cochlear implants on the deaf community in an attempt to assimilate deaf people into the larger culture." (np.reddit.com)
SubredditDrama
160 ups - 61 downs = 99 votes
127 comments submitted at 21:07:57 on Mar 29, 2014 by ValedictorianBaller
What? Seriously are there deaf people out there who would actually choose to remain deaf if given the choice?
I understand being proud of being deaf and not taking any shit because of it but it's still a medical conditon that we should treat if we can and I don't see who cochlear implants could be oppressive at all.
If you study Deaf culture for a bit, you'll learn they are extremely touchy about cochlear implants. They feel like being deaf is a special gift they have and places them in a specific culture.
They also feel like giving their child an implant would make them "leave" the Deaf community.
Please note that this isn't the case for every single Deaf person, but that's how a large amount of the community behaves.
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If the "culture" argument is really the only one you heard, and you were therefore "shocked that someone would chose not to" force a CI on their child or get one themselves as an adult, you must not have delved into the topic too deeply.
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If you think that CIs are a simple solution to "gain back your hearing", you are wrong.
I had a lot of problems, especially in elementary school and junior high, with ignorant teachers who didn't care to understand hearing disorders at all. I was fortunate to have some other teachers who were great, and parents who always advocated for me and made sure I was learning what I needed to. But it makes me sad that many Deaf/hearing impaired children who don't have those things going for them may encounter a teacher who doesn't understand hearing impairment, and it may really harm their education.
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> Perhaps you had such a bad experience with some teachers because you are a belligerent prick?
Yep, that's me! I was such a douchebag of a six year old that I, like, totally refused to magically understand what my teacher was saying when she turned her back to me. She was probably right; it's not that I needed her to face me so I could lip-read, it's that I just didn't feel like paying attention and was lazy.
Edit: wow, this psychopath just went and downvoted every comment I've made all week, before deleting their comment. Truly the mark of a mature and correct person, eh?