Cochlear Implants Argument Essay

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In support of Gallaudet University's, “Deaf President Now!” protest, Rev. Jesse L. Jackson once said “The problem is not that the deaf do not hear. The problem is that the hearing world does not listen.” (Lee) This concept been seen throughout Deaf history; Today it is especially noticeable now that technology has been developed to restore some hearing to many who are deaf. However these seemingly miraculous devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants (CI) are a gilding for the real problem. CI’s in particular are thought to be a miracle cure for deafness, this misconception causes a great friction between Deaf and hearing culture. Deaf people should not be expected to get CI’s to “cure” their deafness for three primary reasons: CI’s promise more than they can deliver, they are an affront to Deaf culture, and ASL is a more effective way to insure development.
Cochlear Implants are frequently thought of as an end all solution to hearing loss, a cure for deafness. However there are a couple things wrong with this line of thinking: First CI’s are not a perfect replacement for fully functioning ears. Second, they will only work for a few deaf people.
Cochlear Implants only restore very limited audibility. When described by formerly hearing Deaf people they compare it to hearing underwater, “fuzzy and timbre” yet still able to discern some …show more content…

According to Deaf culture, getting a cochlear could be considered a rejection of the great society they love while at the same time it doesn’t making you a normal hearing person either. To get a cochlear is to say that you are “fixing” your deafness, something that Deaf consider make them unique, not broken. The Deaf culture spurns cochlear implants because not only is it incredibly expensive and fairly dangerous procedure, but it’s also giving in to the pressures from the hearing majority to give up their Deaf pride and adhere to the hearing society they exist inside of.

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