--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They say a deaf man heard a dumb man…" description: "\"“They say a deaf man heard a dumb man talking about a blind man who saw a cripple walking the tightrope.” He”\" — Leo Perutz" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/leo-perutz-39634_blind-man_they-say-a-deaf-man-heard-a-dumb-man-tal_2895915.jpg" --- # They say a deaf man heard a dumb man talking about a blind… ![“They say a deaf man heard a dumb man talking about a blind man who saw a cripple walking the tightrope.” He” quote by Leo Perutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/leo-perutz-39634_blind-man_they-say-a-deaf-man-heard-a-dumb-man-tal_2895915.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/leo-perutz-39634_blind-man_they-say-a-deaf-man-heard-a-dumb-man-tal_2895915.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/leo-perutz-39634_blind-man_they-say-a-deaf-man-heard-a-dumb-man-tal_2895915.jpg) > ““They say a deaf man heard a dumb man talking about a blind man who saw a cripple walking the tightrope.” He”” [Leo Perutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-perutz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A convoluted story about hearing and seeing across disabilities highlights absurdity and the complexity of perception. **In simple terms:** Complex narratives expose perception limits. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about knowledge and ability. Themes perception disability absurdity Mood thoughtful curious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - storytelling - media analysis - education - social commentary Key Concepts philosophy communication Questions to Reflect On - What does this story reveal about communication? - How do we bridge gaps between different abilities? A Different Perspective The tale may confuse more than enlighten. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blind man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind-man/) [Deaf Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deaf-man-246603/) [Man Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-heard-1028411/) [Say Deaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-deaf-2213607/) [Talking Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-blind-4090988/) ## Related quotes > [“One bright day in the middle of the night, two dead boys got up to fight. They drew their swords and shot each other.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/one-bright-day-in-the-middle-of-the-night-two-dead-boys-got-up-to/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [“And the blind man said to the deaf man, "Do you see what I hear?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/and-the-blind-man-said-to-the-deaf-man-do-you-see-what-i-hear/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“There is a master way with words which is not learned but is instead developed: a deaf man develops exceptional vision, a blind man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/there-is-a-master-way-with-words-which-is-not-learned-but-is-instead/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [There is a master way with words that cannot be learned but instead developed: a deaf man develops exceptional vision, a blind man exceptional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/there-is-a-master-way-with-words-that-cannot-be-learned-but-instead/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“Eyes are a deaf man’s ears. Ears are a blind man’s eyes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/eyes-are-a-deaf-man-s-ears-ears-are-a-blind-man-s-eyes/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Hearing people say, 'How can these deaf people understand the show when they come to a rock club?' They're up there, at the front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-raci/hearing-people-say-how-can-these-deaf-people-understand-the-show-when/) [Paul Raci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-raci/) > [Watch me when people say deaf and dumb, or deaf mute, and I give them a look like you might get if you called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/watch-me-when-people-say-deaf-and-dumb-or-deaf-mute-and-i-give-them-a/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [A wise man has heard,faced and learned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniyal-butt/a-wise-man-has-heard-faced-and-learned/) [Daniyal Butt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniyal-butt/) > [“Across town, Mr. Henderson—the man who had heard the banshee’s silent scream—spent the evening dying. To be more accurate, he spent a very brief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-ritter/across-town-mr-henderson-the-man-who-had-heard-the-banshee-s-silent/) [William Ritter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-ritter/) > [“I hear you’re a medicine man. I heard you are a singer of the Blessing Way. Is that right?” Chee looked slightly stubborn. “Yes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hillerman/i-hear-you-re-a-medicine-man-i-heard-you-are-a-singer-of-the-blessing/) [Tony Hillerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hillerman/) > [Two packs of cigarettes a day, e strongest whiskey Kentucky can make. That's a recipe to put a vagabond On his hands and knees…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinedown/two-packs-of-cigarettes-a-day-e-strongest-whiskey-kentucky-can-make/) [Shinedown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinedown/) > [“Many a man would rather you heard his story than grant his request.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/many-a-man-would-rather-you-heard-his-story-than-grant-his-request/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) > [“I do not believe in any wise man until I have heard him say << I doubt it>> three times and << I don’t know >> two times.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonse-karr/i-do-not-believe-in-any-wise-man-until-i-have-heard-him-say-i-doubt/) [Alphonse Karr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonse-karr/) > [Beethoven's last quartets were written by a deaf man and should only be listened to by a deaf man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/beethoven-s-last-quartets-were-written-by-a-deaf-man-and-should-only/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [The most happy marriage I can imagine to myself would be the union of a deaf man to a blind woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/the-most-happy-marriage-i-can-imagine-to-myself-would-be-the-union-of/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) ## More by Leo Perutz > [“Busy thyself with the secrets of wisdom and knowledge, thus thou shalt overcome the fear of the morrow in thee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-perutz/busy-thyself-with-the-secrets-of-wisdom-and-knowledge-thus-thou-shalt/) [Leo Perutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-perutz/) > [“Look, doctor, China, the country without religion. The Chinese have no religious ideas, only a kind of philosophy. In the Middle Kingdom no grain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-perutz/look-doctor-china-the-country-without-religion-the-chinese-have-no/) [Leo Perutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-perutz/) > [“And they say he’s so rich that he spreads sugar on his honey.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-perutz/and-they-say-he-s-so-rich-that-he-spreads-sugar-on-his-honey/) [Leo Perutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-perutz/) > [“There wasn’t a stick over which he didn’t stumble, and if he had bread he wouldn’t have a knife, and if he had both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-perutz/there-wasn-t-a-stick-over-which-he-didn-t-stumble-and-if-he-had-bread/) [Leo Perutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-perutz/) > [“His neighbours said that if Berl Landfahrer started dealing in candles the sun would stop setting, and that if it rained ducats he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-perutz/his-neighbours-said-that-if-berl-landfahrer-started-dealing-in/) [Leo Perutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-perutz/) > [“For it’s human nature even in the direst extremity to see a spark of hope and blow it into flames.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-perutz/for-it-s-human-nature-even-in-the-direst-extremity-to-see-a-spark-of/) [Leo Perutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-perutz/) > [“But, when you’ve swallowed what’s stuck in your throat, tell me who’s the first to notice the rain in this part of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-perutz/but-when-you-ve-swallowed-what-s-stuck-in-your-throat-tell-me-who-s/) [Leo Perutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-perutz/) > [“For my most gracious master still called me redhead, though my hair was already churchyard-coloured.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-perutz/for-my-most-gracious-master-still-called-me-redhead-though-my-hair/) [Leo Perutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-perutz/) > [“Svaki pogled njenih očiju, svaku reč iz njenih usta želim da imam samo za sebe. To što ne mogu da se odvojim od nje,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-perutz/svaki-pogled-njenih-o-iju-svaku-re-iz-njenih-usta-elim-da-imam-samo/) [Leo Perutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-perutz/) [Explore all 10 Leo Perutz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-perutz/) ## More Blind man quotes > [He looked at her... like a Blind Man seeing the Sun for the very First Time...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-looked-at-her-like-a-blind-man-seeing-the-sun-for-the-very-first/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And the blind man said to the deaf man, "Do you see what I hear?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-gerard-trotman/and-the-blind-man-said-to-the-deaf-man-do-you-see-what-i-hear/) [Wayne Gerard Trotman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-gerard-trotman/) > [“People had always amazed him, he began. But they amazed him more since the sickness. For as long as the two of them had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wally-lamb/people-had-always-amazed-him-he-began-but-they-amazed-him-more-since/) [Wally Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wally-lamb/) > [If my GoD is a DoG then I'm a Blind man because he's steal leading me to safety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ntando-aka-punchlinelord/if-my-god-is-a-dog-then-i-m-a-blind-man-because-he-s-steal-leading-me/) [Ntando Aka @PunchlineLord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ntando-aka-punchlinelord/) > [Ma'am," Augustus said, nodding toward her, "Your daughter's car has just been deservingly egged by a blind man. Please close the door and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/ma-am-augustus-said-nodding-toward-her-your-daughter-s-car-has-just/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Once, I sang colors to a blind man. Seven hours I played, but at the end he said he saw them, green and red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/once-i-sang-colors-to-a-blind-man-seven-hours-i-played-but-at-the-end/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [ “The object \[Duchamp's Fountain\] was rejected , giving Duchamp the opportunity of issuing a statement, which he published in a review, The Blind Man.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-weston/the-object-duchamp-s-fountain-was-rejected-giving-duchamp-the/) [Neville Weston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-weston/) > [A blind man can see his mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-blind-man-can-see-his-mouth/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Then he picks up the first book and holds it so Peter can read the title. I Hadn’t Meant to Tell You This Peter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/then-he-picks-up-the-first-book-and-holds-it-so-peter-can-read-the/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Mostly, I straddle reality and the imagination. My reality needs imagination like a bulb needs a socket. My imagination needs reality like a blind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-waits/mostly-i-straddle-reality-and-the-imagination-my-reality-needs/) [Tom Waits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-waits/) > [A blind man walks into a bar...and a table...and a chair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-blind-man-walks-into-a-bar-and-a-table-and-a-chair/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What's the condition of America like, spiritually, tonight? Zero. Why? Because we've got blind men coming out of seminaries. Men there don't teach them;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/what-s-the-condition-of-america-like-spiritually-tonight-zero-why/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [A new civilization is emerging in our lives, and blind men everywhere are trying to suppress it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-toffler/a-new-civilization-is-emerging-in-our-lives-and-blind-men-everywhere/) [Alvin Toffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-toffler/) > [If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit. (Matthew 15:14)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/if-a-blind-man-leads-a-blind-man-both-will-fall-into-a-pit-matthew-15/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [A statesman who confines himself to popular legislation - or, for the matter of that, a playwright who confines himself to popular plays -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/a-statesman-who-confines-himself-to-popular-legislation-or-for-the/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) [Browse all 295 Blind man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“They say a deaf man heard a dumb man talking about a blind man who saw a cripple walking the tightrope.” He”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leo Perutz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-perutz/they-say-a-deaf-man-heard-a-dumb-man-talking-about-a-blind-man-who/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blind man" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-perutz/they-say-a-deaf-man-heard-a-dumb-man-talking-about-a-blind-man-who/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/leo-perutz-39634_blind-man_they-say-a-deaf-man-heard-a-dumb-man-tal_2895915.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/leo-perutz-39634_blind-man_they-say-a-deaf-man-heard-a-dumb-man-tal_2895915.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c3/leo-perutz-39634_blind-man_they-say-a-deaf-man-heard-a-dumb-man-tal_2895915.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“They say a deaf man heard a dumb man talking about a blind man who saw a cripple walking the tightrope.” He” — Leo Perutz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leo Perutz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-perutz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“They say a deaf man heard...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-perutz/they-say-a-deaf-man-heard-a-dumb-man-talking-about-a-blind-man-who/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-perutz/they-say-a-deaf-man-heard-a-dumb-man-talking-about-a-blind-man-who/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```