Blind Quote by Richard Masur
“The difference between deafness and any other disability is that there is no way to put yourself in a position of knowing what it would be like because you can't stop yourself from hearing your own breath or your own heartbeat. You can not remove sound entirely from your life. You can get a sense of what being blind is like by closing and covering your eyes which provides a source of empathy because we can all project ourselves to that. But people who think they can project themselves into deafness are mistaken because you can't.”
About This Quote
The quote argues that unlike other disabilities, deafness cannot be fully imagined because we cannot silence our own internal sounds, limiting empathy.
In simple terms: Deafness is hard to imagine because we always hear our own bodies.
Recognize limits of empathy for sensory loss.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- disability advocacy
- education
- sensory training
- inclusive design
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we better empathize with sensory loss?
- What alternative methods can teach us about deafness?
It may underestimate other ways to simulate or understand deafness.