Born Deaf or Born to Teach?
Amy Cohen Efron shares her thoughts about her own existence, as Deaf Woman. What is the purpose of being Deaf? Are we born to teach people everyday about Deaf people, ASL, way of life, and whatnot?
Dr. Laurence J. Peter (September 16, 1919 - January 12, 1990) was an educator and “hierarchiologist,” best known to the general public for the formulation of the Peter Principle.
Dr. Peter quoted: “Two things reduce prejudice: education and laughter.”
Play Quicktime version1.23 minutes long
For whom who cannot view this, can watch via YouTube below:
December 14th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
I am deaf, therefore I teach or I teach, therefore, I am deaf…
Deeply profound. Is being deaf our purpose? Is educating our purpose? Just why are we here and why are we deaf?
I vlog, therefore I am deaf. I am deaf, therefore I vlog…
Just who are we and what are we here on this earth to do?
You can take this to the moon and back. It is the endless question.
Mwah!
~ LaRonda
December 14th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
What a beautiful message. Yes, we are here for a purpose, to create a difference in this world, and forever teach others.
December 14th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
I agree. Sometimes we don’t need to say anything. Just by our actions the hearing world gets to see what deaf people are capable of as long as two things happen- stop placing obstacles (e.g. no captions) and *get out of our way*!
Kristi
December 14th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Setting yourself up for a nomination? Just kidding :)!
But your questions and observations are always timeless!
December 14th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Yes, that is what I posted in Barb DiGi’s vlog. That is a good example.
Ignorance can be painful sometimes.
I recently lost my respect in my neighbor who is a speech-language pathogolist. All she said, “Video Relay System (VRS)is confusing”. She expected people speaks everything smoothly and perfectly. Her job is to work with children who speak incorrectly. That is not an excuse. Her job is not an acceptable.
She turned me off and I will never make a friend with her again.
If she is not a speech-language Pathologist, that would be a big different story. I would have educated her about the communication system in VRS.
White Ghost
December 14th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
I keep going to educated everyday and it is being difficult time during my discrimination by doctor and other doctors, Hospital. It keep long way to education with enpowered grammar.It is being hassle and need stop discrinmation. Struggle of my indentify with deafness.
Second is kind of against my racism. I am white. but they think I am strange face,too. I thought I am much worsen.. my younger sister have a mental illness is much worsen than mine. I struggled to accept my deafness for long time and job discrimination is much difficult time,too.
December 14th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
excuse me …… Kristi. Do you know me Davy eh!
Davy
December 14th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
It’s a beautiful message. We SHOW we can do anything and the problem is them….but not us.
December 15th, 2007 at 1:12 am
Comment »
December 15th, 2007 at 1:31 am
Video, ergo sum!
Jean Boutcher
1976
December 15th, 2007 at 1:46 am
It is really about exhibiting our Deafness. It is about showing people who we are. We teach patience to those by having patience with them. If the only thing we cannot do is hear, let’s show the world 1001 things that we can do. We are Deaf, and we are not a mistake. And we have the growing pains like everybody else does. And we have purpose.
It’s a two way street. They need to want to learn from us as we do learn from others. Sometimes we don’t have to say a word while the hearing world learns from us simply because we are Deaf.
Someone said to me, “you are so lucky you don’t have to hear all the garbage being said.”
I said, oh really? Try us!
That is, if they can figure it out and learn from us.
And, we are not just a rock, that exists. We sprout flowers too, and waters burst forth, flowing. We can show them all things that can come forth from a crack in a rock. We’re not barren.
Every living soul under the sun has a purpose, and the moonlight highlights our purpose being fulfilled.
December 15th, 2007 at 10:18 am
Amy,
Good point! Yes, I am born to teach, so my teachers said in my 7th grade, smile. True, our deafhood has taught us our path to be teachers in one way or another for the world. Hmm, yeah. Thanks for bringing this up.
Jon, I agree 100% with ya!!
deafk
December 15th, 2007 at 10:59 am
Beautiful, Amy! I detected a note of resignation…yes, you were born to educate others, but you also were born to fulfill yourself and your ideals. May you achieve all your ideals and more!
December 15th, 2007 at 11:50 am
I, too, felt a begrudging realization but I shan’t accept anything but the positiveness inherent in Amy’s realization of her own raison ‘d’ etre. You go, Amy!
December 16th, 2007 at 12:31 am
Amy,
I agree with you. I have been going through many challenges like what u alway go through. We have to be postive and educate those people who don’t understand deaf world. At my work, I am only one carrier that they notice me being deaf. Supervisor had spoken again and again, I signed to him and he was confused why I signed. That is the same way I don’t understand what he is saying and he could not understand what I am signing. So, I told him to write what he had to say and I wanted to teach all of them signs so they can communcate with me.
Rick M.
December 28th, 2007 at 12:19 am
Hey, Amy, keep up your good work! Never forget your name and face! Dan