July 3rd, 2008 / 1 Comment » / by admin
I Don’t know if David Lodge is still thinking that “…deafness restricts and thins out the supply of new ideas and experience on which the novelist depends to create his fictions……“, but for us who have grown up with deafness, we know it’s no true. Most of us have always had hearing friends. As I reflect back on the various relationships I’ve had over the years, one in particular stands out.
I call him my Mountain Man, because he lives in the Blue Mountains. It raises peoples curiosity when I tell them I am headed for the mountains to visit him.
“What do you do up there?”
“Sounds like a dirty weekend!”
But the truth is more prosaic. If we are not working together, then we are gabbing, eating, drinking, waxing lyrical, two person navel gazing,and general bullshitting. If you’ve ever wondered where my writing style comes from, especially on All The Young Dudes, it’s from our conversations. When I write, I imagine that we are chatting and I note my thoughts and responses.
His is one of a handful of friendships that still endures, inspite of time, distance, and some serious stresses [which none of my other friendships have suffered to the same degree]. We met at art college. He still paints and sculpts, and I continue to meander my way through different mediums. He is 10 years old than me. I am 10 years younger than him. He is Hearing. I am Deaf. He is Straight. I am Gay. And neither of us want to be anybody else, which is, as it should be.
Of all the men [and women] that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in my life, falling in love with, and remaining friends with, he remains my favourite. A free spirit. Not easily captured. Unwilling to be boxed in. Reluctantly conceding, if ever, to peer pressure, or relative humidity. Not beholden to anybody’s expectations. It doesn’t matter who he is, and it is irrelevant whether you should, or will ever get to meet him. All that is important, is that he is my friend. My mate. But if you’ve met me, then you’ve met him.
My Mountain Man was the first person to ever teach me the value of being oneself. The importance of being true to oneself. The importance of loving oneself. Though it must be said, that our relationship does thrive on the residual hearing that I have, and that I speak. I’m not convinced that we would have had the relationship we have, had I been profoundly deaf. I’m not convinced that we would have met in the first place. But then, that is pure conjecture, as the person you are now, is not the person you were then.
Of course the path of friendship never travels smoothly. Does it ever? Ours was fraught with expectation and libido, on my part, that only age and time, has tamed. Suffice to say, that I never truly understood him, until I understood myself. Travelling, living and experiencing life in another country. All the nouns, adjectives and verbs that people threw in my direction, made me realise, they were describing my Mountain Man. For I am he!
Note:
This article has been cross posted at: My Mountain Man
Fun Stuff:
What is the etymology of the phrase “to shoot the shit?
Gay
Gay People
Straights
Posted in: Deaf & Hearing, Love & Eros, Mates, Relationships
July 2nd, 2008 / No Comments » / by admin
Music is an art form that appeals to the aural sense [hearing], in the same way that painting, sculpture, photography, writing, et al, appeal to the visual sense [seeing]. Listening to music, for me, is an “either/ or” proposition. If I can hear it, I will listen to it, if I can’t, I won’t bother.
The remnants of my upbringing, dictate that, if I can’t have it exactly the way I want it, then I don’t want it at all. It’s hardline I know, but I have yet to see the value of experiencing music as a series of vibrations, through my hands, my body, or coming off the dance floor.
My view and experiences of music, are tied to my “hearing” upbringing, and even tho, I have moved on from the medical/ disability model of deafness, I have never been able to shake off the perception of music as an “either/ or” proposition I mentioned earlier. I experienced music exclusively as a sound experience. Even though, I sign sing, and I love the art of sing singing, I can’t imagine it working or me, without the actual sound driving the hand shapes and signing.
My appreciation of music is determined by what I can hear at any given moment, and things like acoustics, even health issues such as sinus, have a strong influence on any pleasure I may derive from listening or dancing to music, and sign singing. I can replay, and revisit, favourite songs inside my head, and sign sing along to the memory, but I just can’t conceive of music without sound.
Like all the other senses - sight, touch, feel, smell, sound has its own intrinsic qualities that dictate that its best experienced in its intended form: aural [auditory]. Though I’m sure Evelyn Glennie, and Beethoven’s Nightmare would beg to prove me wrong. This does not mean that music [and indeed any of the other arts] cannot be experienced in other ways. Nor does it mean that we can’t explore alternative or different ways of experiencing the form.They can, and many people have gone out of their way to prove this. It just means that essence of the aesthetics and pleasure they [music] impart, lies in the experience of that [its] particular form.
The fact remains though, a Deaf person experiencing music, a deaf person experiencing music, and a hearing person experiencing music, are different sets of experiences, based on different physical characteristics [aural reception and perception]. Which are further influenced by the physical characteristics of location, environment, and acoustics.
Beethoven is held up as an example of someone who wrote music, and continued to do so, after he lost his hearing. But therein lies on oft ignored point. Apart from the fact that music was recorded via the written form of scores, and that each musical notation was a visual representation of a sound and how it is to be played, Beethoven was able to utilise his knowledge and understanding of the language of music [in its written form]. More pertinently, he was able to utilise his memory of sounds Beethoven had a lifetime of experience of music and sounds upon which he could draw from memory, as he continued to write music.
So, how does a Deaf or deaf person create or appreciate music, if its form and its qualities, are not, or not always open to us?
Further Reading:
Being Deaf and the Essence of Music
The Crossroads
Evelyn Glennie
Beethoven’s Nightmare
Posted in: Music, Perception
June 15th, 2008 / No Comments » / by admin
In my last post, The Crossroads: A Yearning & A Portrayal, I talked about the story I was working on.
I have decided to share a draft of the prologue, that sets the tone and introduces the character. It goes without saying the final from will differ from what you read here. While the book version [if there is one], will differ from the performed one, music and sign singing will be an important feature.
Enjoy.
Prologue Start:
The theme: A Faustian Bargain: A Rock Opera In Three Acts About A Deaf Boy Who Makes A Deal With The Devil To Become A Rock And Roll Star.
I am 50 years old today. Half a century old, and these hips are still good working order. Wish me happy birthday. Go on. You know you want to. God knows I’ve spent most of my life avoiding it. Each one is a reminder that I’m getting older, and each one is a reminder of all the things that I have been meaning to do, but never got around to doing them.
I dread my birthdays. I really do. It’s not the getting older I fear, and it’s that I don’t have much to show for all the years that I spent in this earthly existence; a few memories perhaps. A few memories of lovers, money spent, wine drunk, and words. No stereotypical emblems of success: house, car, wife, kids. Not that I wanted the wife and the kids, Lord knows what would I do with a woman. But you know what I mean.
Sure I enjoy my life. I enjoy being alive. But as Peggy Lee one sang, “Is that all there is?”
I can only look on with envy at the today’s youth, who are embarking on their great adventure, with mates and music, and falling in love at the first full flush of lust. The world is indeed a beautiful place, and it’s even a better place if you too are beautiful. If you are one of those lucky beings that have been graced by God with beauty, your adventures will all the more pleasurable.
But there is music and mateship. What are mateship and music, but the two hard currencies that bond people and provide the soundtrack by which they can drink yet more wine, reminiscing all those memories of lovers loved, money spent, and heated exchanges.
I’m 50 now, and I no longer have those. My account is zero. I have long since depleted my store of these two currencies.
I don’t wish to put a damper on your curiosity or sound morbid and self pitying. I’m not. At 50, I finally found the peace that has eluded me all my life. So here I am, out in the middle of Whoop, Whoop, with no one around, on a cloudless spring night. There is a whiff of summer in the air. I am laying back, with a bottle, having a conversation Mr. Moon. He signs really well too.
I bought my music with me to soundtrack my final moments. My own portable jukebox, filled with all the voices that kept me company through many a dark and many a joyful moment. No one soothes the troubled soul like Mahalia, and no one rocks you like Aretha. Where Mahalia takes you at a funereal pace, Aretha chafes at the bit to rock out.
I know you must be confused. I said earlier that I no longer had music. That is true. I used to be a musician. A rock star to be precise. I had it all; money, fame, groupies and love. But I lost it all. Yes, like Robert Johnson before me, I made the Faustian bargain. I did the deal. Signed with the Devil, and then threw it all away. He couldn’t get me then.
Yes, I knew he would have come for me. But many who struck deals with the Devil, have been so consumed by their greed and their lust, they fail to see when their time was up. When the Devil came to collect his due, they tried to weasel out of their deal, but they couldn’t.
I was rather fortunate, because I came to understand, that, “Yes, this is all there is” and was able to make my peace, and move on [grow from the experience]. This is why the devil couldn’t touch me. What would he do with a rebel on his hands? That’s what I was. What would he do with someone with their head screwed on? That’s what I had. My head screwed on.
I had it all once. Money, music and mates. I too was once loved. I don’t know why, but I let it all go. No one came after me to ask me why. That’s the deal you know. People talk about community, but it’s all inner circles and fair weather friends.
As I write this memoir, I am suffering from a severe case of blue balls. Ever since Johnny went away, I could have gotten together with somebody else, but the world isn’t made for the likes of me, but the pretty boys [the disco bunnies who shake their sweet tushes on Oxford Street every Mardi Gras].
Ever since I was a young boy, I wanted to be a pop star. Ever since I bought my first LP record, I was enamoured with the sounds that came out of that spinning black vinyl as the needle hit the grooves at 33 RPM. The speakers were tiny and the sound was tinny, but turned up loud, it rocked. When it rocked, my parents complained.
Prologue End.
Further Reading:
The Crossroads: A Yearning & A Portrayal
Posted in: Pandora's Box, Themes, Writing
June 8th, 2008 / No Comments » / by admin
At the end of my previous post,The Crossroads, I mentioned that I am currently working on a story about a Deaf boy who wants to be a rock star. There is only one way he is going to become a rock star, and that is by becoming hearing. For those who must know, yes, it is about me. Whilst I have no intention of writing an autobiography, my story is biographical in that it reflects my “hopes, fears, dreams and desires”. Just so that you know, my life hasn’t been all that exciting, and neither have I made a Faustian Bargain [that I would ever tell you about].
The character whom I based on myself is Joshua. A Deaf boy who was born hearing, and became deafened at the age of 5. He has always had some useful hearing, which has stood him in good stead over the years when communicating with hearing people, getting an education, and by and large, having some fun. Like me, Joshua loves music. He has buried himself in the sounds, images, culture and history of popular music. He locks himself way in his room, turning up the volume and miming. With a broom for a microphone and a tennis racquet for a guitar.
In him, I have embodied the conflict of deaf and hearing. Joshua, a Deaf boy, living in a hearing world, and wanting to be a rock star. This causes an internal [emotional] split, which creates havoc with his sense of belonging and who he is. As Joshua matures, and comes to accept his Deafness, and reconciles these opposing forces, that shadow of doubt remains. A true reflection of my outlook today. The big question [for Joshua and I,] is whether this dichotomy will ever [or can ever] be truly resolved.
I have been wanting to write this story for a long time. I could not decide on a format, so I have set myself the Herculean task of doing four: a novel, a musical, a rock opera and a screen play; and I am hoping through the writing process, I will be able to settle on the format that will allow the story to come to life. Then again, I can see the potential of each format hosting a different interpretation of the same story, and it might just be more fun different viewpoints of the same story.
In the process, I aim to give lie to David Lodges’ assertion that:
However, deafness restricts and thins out the supply of new ideas and experience on which the novelist depends to create his fictions. Living under a deaf sentence
There is such a dearth of positive images and portrayals of Deaf people in the media, whenever someone creates a project with a Deaf character, creates a Deaf character, they encounter all sorts of problems. Least of all, it questions your loyalty to your community or your loyalty to yourself. So in a sense, my portrayal of a deaf boy who wants to become hearing, is itself something of a Faustian Bargain, with Mephistopheles sitting on my left shoulder, chattering away about movie deals, opening nights, CD and DVD releases, and blah, blah, blah.
Research [if you can call it that,] is ongoing, but the struggle is in the writing. The story unfolds quite vividly in my mind, but in the transference to the page [computer screen], it is encountering extreme resistance. In order to do the story justice, my responsibility as the writer, is to treat the theme with honesty, and not pander to popular stereotype, or communal expectations of what and who the deaf character is. How it translates to the stage or the screen, in terms of acting roles, is another issue, but the point remains. To do the story justice. And only by doing the story justice, will we see a break in stereotype, and more truthful portrayals of Deaf [and deaf] people.
Meanwhile, the writing process, is a form of therapy [for me], and many issues that have lain dormant or not dealt with, are inserting themselves in between my mind and the page [computer screen]. Also, too many philosophical discussions about life, love and death with my hearing mate in the mountains, accompanied by a few bottles of wine don’t help.
But, I have found the protagonists [Joshua's] voice, and appropriately enough, it will start on the night of his [that is, my] death!
Reading:
The Crossroads [The Devils Playground]
Dualism
Zen Guitar [The Book]
The Zen Guitar Dojo
The Blue Mountains [For When You Visit Australia]
Whose Story is It Anyway?
The Tree Of Knowledge
The Tree Of Life, The Fruit Of Knowledge, Of Good & Evil
The Idol-Maker: David Lodge - Deaf Sentence
Robert Johnson And The Crossroads Curse
Deal With The Devil
Mandala
Aureola/Mandorla
The Shadow
Owning Your Own Shadow
Owning Your Own Shadow [Read Online]
The Road Less Travelled
The Road Not Taken
M. Scott Peck
Robert A. Johnson [Spirit Site]
Robert A. Johnson
Posted in: Creativity, Inspiration, The Source, Writing
June 8th, 2008 / 3 Comments » / by admin
What would you be prepared to do, to satisfy a desire for knowledge, power, status or change in life circumstances? What would you be prepared to trade off to achieve this knowledge, power, status or change in life circumstances? Decision making is not always a simple task of “either, or”, but a series of trade-offs where neither option is perfect.
The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Such is the journey to The Crossroads, and such are the choices that we, Deaf and deaf people face constantly in our efforts to carve out a meaningful life. The sacrifices, and the trade-offs we make. Some of which are in our power, and some without our control, to ensure that the choices we make, are meaningful ones. This is the nature of the Faustian Bargain, where the choices Mephistopheles presents us with, are “either, or”.
Even though I’ve never read Faust, or any of the other Faustian legends, the theme is ever present in the lyrics and the sounds of the music I listen to. When singers and musicians harness the polar opposites of positive and negative, the propel the music towards meanings at odds with its surface presence. This can be evidenced in the blues, where lyrically, the mood is often one of despondency and despair, yet the music is upbeat, playful, joyful, and downright lusty, as to impart the message of survival, inspite of the circumstances.
Grandpa’s Song [Watch the video on Youtube], by Vika and Linda, is a secular song, with a spiritual bent.
Grandpa’s Song
You were standing there, years ago
Waiting so patiently, to take me home
And as you held out your hand, I’ll never forget
I walked right by you, this day I regret
I had fire in my heart and you knew it
I was like you, so much like you
As I marched along, five paces ahead
You had a smile for me, I still can’t forget
Still I wanted to walk, on my own
You were there to protect me, on my way home
Time has gone, and it’s taken you with it
I miss you so, this much I know
Now I look back, on all that I’ve done
I hope you’ve forgiven me, see I was so young
I have grown, I now walk alone
I feel you beside me, still guiding me home
I had fire in my heart, and you knew it
I was like you, I was so much like you
Time has gone, and taken you with it
I miss you so, this much I know
I miss you so, now that I know
It was written by Vika as an apology to her Grandfather for her
behaviour when she was younger and her shame of her cultural heritage.
A story I know, and identify with. Yet, it works brilliantly as a metaphor for
the relationship between human beings and their maker [God]. Or simply
a metaphor for human pride, borne out of ignorance, and pitted against
greater forces beyond their understanding [and control], and ultimate
concession [or submission to humility].
The killer lines in Grandpa’s Song, are neither lyrical or melodious, but the ebb and flow of Maori
Choir that swells up after the instrumentals break. This represents a
moment of epiphany, and the sound of the choir that ever so gently, tugs the singer [and listener] towards a state of humility [the greater good]. This never fails to raise
goose bumps, and a rush to the head, in me. There have been moments
when I was nearly given to tears.
The song itself is easy to translate into sign language, and would make for a great signed song. The point for me, though, is how to translate the sounds of the choir, illustrate that ebb and flow, and its gentleness, without whom the song would lose a lot of its intensity. [For me, anyway!]
There is one other song, by Vika and Linda, itself a killer tune, which also works on both the secular and spiritual levels. These Hands, which I will leave you to deduct its meaning, but suffice to say, I interpret it is a call to arms for Deaf Pride, is imbued with many of the elements that make Grandpa’s Song so powerful: pride, humility, knowledge, understanding and esteem.
These Hands
The breeze blows gentle
The trees all sway, as if to wave
I picked up my suitcase
To pack up my dreams and leave, and sail away
On an endless ocean
With a sinking heart, I was torn apart
When a voice came drifting, warm and rise
Something lifting me up to the sky
These hands that hold me, are good and strong
I’ll be on my feet before too long
My life’s not over, why should it be?
These hands that hold me
They told me to hold on
Along the journey, I’ll need hands to hold on
My mind still wanders
Along the long white beach, that washed my feet
And the silver water
Under the island moon, I can almost reach
This endless ocean
So cold and deep, and I’m trying to sleep
Then a voice comes drifting, warm and wise
Something lifting me up, to the sky
Actions are not without their consequences, a these two songs [and I'm sure you, my dear readers, can come up with examples of your own] illustrate. The pertinent lesson is that decisions we make, are not always clear cut. The
devil in the detail, being the shades of grey, the area of ambiguity
that exists between these polar forces.
In artistic terms though, these songs detail the tensions that exit between the polar forces of positive and negative [good and evil, yin and yang, black and white, being and non being, et al]. Which provides a rich mine of ideas for stories and images, with which you can enhance the story with ambiguity, irony, ecstasy, and enlightenment.
In a mainstream culture that worships the Faustian Bargain, the Crossroads, the Polar forces, continue to fascinate me, and are the source for the story that I am currently working on. A story about a Deaf boy who wants to become a rock and roll star. [As my friend Liam said to me, "It's about you!" - that is me.]
Reading:
Robert Johnson And The Crossroads Curse
Deal With The Devil
Mandala
Aureola/Mandorla
The Shadow
Owning Your Own Shadow
Owning Your Own Shadow [Read Online]
The Road Less Travelled
The Road Not Taken
M. Scott Peck
Robert A. Johnson [Spirit Site]
Robert A. Johnson
Posted in: Creativity, Inspiration, Music, The Source, Themes
June 3rd, 2008 / 2 Comments » / by admin
As I wrote in The Tree Of Knowledge, with reference to the writer David Lodge, Deafness is a personal experience and the journey towards acceptance/ acclimatising to one’s Deafness is a personal one.
For some writers, painters, sculptors, photographers, dancers, actors, and multimedia artists, it is a source of inspiration for their work. How they depict their Deafness/deafness can be fraught with triteness, ignorance, misrepresentation, and treasonous and rebellious thoughts. For Hearing audiences, they are a curiosity. For their Deaf audiences, it can be tantamount to a violation of allegiance towards the Deafhood, should that depiction fail to meet with their expectations.
These points were driven home by the recent controversy surrounding Matt Hamill’s decision to cast the hearing actor, Eben Kostbar, to play him in a biopic of his life. Having read through a selection of the responses [links below], I understand what the whole ballyhoo surrounding Matt was about. Views were polarised, and a few were quite childish, but the debate contributed nothing to the advancement of Deaf art and Culture. Inspite of this polarisation, as a Deaf person, I do understand the criticisms.
When I realised what the controversy about Matt Hamill’s biopic was about, my first thought was, “Oh frigging hell. Here we go again. Another hearie mining us for their own gratification!” With an “Artistic or otherwise” justification tossed in as an afterthought.
The cynicism in me, and in Deaf audiences, is understandable. We have such a dearth of positive images and portrayals of Deaf people in the arts and the media. We are often
- an aberration,
- issue of the month,
- a metaphor for loneliness and abject misery,
- marvels of nature who can speak with their hands,
- a short lived example of how liberal hearing people are,
- an act of redemption via the miracle of technology, or
- an opportunity to aim for the Oscars.
Nevertheless, the question must be answered. “Whose story is it anyway?”
You can’t even begin to do justice to this debate, until this simple question is answered. It can be answered from a view different viewpoints. The subject, the creator, the writer, the producer, the actor, the painter, the photographer, et al, and the audience. However, in the final reckoning, this story belongs to Matt. It is a biopic of Matt Hamill’s life.
Though, credit must be given to the production team for sharing information about their intentions regarding this film. This openness is rather unusual in the Deaf world, well known for playing their cards close to their chest and not divulging much, if anything.
I’m not overly convinced by Eben Kostbar’s exhortations in the Actor’s Statement to the Deaf Community. My cynicism remains. For the simple reason, that most Deaf related projects are one off events. Which stands in stark relief to Deaf artists to whom Deafness is an intrinsic value, and who cannot make hearing related projects one off events. Eben’s integrity will be tested by his continuation of, or discontinuation as the case may be, of Deaf related projects.
Though I do admit some admiration for what Matt and the production team are trying to do. Reading the Producer’s Statement to the Deaf Community, reflects much of what I hope to do with my own writings and other media. Though, once again, the integrity of the production team will be tested by their continuation of, or discontinuation as the case may be, of Deaf related projects. Assuming the same team work together on other projects.
As someone who has grown up in a Hearing world, prior discovering my own sense of Deafness and Deaf culture, this melding of Deaf and Hearing, is an exciting prospect. I appreciate the potential of this project. Not so much the subject, as for the production team open to the idea of a workspace that attempts to fuse Deaf and Hearing artists and producers, into a mutual beneficial and creatively enhancing experience.
Further Reading:
Deafies In The Movies - Who’s Story? Mine Or Yours?
The Tree Of Knowledge
The Tree Of Life, The Fruit Of Knowledge, Of Good & Evil
The Idol-Maker: David Lodge - Deaf Sentence
Matt Hamill
Matt Hamill: The Movie
Controversy Surrounds Casting for “Hamill”
Who Says Who Plays Whose Life?
Statements of Matt Hamill and Eben Kostbar
NEWS FLASH! NTID/RIT cancels HAMILL (movie) auditions!
HAMILL - The Movie: Producers’ Statement
Lighting A Candle in the Deaf Darkness
Dis and data…Deaf issues on my mind
“Introducing the Hamill Movie” Website
It is about the long history not Matt Hamill
Amy Cohen Efron Vs. Matt Hamill
Matt Hammil Vs Amy Cohen Efron Part 2
Support Hamill? Yes and No
Go, Matt Hamill. Go!
21: Double Jeers to Matt Hamill & Eben Kostbar
Open Letter to Matt Hamill
Powered by ScribeFire.
Posted in: Creativity, Culture, Deaf & Hearing, Politics, Producing
May 6th, 2008 / 5 Comments » / by admin
The notion that “…..deafness restricts and thins out the supply of new ideas and experience on which the novelist depends to create his fictions…….” is still spinning me out. I’ve read and heard many ignorant [willfully and otherwise] things about deafness in my time, but this one really rankles, in that it encapsulates what hearies really believe to be the defining point of deafness: it’s limitation. A definition that is derived from outside observation, which becomes internalised, and it crystallises into a homem do saco when a hearing person starts to lose their hearing.
The angst that a person feels, when being disconnected from a familiar world is very real. It is made all the more worrying, because our culture which relies heavily on the aural sense, buttressed by the visual sense, does not know how to deal with this loss. It can only guess. So much is invested in the act of hearing, and because it does not have the knowledge of what it’s like not to hear, it can only assume that not being able to hear is restrictive.
More than that, it refuses to re-interpret it as anything but a loss. Our aurally inclined culture is deaf, to the idea that maybe, hearing, is not the be all and end all of human existence. It is deaf to the idea that maybe, not hearing, It is deaf to the idea that there is a positiveness to being deaf. This deafness is rooted in the refusal of hearing to engage with its polar opposite, deafness, as its equal.
And Deafness its equal. Deafness is the equal of hearing.
Of course, people are ready to argue otherwise. And that’s because so few have ever ventured to that other side, their knowledge of deafness is lacking. They cannot offer a plausible counterargument for why it is a negative state of being, other than a series of value judgements based on a subjective experience, and the world/ culture constructed around the aural sense is the only one many know.
Hearing and Deafness. Polar opposites. One the equal of the other. Neither is better than the other. Each poses its own unique characteristics, which influences the perspectives, experiences and opportunities that arise. Which in turn will influence how each side views and interacts with the world.
The problem does not lie with the lack of knowledge about deafness. A problem that is compounded by the subjective view of being hearing. The problem lies in the barrier that this subjectiveness creates, against, not only a positive state of deafness, but also against the possibility of any positive interaction between the two sides, as equals.
This schism exists because of fear, amongst other reasons.
But deafness exists. There are deaf people to prove it. Deafness can be, is, a positive state of being. There are happy Deaf people to prove it. The very existence of these happy Deaf people, gives lie to the idea that not hearing, is a negative state of being.
For an writer [or artist] like David Lodge, the journey from hearing to deafness, presents an opportunity to acquire new knowledge. Deafness is a new experience, and hence will present him with new knowledge. This new knowledge is not the same as the knowledge he gleaned from being hearing. It wouldn’t be, nor should it be.
It is ingrained in us, that we seek normality. But life constantly rebutts and constantly changes that normality, to which human beings cling to, ever tighter, because of fear. It is this, as part of the metamorphosis, that David is undergoing, that he is experiencing.
He seems to have recognised this in part, which resulted in his latest work, Deaf Sentence. But whether he grows, and moves beyond the negativity he is currently experiencing, remains to be seen. But it does represent an opportunity. His artistry will be tested, and may be found wanting should he choose to rail against the idea of a positive state of deafness. The choice is his to make, as a person and as an writer.
Understanding that Hearing and Deafness are polar opposites. Acceptance that both are the equal of the other. Appreciation of each sides unique characteristics. And the [schism] the interactive possibilities of the two sides, makes for a rather fertile breeding ground, out of which a new store of knowledge can grow.
That’s Entertainment:
The Tree Of Knowledge
The Idol-Maker: David Lodge - Deaf Sentence
David Lodge: Deaf Sentence
Posted in: Creativity, Inspiration, The Source
May 4th, 2008 / 10 Comments » / by admin
For someone who has lived with deafness all my life, I found myself in two frames of mind when I was writing The Idol-Maker: David Lodge - Deaf Sentence, for All The Young Dudes. I was, still am, in agreement with David Lodge’s descriptions of his deafness and the shenanigans resulting from misunderstandings, not hearing certain sounds, and communication breakdowns. However, upon reading The following pronouncement:
However, deafness restricts and thins out the supply of new ideas and experience on which the novelist depends to create his fictions. That former nun’s life story might have been priceless “material” and I regret its loss. I miss opportunities to eavesdrop on humanly revealing conversations on buses and in shops and to keep up with new idioms, coinages and catch-phrases that give flavour and authenticity to dialogue in a novel of contemporary life. Living under a deaf sentence
my eyes turned bloodshot, and I began to metamorphose into a raging fiend. All I needed was a full moon and the transformation would have been complete.
I have grown up with deafness, and I can refute this statement. As an artist, who has grown up with deafness, I can refute this statement. Indeed, there are many more Deaf artists, who can also refute this statement.
David Lodge is a well regarded writer, critic and Emeritus Professor of English Literature at the University of Birmingham, England. My difficulty lies with the fact that the man is experienced, talented, well read and erudite, and for all his worldly knowledge and experience, his observations are very much informed by the Hearing view of deafness. The Medical Model. The Disability Model. An unyielding, hegemonic, view that emphasises the lack of, and does not see any other possibility of being, or any other experience that is the equal of Hearing.
David’s deafness is a personal experience [as it is for the rest of us] and his journey is a personal one [as it is for the rest of us]. Where some people seek counselling, and others remain stoic in the face of adversity, David has chosen to explore his experience via the medium of writing [literature].
This I can understand, because one of the reasons I blog/ write, is to explore ideas, situations, and scenarios, in a private space that is unseen by outsiders, lest what I have chosen to reveal. More than an act of expression, more than an act of creation, more than an act of communication, and more than an addition to the cultural oeuvre, writing [or indeed, the act of creation], allows us, the author [artist], to understand ourselves, our world and other people better. Even come to terms with things or events beyond our control. For some of us, it is simply therapy. Vent, vent, rage and vent!
The question then is, what is the source material for an artist’s work? The source and the inspiration are varied. For many, we, ourselves, are our source. We choose our own lives, background, interests, culture, et al, as our source material. And to this end, deafness, is ripe for artistic treatment. To this end, I’m not exactly a fan of “the becoming deaf rites of passage” story. They do serve their purpose, I don’t disagree. But as a Deaf person, I crave for more, which is why I am extremely ambivalent about purchasing a copy of Deaf Sentence, thought I may cave in at some point.
For David, the exploration of his deafness, in his new book, Deaf Sentence, would be a natural progression of his work as a writer. For fans of his books, and especially those who follow his work assiduously, the subject would be interesting, regardless of which model or view of deafness prevails. Or whether the subject has been done justice. The interest is in the artist’s next book, song, record, sculpture, painting, photograph, blog post, et al.
Unfortunately, David does the craft of writing, and the act of creation a great disservice when he opines that:
“……deafness restricts and thins out the supply of new ideas and experience on which the novelist depends to create his fictions.”
If anything, life would have taught him to every ying, there is a yang, and to every yang, there is a ying. The statement betrays an ignorance that is quite breathtaking, but not unusual for hearing people to make. To be fair, unless you have experienced deafness, indeed, Deafness, how can you know otherwise.
I was there too, once! I like where I am now, better!
While deafness, does cut us off from the hearing world, or more accurately, the aural world, it does not, as David seems to believe, restrict or thins out the supply of new ideas. Far from it. The source of material, and inspiration for works, are only as limited as the limits the artist themselves impose. Yes, an artist’s chosen material presents problems and issues they must grapple with, in order to create a work that can be enjoyed, but that is different to the idea that deafness restricts and thins out the supply of ideas.
What deafness does is, it proposes a re-orientation of the world as described by hearing people. It provides insights unseen by the hearing. It provides experiences hitherto accessible. It debunks the long held belief of calamity and sorrow that befalls those who lose their hearing. And it lays down a challenge to the hegemony of one sense [hearing] over the other four [sight, touch, smell, and taste]. Pertinent, deafness [indeed, becoming deaf] presents new knowledge. From this new knowledge, comes new ideas, and new material, and new works.
David becoming deaf, does not detract from his life as a hearing person. The knowledge and experience that he has accumulated over the course of his life, is not rendered meaningless by his deafness. As I have said in the previous paragraph, his deafness presents him with new knowledge and new experiences. Indeed, new challenges, both as an artist and as a person.
And that is the challenge for David the writer [artist], and the person. Once he has expressed the angst the sea change that deafness engenders, will he remain within the medical/ disability model? Will his explorations lead him down paths hitherto untravelled? Will he come to a better understanding of deafness? Will he come to view the hearing world differently? Will he come to see alternatives other than technology for deafness? Will he come to see deafness as a viable state of being? Or will he and his artistry, languish in the echoes of a time long gone?
Further Reading:
The Idol-Maker: David Lodge - Deaf Sentence
David Lodge: Deaf Sentence
Posted in: Creativity, Inspiration, Literature, The Source, Writing
April 27th, 2008 / No Comments » / by admin
My name is Tony Nicholas, and some of you may know me as the ratbag from All The Young Dudes. The Devil’s Playground has been some time coming, and I finally got my act together to start it.
The Devil’s Playground is my Art Space. It’s my culture laboratory. A breeding ground for ideas. Idea’s that can be expressed textually, visually and aurally.
If you read, All The Young Dudes, then you will know that I am Deaf. I have set up this blog to write and talk about all things pertaining to the arts. Specifically, writing, producing, directing, music, theatre, literature, and the visual arts.
The intention behind this blog is to focus on the arts, and not be sidetracked by the usual deaf vs hearing politicking, or be dragged down by the cliched oral vs signing debates. I want to talk about writing, producing, directing, music, theatre, literature, photography and painting; and not just from a Deaf point of view [that is a given].
You will hear my voice as a writer and artist. You won’t find me using the word Deaf ad nauseum in this blog, my deafness is a given, and needs no further explanation or emphasis.
It may confuse you to hear a Deaf person speak of some of the things that I will write about, but that would be up to you, dear reader to seek understanding. My job is to tell the story. But hopefully, the journey will be a pleasant, educational and enjoyable one.
If you are wondering what is the significance of the blog title, that is a for a blog post to come.
But for now, this is a simple hello!
Posted in: Pandora's Box
March 30th, 2008 / 1 Comment » / by admin
They’re gonna clean up your genes
Passing the HFEB
To try and nomalise you
Because they seethe in their sleep
And keep an eye on you, So they
Can stop your hands saying the things you do
The implants are not enough
They always wear that smirk
Cause they got methods of making you hear
They’re gonna rip off your hands,
Your aspirations to shred
Another cog in the nomalisation machine
They said all Deafies scare the living shit out of me
They could care less as long as they make them all hear
So wave your hands or strike a violent pose
Maybe they’ll leave you alone, but not me
The boys and girls on the slab
The awful names that they stick
You’re never gonna fit in much, kid
But if you’re troubled and hurt
What you got under your shirt
Will make them pay for the things that they did
They said all Deafies scare the living shit out of me
They could care less as long as they make them all hear
So darken your claws and strike a violent pose
Maybe they’ll leave you alone, but not me
Ohhh yeah!
They said all Deafies scare the living shit out of me
They could care less as long as someone’ll bleed
So darken your clothes or strike a violent pose
Maybe they’ll leave you alone, but not me
All the parents now!
Deafies they scare the living shit out of me
Somebody implant them so that they can all hear
So rip of your clothes and submit to the HFEB
Then we’ll leave you alone, but not me
[x2]
These lyrics is adapted from the song TEENAGERS by My Chemical Romance. Cross posted at All The Young Dudes
Posted in: Pandora's Box
