History on this day, June 2nd—in 1875 and 1907 has something in common what they had been bullying Deaf people ever since–battery economics and make a huge profit off them.
Tag: Battery Economics
My Film In-Depth Analysis: “A Quiet Place”
You see this picture above? The Deaf actress signs to her character father in the film scene, “It does not work!” in reference to cochlear implant.
A Quiet Place was one of the most controversial films of the year in Deaf community. My reflection about this film is a major challenge. The opening scene of cochlear implant first thing exposes the arrogance of modern medicine and the decided failure of our society in heeding health system. The culture of fear continues.
Is it to benefit medicine and battery corporate controlled systems? The root of this aforementioned control is that those profiting from practicing medicine and selling batteries see no money to be made in respecting Deaf culture first thing.
It was powerful enough to create an image to meet the advanced methods of blatant oppression that approaches and questions necessary. It is only the beginning. Is this a sign of cochlear implant war? Is this a sign of third wave of Oralism? It only gets worsened when it comes to “Deafness”. In this film about profiting from cochlear implants, I would like to point out that cochlear implant crisis threatens not only economic collapse among families but also educational inflation beleaguered by costly services.
Hollywood needs to be honest about arrogance of Deaf culture.
Does this film’s approach of cochlear implants to be personal and individual freedom challenge the norms of Deaf community? Does this film of powerful and oppressive forces simply create Audism? The critical examination shows the absence of cultural contribution to the Deaf community and the tradition of literacy canon in this film. This cultural oppression is directly related in Hollywood historical tradition of systematic and institutional Audism proscribing an inferior status to Deaf babies.
Not only did this cultural phenomenon produce a scant offering of works by cochlear implant companies, criticism of Deaf babies that are not implanted in regard to these offerings were indicting and angry, perhaps that Deaf babies should stray too far from their state of happiness in the “pursuit” of healthy journey. Truth be told, however, Hollywood remains a nonstarter for “bonding” purposes.
Carol Padden and Tom Humphries write in one of their book chapters:
We had heard several stories along themes similar to the ones in this folktale, but it was not until we were displaced in a foreign country that we were able to recognize consciously what until then we had only intuitively understood: these stories are myths, tales, parables that carry the set of ideas about what makes it possible to be a Deaf person. By retelling these stories the group can talk about a knowledge it believes to be essential, its lifeblood.” (Deaf in America: Voices from a Culture)
Hollywood was supposed to be the front-line lifeblood of knowledge. We need to look at the central role of the public and private split has played in big issues such as Audism, oppression, and human rights, the need for “cochlear implant” spaces, and the legacies of colonialism. Relationships and Hollywood abound in many ways, cochlear implant industries are able to experience the many forms of big money that emerge to practice the oppression of Deaf babies, through the eyes of Hollywood.
The pairing of cochlear implant to beloved friend, Hollywood illustrates the perhaps most ill perceived of Deaf babies with pride and prejudice. Both parties desire the film to fulfill familial and societal expectations, establish battery economics, and affix social status connections that Hollywood supplant cochlear implant industries firmly with first-class genteel society.
I was clearly disappointed with the grand opening of the film that hurts the most. Looking back through history of 12 Deaf children who died from cochlear implant surgeries in 1989 and the many painful stories by cochlear implant survivors to this date today and the future, too. This abiding human question about whether cultural oppression strikes at the very soul of Deaf humanity—of how Hollywood view Deaf babies. The stories about how successful cochlear implants are myths and tales.
So much for “these stories are myths, tales, parables that carry the set of ideas about what makes it possible to be a Deaf person”
-JT
Copyright © 2018 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
The Politics of Audiology at Gallaudet University
Few weeks ago, Gallaudet University held a graduation for 2017 graduates—and I attended and received the 147th Commencement Ceremony “catalog” ranging from Order of Exercises [Processional to Conferring of Degrees and to Recessional]—there was one page that caught my eyes very much. Doctor of Philosophy where students received their Ph.D in field: Two in Education, two in Critical Studies in the Education of the Deaf Learner, three in Interpretation, two in Linguistics, two in Psychology, seven in Education Specialist, six in Specialist in School Psychology……..23 in Audiology.
That’s a lot, 23—and do you think Gallaudet University is allowing the practice of Audism? It is an engrossing study of the nature of American Sign Language and the subtle ways in which it gets oppressed. The language war (battling between signed and spoken languages) is set for the Deaf deliberately by audiologists and cochlear implants advocates for example, sometimes, it is set inadvertently by ourselves. The Language war——creating all the faces of Audism explains three general areas: why, how, and what.
Day after day we the Deaf people struggle against Audism, a hegemony of being able to hear a little over being profoundly Deaf in our society. Deaf people are treated to more and more euphemisms that dismiss our being Deaf as being bad, being inconvenient, being deficient. Not All Deaf Students wants to be cured. We encounter innumerable ambiguties and indulge in a few ourselves. We need to explore the “oral” minefield, and explains how to spot a language and sound war—and how to avoid the face of Audism.
The burning question, since 23 people received Ph.D in Audiology at Gallaudet University, does the Department of Audiology gets commission and money flowing and help them rake up the politics of Audiology and applying the pressure on Gallaudet University should be willing to pool some cash for the Department of Audiology to get space ready to branch out? But what about ignoring Audism at Gallaudet? Is either Department of Audiology or Gallaudet University getting rich after handing out each Ph.D? What is allowed in that Deaf space?
President Lincoln was the first Patron for Gallaudet University did not need his dollars rolling over at Gallaudet Univerity for Audiology at all. Lincoln made this a big dream for Deaf students to get higher education, nothing more!
On a side note: Why not Gallaudet University create Ph.D program in ASL/Deaf Studies? University of Bristol in England Deafhood Studies was 100 times better than ASL/Deaf Studies graduate program at Gallaudet. More Social Philosophy. More human rights. It is more Deaf-centered. Deaf students only. No Hearing students in the cohort. Why are Deaf people being plagued with lifelong damnation? In some instances—I am sure that is valid, but is there no process in place to clear up one of oppressing Deaf people on the campus of Gallaudet University?
There are the new 21st century elitist, American exceptionalism at its finest, progressive cochlear implant industries who are extremely dangerous as a group. They are fearful, uninformed on any true facts and not interested in receiving any factual information. They would rather believe in a “miracle” to cure Deaf people even in the dark just waiting for the big cash to flow into their bank accounts.
Because when people watch television, read newspapers that give one-sided, fact-free, fear based information, our educated minds will immediately go to the most primitive part of our brains and people will pull out the DNA implanted fear driven, emotionalized—“the big dinosaur is going to eat me” tape. Independent, questioning individuals are few and far between as we all want to be liked and be part of a group think environment.
During my GSO (Graduate Student Orientation) in 2013, I remember talking with a graduate student that was telling me a story that when she bumped into a graduate student who was majoring in Audiology, does not know ASL at all and she offered to teach her ASL, that person said, “NO THANKS!” and she asked her, “Why are you here at Gallaudet University for if you do not want to learn ASL?” and that person said, “Because Audiology is cheap to get degree at Gallaudet.” and that was pretty insulting to say that thinking that Deaf people are cheap and easy to fool them. Why do Gallaudet University really need Audiology for when the university was designed for Deaf-centered environment only? Battery economics?
The most dangerous and unthinking part of giving away 23 Ph.Ds in Audiology is that when you take away the voice for all facts to be presented, and decisions are designed through only emotions, when basic constitutional protection for ASL guaranteed in the Constitution under the Bill of Rights, did Gallaudet University turning a free society into something that in later years that Deaf people will suffer for? It would be SUPER COOL if there are 23 Ph.Ds in ASL/Deaf studies instead–of course, for Deaf students only.
-JT
Copyright © 2017 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely coped in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
The Shadow of Cochlear Implants in Cuba
Remember a post I wrote in September 2015, “My Reflections: Deaf People in Havana” with the link below:
https://audismnegatsurdi.com/2015/09/04/my-reflection-deaf-people-in-havana/
As June 15, 2016, Havana hosted a cochlear symposium as part of the 35th Pan American Congress of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery–please read the links below when you are done reading this post. As 2016, Havana has performed 360 cochlear implant surgeries. The biggest concern is that now America has restored diplomatic relations with Cuba in July 2015–meaning there will be thousands of cochlear implant surgeries happening in Havana sooner than people really think.
I am concerned, folks.
Link: http://www.radioangulo.cu/en/health/11060-cochlear-symposium-at-otolaryngology-event-in-havana-cuba
-JT
Copyright © 2016 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only, including this copyright message.
Paulo Freiere and the Starkey Hearing Foundation
I recognized that today Deaf children are dealing with an insuperable amount of oppression everyday and why they are struck with Starkey Hearing Foundation.
It is more important than ever to stick together and to continue to push for change, not to let the fog of politics make Deaf children jaded and cynical over the very real issues of hearing-controlled system that exist in Deaf world. ASL is the answer!
From Paulo Freiere’s quotes below:
“The oppressed must see examples of the vulnerability of the oppressor so that a contrary conviction can begin to grow with them”
“The oppressors do not see their monopoly on “having more” as a privilege which dehumanizes others and themselves”
“It would be a contradiction in terms if the oppressors not only defended but actually implemented a liberating education”
“To deny the importance of subjectivity in the process of transforming the world and history is naive and simplistic”
“[the oppressed] are at one and the same time themselves and the oppressor whose consciousness they have internalized”
“One of the basic elements of the relationship between oppressor and oppressed is prescription”
“To have the continued opportunity to express their “generosity”, the oppressors must perpetuate injustice as well”
“Any attempt to “soften” the power of the oppressor…..almost always manifests itself in the form of false generosity”
“Being less human leads the oppressed to struggle against those who made them so”
“For this struggle to have meaning, the oppressed must not….become in turn oppressors of the oppressors”
“The oppressed, having internalized the image of the oppressor and adopted his guidelines, are fearful of freedom”
-JT
Copyright © 2016 Jason Tozier
This text may be freely copied in its entirely only including this copyright message.
Starkey Hearing Foundation: Exhibition of the Oppressed
The first picture of the battery economics product of me for the first time.
The interview between the Daily Moth and California Association of the Deaf (CAD) president Julie Rems Smario and Secretary Deanna Bray was like watching a tennis game. It makes you wonder when the host asks “assonance” style, the term coined to take place when two ore more words close to the sound with the same vowel mix with different consonant sounds. Repeat hearing aids question. Repeat hearing aids question. Repeat hearing aids question.
Like Julie said, “hearing aids is a tool.” The hearing aids was a total waste of my human life for first 15 years—the batteries were a constant bullying against my dignity in school and even in my hometown, too. It is all about battery economics. Julie and Deanna stood fierce to preserve American Sign Language (ASL). They were both warriors of the week.
1986. Ball! Huh? Ball! Huh?
Let me make clear on this. I argue against the battery economics why they should make profits off Deaf children. It is not about Deaf children—it is about language deprivation. The hearing aids were a major ache.
Couple of years ago, there was a major TV show, Home Extreme Make Over, came to Oregon to find the perfect spot. Oregon School for the Deaf. Until Sharla Jones, the outreach coordinator who were responsible to make direct flights bound for Starkey Hearing Foundation to take Deaf students in. That was exactly why Julie and Deanna are making great examples to prevent this again from clowns. It is a repeated cycle.
Language acquisition is the best key for higher education. It could have saved a lot of money away from battery economics. I can remember my days when I had no choice to wear hearing aids. One day during summer 1989, as 15 years old kid, I was with my father, brother, and cousin at a river down from my house that time. The river was owned by the family until 1978. That was the same year my mother took me out of Tucker-Maxon Oral School (TMOS) and that was where TMOS pulled a stunt and made me wear hearing aids. I would always remember the chief architect is. It is like born at first birth.
...And the Truth Shall Set You Free. 
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