[nfb-db] Deafblind Group Communication

[Mussie]

John,
I like your comments and thoughtful responses. But I wonder why you place so 
much emphasis on cultural variations within the same broader culture 
concerning deaf and hearing Americans paired as couples. Individual 
experiences and circumstances based on one's abilities, rather than simply 
"cultural" differences, largely account for what we have taken for granted 
as cultural variations. Of course, I am not saying that Deafness and the 
Deaf way are not valid cultural representations of the Deaf community. But 
as if I met someone from my own cultural environmental and who shares most 
of my upbringing yet finds my interests and tastes conflicting with hers, 
this speaks about the differences of personal values and/or the life 
experiences that ultimately shape us as individuals. For that reason, deaf 
and hearing Americans share mostly broad cultural similarities, and the 
differences are not shaped by culture but abilities in regards to 
communication and level of enculturation and integration into U.S. society 
at large.
By the way, we have tried to set up an anthropology subsection at my school 
that focuses on the anthropological approach to understanding people with 
deafness and deaf-blindness, but budgeting issues prevented the program from 
ever becoming a reality. Let me know of your thoughts on this issue.
Mussie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Lee Clark" <johnlee at clarktouch.com>
To: "'NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List'" <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 08, 2009 11:22 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-db] Deafblind Group Communication


> Haben:
>
> No, I am not skeptical of deaf/hearing relationships at all.  If they can
> communicate with each other smoothly, as you put it, and they also have a
> trusting, confident, and respectful relationship, that's very cool.  Even
> most hearing/hearing couples have separate circles of friends--the woman 
> may
> get together with her lady friends weekly at a coffee shop or for book 
> club
> and the man may be in a bowling league, for an example.  Couples have
> different jobs, interests, etc. and consequently they naturally have
> different sets of friends.  Nothing unusual about that.
>
> I've known many intercultural couples to travel separately if both go to 
> an
> event that is more oriented toward one culture.  My friend Peggy, who is
> Deaf, and her husband, Bill, who is hearing, often show up together for 
> Deaf
> events, but Bill tends to leave early while Peggy stays all night chatting
> nonstop.  When Peggy goes to Bill's family stuff, she tends to leave 
> early.
> We are always happy to have Bill and it is nice chatting with him while 
> he's
> there, but we understand that he is not leaving because he dislikes us. 
> We
> know it's just a cultural thing.  Bill'[s family are good with 
> communicating
> with her and they have a good time, but they know that it's not the same
> thing as Peggy being "at home" so they are okay with her leaving after the
> meal while Bill lingers for a few more hours.  That's a great example of a
> healthy relationship.
>
> John
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfb-db mailing list
> nfb-db at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org
>