[Veraticus]

I can and did say that. The world is easier for non-deaf people. I can’t imagine even many deaf people would argue against that statement.

The correct way to argue against this isn’t to say that “objectively” the world is the same for deaf and non-deaf people; it’s that there’s a culture and language bound up in deafness that don’t deserve to die thanks to medical advances. That is true, and makes treatments like these and what they mean to the deaf community much more complicated and difficult.

[alexey-salmin]

If dolphins could communicate with us they would surely tell how much easier it is when you have ultrasonic hearing. All humans are therefore disabled and in need of fixing.

Or maybe not, if dolphins turn to be wiser than an average human.

[sweezyjeezy]

If all humans could echo-locate except a subset who couldn't, I would say that group is at a small disadvantage, yes, because the set of things the main group can do is 'objectively' greater. I don't know how relevant it would be for us especially in the daytime, but hey.

[alexey-salmin]

I agree. However, whether all kids should receive gene therapy to develop the echo-location once the science allows for that is a more nuanced question.

[geraldwhen]

If most buildings lacked light because the vast majority just echolocated, then the those unable would be disabled.

It is okay for there to be a normal human experience, and define inability to participate as a disability.

[alexey-salmin]

> It is okay for there to be a normal human experience, and define inability to participate as a disability.

That's what most people normally do, yes. Then many people out there define an "ability to enjoy hetero sex" as a "normal human experience" and therefore see gayness as a disability that needs a cure.

I'm not arguing about the conclusion here, but about the method and the basis for deriving this conclusion.

The initial comment in this thread declared deafness to be an "actual defect" while gayness "is just people being inherently gay". Such division is completely arbitrary and doesn't follow from any law of nature. Only from current societal views which change a lot with time.

[sweezyjeezy]

> doesn't follow from any law of nature

Natural selection gave us hearing.