Anything But Silent - The Presentation and Construction of Deaf Culture in The Book

Book analysis

“Anything But Silent” by Mark Drolsbaugh provides readers with a delightful and amusing look at Deaf culture. The only Deaf person I know personally is my ASL professor. I have met Deaf and hard of hearing people in passing as well. I took ASL to fill a course requirement. I struggle with foreign languages and thought the muscle memory involved with ASL might be more to my strength. I had heard of Deaf culture, but was largely unfamiliar with it. This book has fed my curiosity with perspectives on a variety of issues through the lense of Deaf culture.

The most interesting topic in “Anything But Silent” is in the chapter “The Impossible Ideal.” Mark Drolsbaugh writes about an interaction he had with a family member he calls Jim. Jim had read Mark’s article about the pros and cons of cochlear implants. Jim is of the opinion that everyone biologically suited for the implant should have one as well as want to have one. The absence of the sense of hearing is purely a deficit and should be fixed, Jim argues. “The concept that I can survive, let alone thrive, in a world without sound is just too foreign to him” (Drolsbaugh 105).

Jim goes so far as to deny that Deaf culture is a thing. I find Jim’s opinion extremely offensive and hurtful. Everyone “lacks” something. That does not mean we need to be FIXED. It is healthy to be comfortable with who you are. Mark says, “Deaf culture is who I am. It kind of stings when he rejects it” (105). I admire how Mark handled this encounter. Despite being “disappointed to learn that Jim still feels a need to go out and ‘fix’” him, Mark continually asserts that everyone is entitled to their opinions (105). I would not have reacted so calmly.

The least interesting thing in this book was the repetitive reference to martial arts and how great it is. I don’t care about sports at all. It is completely foreign to me why people get so worked up about them. I understand that Mark enjoys martial arts. It builds his confidence, keeps him healthy, and he’s good at it. I did not read this book to learn about sports, and found these sections boring.

Personal opinion

This book taught me several things. I learned how much effort it takes to read lips. Hearing people should meet Deaf people halfway when trying to communicate. I learned about common issues Deaf people run into, such as ordering cold cuts. I never had considered that problem before.

I better understand the variety of views on cochlear implants. I learned about the harmful effects of the audist ideal. These effects include the discouragement and prevention of signing, isolation, and low self-esteem. It is good to help people, but it is not okay to imply they are broken. It is not okay to be condescending. Just because someone is hearing does not make them better or smarter. Being hearing does not make one qualified to judge what a deaf person is missing from his or her life.

I understand the importance of Deaf culture now. It is a social setting that gives people a sense of belonging and a way to communicate with each other. Everyone either has or wants a group like this, where they can belong. It is not meant to be an “us verses them” mentality, but rather a group within the larger group of humanity. Being Deaf has pros and cons like any human characteristic. Deafness is a lack of hearing, but it also allows access and acceptance into a vibrant culture. The inability to speak is not an inability to communicate. Sign Language can be used to communicate just as much as any spoken language. Deaf culture is indisputably a real thing, Jim.