Sight or Sound ?

As one who suddenly became almost totally deaf nine years ago, I have experience of a totally silent world.

It feels lonely.

Yes I have big hearing aids which amplify every sound, often just a cacophony of noise, which prevents me from understanding anything that's said. Yes I have a special phone that allows me to hear a voice at the other end using a loop system; but people talk quickly and / or rather softly and I have to remind them to speak slowly loudly and clearly. Yes I have a loop system for the TV, but if there's background effects then I can't hear speech. My directional hearing is useless, so if someone calls out a greeting then I have to look around to see where they are and who it is. I cannot hear the car engine revving and have to remember to change gear. Walking along a canal pathway for example, I cannot pick out a cyclist behind me and have avoided a few near collisions. I used to love music on our upmarket sound system, but now although I can hear it while wearing my hearing aids, the quality and balance is lost, as are the nuances.

There are upsides. Traffic outside our house in the early morning doesn't disturb my slumbers I can't hear my partner snoring. ;-)

I understand some of what you are describing through my experience of working with someone profoundly deaf and observing what happened to my late father as his hearing was affected ( though his vision was also very poor for half of a long life)

Your very personal account adds more to my direction of thought but only having already seen the world. The loneliness is the thing I think of in this situation.

its good that there are at least some upsides you can identify.

But what about Radio, is clear speech radio like Radio4 Dramas or News discussion, Woman's Hour etc. something you find easier ( if of course its of interest to you) ?

If I want to listen to the radio, e.g. I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue or David Sedaris, I tune in to channel 704 on the TV in order to receive radio 4, then use the loop system. It's really good because I can still hear the TV (Radio 4) even when the volume is at zero, I can walk outside in the garden and still here the TV.

Another upside is my ability to mishear words, and then add an input to a conversation about something totally irrelevant. It can be very amusing. :-)))))

That's good. Dad used to do this as well to listen to music via the loop when the rest of the household were unaware of what he was listening to ... until of course he started to hum loudly or sing. He was in the local Choral Society something he gave up as he could not hear well enough to join in and 'intune'

Years ago, I took sign language classes to be able to better talk to my brother. My first instructor was deaf -- and the best one ever !
We had sessions when the Deaf Community would come into our classroom - sit across from us and we signed and spoke at the same time. That, to me, was difficult.
If you have ever seen the play, "Fiddler On The Roof', I signed the matinee for those who wanted to see/hear the musical.
My coach was a member of the community - who would let me know if the signs made sense or not.
One scene in the play, there is a large bed [ and believe a ghost appears ] -- the director of the play stopped the rehearsal.
I signed everything he said to my Signing-Coach ... at one point the director stopped "what are you doing"?

I'm telling Frank everything you are saying about this scene...

Frank had told me the audience wouldn't be able to see my signs since the director had placed me in a bad visual spot.
We convinced the director that I had to be seen ! The director wasn't happy, but that was how it went.

Always have thought IF I had to be one or the other -- I would pick being able to hear. There are so many tones, expressions in voices so one understands the meaning.
Don't think that would be possible if sight not hearing were the choice.