Deaf Becomes You

Week ending 4/27/07:

"What? I can't hear you. What did you say?" Get ready, because that will be the attempted conversation of the future. Unfortunately, a generation of deafness is being created right before our eyes. Truly a "Night of the Living Deaf." What can we point to as the catalyst? The ubiquitous iPod, turned up so loud that others don't need those little ear buds (other than maybe to try and block out the noise pollution created by the thumping beat or profane rap lyrics.) The music can be heard throughout a 4 or 5 seat radius on the train. Females seem to be more attached, and thus, more susceptible. These "dec-i-belles" must really love their tunes, demonstrated by the pump-up-the-volume tendencies. I can only imagine what it must sound like to the masochist torturing their ears. None of them seem to mind however. They keep toe-tapping and head-bobbing away, keeping the beat while their eardrums are blown out like the rear car speakers in a '91 Honda. All of this means the rest of us should be investing in the cocular implant business. The specialists relegated to treating these conditions will have to change their specialty to "iEars, nose and throat."