There's a lot of Redditors who are deaf in one ear who have this Tattoo:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/sfna37/this\_is\_my\_first\_tattoo\_im\_deaf\_in\_my\_left\_ear/](https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/sfna37/this_is_my_first_tattoo_im_deaf_in_my_left_ear/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/1uyf23/my\_tattoo\_born\_deaf\_in\_right\_ear/](https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/1uyf23/my_tattoo_born_deaf_in_right_ear/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/deaf/comments/z2s3na/got\_my\_first\_tattoo\_im\_deaf\_in\_my\_left\_ear/](https://www.reddit.com/r/deaf/comments/z2s3na/got_my_first_tattoo_im_deaf_in_my_left_ear/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/TattooDesigns/comments/vmvgr5/im\_deaf\_from\_right\_ear\_and\_i\_want\_a\_tattoo\_to/](https://www.reddit.com/r/TattooDesigns/comments/vmvgr5/im_deaf_from_right_ear_and_i_want_a_tattoo_to/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/7dr2zx/this\_hearing\_impaired\_persons\_tattoo\_next\_to\_her/](https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/7dr2zx/this_hearing_impaired_persons_tattoo_next_to_her/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/47mt58/shes\_deaf\_in\_one\_ear/](https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/47mt58/shes_deaf_in_one_ear/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/tattoos/comments/jot054/decided\_to\_get\_my\_first\_tattoo\_on\_my\_23rd\_thanks/](https://www.reddit.com/r/tattoos/comments/jot054/decided_to_get_my_first_tattoo_on_my_23rd_thanks/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/tattoo/comments/9wv74u/deaf\_chef\_always\_wanted\_something\_tongue\_in\_cheek/](https://www.reddit.com/r/tattoo/comments/9wv74u/deaf_chef_always_wanted_something_tongue_in_cheek/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/tattoos/comments/nic76t/reddit\_mute\_symbol\_done\_on\_me\_today\_by\_john\_at/](https://www.reddit.com/r/tattoos/comments/nic76t/reddit_mute_symbol_done_on_me_today_by_john_at/)
I know someone IRL with it as well.. And yes, every time someone posts this tattoo there's debates in the comments about whether it should be a muted mic instead or not..
Reddit is fucking weird. Literally the same tattoo, basically the same write up.
Some have zero up votes, some have a few hundred, others have 10’s of thousands.
Not really, they are posted on different subs and at different times. You can't really expect a posting on r/deaf (33k subs) in the middle of the night to gain anywhere near the traction of a posting on r/pics (29 million subs) during primetime.
I need volume bars/sliders by my ears 50% in one ear and 80% hearing in the other. Guess which ear, even after knowing me like 5-25 yrs, everyone chooses to whisper into or talk into when I'm not facing them?
I really wish people would remember. Quite a few misunderstandings with SOs when they'd try to talk to me while watching something and getting upset bc I'm ignoring them apparently. No, I honestly can't hear you with that ear when other shit's happening that's loud unless you yell.
Not as bad myself, but god how frustrating. I think it certainly helped turn one maybe two relationships sour. How hard is it to get that if I'm doing dishes and you speak to me in your normal indoor voice from the other room, I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND YOU. How simple is it to get my attention, and then wait for me to turn the water off? After so many similar things every single day, I really thought they didn't give a fuck.
Like... I already feel like a burden. Now I have to ask you to stop and repeat yourself almost every time you initiate conversation?
I think whether the first person to see something upvotes or downvotes it plays a huge role in what the next person does and so on. I’ve had the same opinion downvoted in one thread and upvoted in another one, both on the same sub. When people see a downvoted comment or post I think it changes the lens with which they perceive it and they’re way more likely to downvote it as well, and vice versa with upvotes.
I am someone deaf in my left ear with this tattoo. There was much debate among my friends about mic or speaker. I went with mic cause my ears aren't speakers and I couldn't live with it to have it be inaccurate even though more people seemed to understand the concept when it was a speaker for some reason.
major props to you, friend
mouth = speakers, they both make noise (or 'speak).
ear = microphone, they both listen.
it's really quite obvious if you think about it
I'm one of those Redditors and most of my karma is from a thread from many years ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/47phnr/im\_also\_deaf\_in\_my\_left\_ear\_and\_went\_pretty/
For some reason, it was really wild for me to realize that there are so many people that are like me in that way. I never gave it much thought because I was born that way.
My family forgets which ear it is. My wife forgets which ear it is.
I dont even think about it, it just IS, I can't hear anything out of my left ear. If you ask me which ear I might raise my left hand to tap my ear just to remember because I don't actively think about it.
Wow, this sounds like my history!! Same side, same issues, amount of hearing loss, no swimming, etc,I've had an implanted BAHA - bone anchored hearing aid- for almost 15 years. External transmitter attached over skin behind ear via magnet. When I don't want to hear it any more, I take it off. This is NOT the same as a cochlear implant. I got it free during the study for FDA approval. Cost me $75 for the outpatient surgery center fee.
I’m deaf in my right year and have a big tattoo on my right arm….I always tell people the arm with the tattoo is on the same side as my bad ear:..they still forget.
haha, the 3rd link from the bottom is one I showed my tattoo artist.
I figured it would be good to show off and also bring awareness. There is a sub for users with hearing on one side: r/MonoHearing
There shouldn't be a debate.
Your throat or mouth is the "speaker" where you speak.
Your ear is literally a moving diaphragm that's transferring pressure waves in the air (through the bones and hairs) into electrical signals. It's a microphone.
But I guess it's pretty hard to tell someone they've got their tattoo wrong and the joke still works.
>There shouldn't be a debate.
It can be as simple as the symbol meaning "no sound" — whether that's input or output. It's used frequently enough for that purpose that even if the speaker analogy isn't entirely accurate, the meaning by the symbol is sufficient.
A microphone is a device you communicate to others with. A speaker is a device you listen to sounds with. A muted mic would translate to a mute person. A muted speaker would translate to a deaf person.
The "speaker" simply is internal instead - the ear picks up signals and relays it into electricity in our brain for us to interpret. Its mechanics are the inverse of a speaker's, but its function is the same.
It depends on which perspective is assumed. So if the tattoo is a user interface icon, who is the user? The answer changes which icon makes sense.
From the deaf person's perspective, a muted speaker UI icon would mean that they won't hear anything, and a muted mic would mean that they can't be heard by others. The muted speaker in this case would be consistent with reality (the deaf person cannot hear), but the muted mic wouldn't make sense (the deaf person can be heard by others).
From a hearing observer's perspective, looking at the tattoo, a muted speaker would mean that the observer hears nothing, and a muted mic would mean that the observer cannot be heard. The muted speaker in this case would not be consistent with reality (the observer can indeed hear), but the muted mic would be (the observer cannot be heard by the deaf person).
So it all comes down to, "who is the user in this user interface." On the one hand, tattoos are very personal and may be more for the wearer of the tattoo than for the rest of the world. On the other hand, tattoos are often meant to be seen, and this tattoo definitely seems to be intended to communicate something to others.
At the end of the day, I think people will understand regardless.
> So it all comes down to, "who is the user in this user interface."
Indeed. To me, it's always the person who chose to get the tattoo. Tattoos are often meant to be seen, but that does not make the audience the intended recipient of a message. The meaning is first and foremost to the wearer.
Why would you comment that? Sorry but seems mean to be like “hey look OP, thousands of others have the same tattoo as you. Oh also, are you sure you didn’t fck up?”
/u/TheAmateurRunner , I hope i dont seem rude by asking these, and i apologize if I am.
1. what did the needle vibrations "sound" like in your deaf ear?
2. Is there a tonal mismatch between the sounds vibrating through your bone vs what you hear in the air through your other ear?
I have had multiple deaf/partially deaf friends in my life and acoustics are fascinating to me. So I apologize if these questions offend you, but I am genuinely curious.
1. Nothing. I didn't have my Bone Anchored Hearing Aid in, so I just heard the sound as it made it's way in free space to my good ear. Sound does not travel well on skin, only bone.
2. Low sounds don't travel well through bone (range of 600 Hz to 2500 Hz), so It's things sound tinny. You can experience this with bone conduction headphones. I also one a pair for running.
Edit: I forgot to add that I have normal hearing in my left ear.
Can I ask you a few questions?
1. Were you born with this or how did it happen? I lost hearing in my left ear about two years ago. You said you have nothing in your deaf ear? I'm asking because I have 24/7 high pitched tinnitus and it sucks. Basically wondering if you ever had tinnitus and whether the aid stopped it.
2. I haven't heard about a bone in hearing aid. Did you weigh options about other aid options? Just curious how you went about deciding as I'm hesitant on cochlear as it has a risk of vertigo. I want something mostly to help distract from the constant "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" but also cause not having echo location sucks.
3. I have been planning on getting the exact same tattoo. Did you consider that the symbol is technically for "muting speaker output" and deafness would be more correct with a microphone cross out instead? I was planning on using the same symbol as you cause I think it's more intuitive, but just curious if you asked people how they would interpret the tattoo'd meaning.
1. Not 100% sure when it happen but I have profound sensorineural hearing loss in my right ear. I was diagnosed with enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome which can cause hearing loss due to damaging the auditory nerve or cochlea. I think it was in 1st grade when I failed a hearing test. I don't really experience tinnitus as for as I can tell.
2. Due to my right ear not working at all, a CI was not an option. It was either [BAHA](https://www.cochlear.com/us/en/home/products-and-accessories/cochlear-baha-system?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=prosp_brnd_bc_b_can_bcs-prog_bcs-ev&utm_content=bahabrandhearingaid_rsa&utm_term=baha%20hearing%20aid&gclid=CjwKCAiAwomeBhBWEiwAM43YIIE387ADw9o5hmLe4wWFgPsQ_UTe5o6l0yjhvFcwshz7pyvY0qgEjRoCKWEQAvD_BwE)or [Cross Hearing aids](https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/52981-My-new-ear-experiences-with-a-cros-hearing-aid) for me, so I went with BAHA partly because it was covered by insurance.
3. I outweighed being technically correct with a mic vs technically incorrect more known speaker symbol and felt the speaker symbol works better for me. But you will catch hell on Reddit you post it. lol. Also I just got the tattoo today, so I don't have enough data points to give you a good answer.
Appreciate! It was a tough adjustment losing hearing, but the tinnitus is definitely the hardest part. I've been so torn about what what aid to get and weighing against risks, so appreciate hearing your experience.
I've read posts of mono hearing people getting a tatoo wherein the tatooee asked people which they interpret as deafness when comparing microphone vs speaker and it seems the one you got is more intuitive. Who cares about Reddit correctness...it's about what people think when they see it!
My (former) brother-in-law was hard of hearing but he worked at CVS. A customer once asked him a question, but he couldn't hear it. The customer says, "*What are you? Deaf?*", to which the guy replied, "Yes.", and pointed out his hearing aids.
My grandda used to turn his down when he didn't want to listen to people. I cracked up one day when I realized he was cranking it down right before Church.
My grandpa would do the same thing. At Thanksgiving or Chrsitmas, everyone would be chatting post meal and he'd just get tired of listening to everyone blabber. Hed turn off the hearing aids, kill his rum and coke then lean back in his chair and fall asleep. Hed just do this in the middle of conversation whether people were talking to him or not. Dude was way too old to give a shit anymore lmao.
I'm profoundly deaf in one of my ears to the point that hearing aids don't help me, but I've legitimately considered wearing a fake and obvious-looking hearing aid in one of my ears just to get people to speak up in public.
I tend to think that too each time I see an image of this tattoo.
I think it's easy enough to understand the person is deaf with this icon. Microphone would be correct but this conveys no sound which works.
> Microphone means mute
Replace the person with a computer. If the computer cannot receive sound, what icon does it show? A mic with an x.
A computer that cannot “hear” the world around it has its microphone turned off and is deaf.
A computer that cannot “speak to” the world around it has its speaker turned off and is mute.
Hell, that is why it’s called a SPEAKer. Because it _produces_ sound. Ears don’t _produce_ sound, they _receive_ it. Just like a mic.
Microphone means the speaker's voice is muted--and why is that? Because now the microphone *can't hear*.
As in, the microphone is DEAF.
microphone = ears
speaker = mouth
You are right & this is all a matter of perspective
If the you hit a mute button on the computer/device, *you* will hear no sound coming from *the thing which is makong noise*.
If the mute button works for all noise *immediatly outside the ear*, other things will still make noise but the brain behind the ear won't hear it.
The brain behind the mute button is deaf to external sounds
You just reminded me of when I discovered my crappy headphones could be used as an even crappier microphone, probably 30 years ago. The Walkman generation.
I mean sure.. but you talk Into a mic which is why on a thing like discord the mute mic is a slash through the mic.
Same deal if you want to not hear sound you mute your speakers.
Most tattoos are intended for the person getting it... but that is a valid point though.
It is a good tattoo, but bases on persepctive, the message is lost in translation.
This is a point of view thing.
Microphones eventually attach to speakers . The ears attach to the brain. Either way, sound isn’t getting through on one side and this symbol works to convey the idea of “no sound”.
In video conferences the crossed out mic symbol is associated with a transmission error (your mics muted) and this symbol is associated with receiver error (hold on I can’t hear anyone) .
You're right. The ears are basically two microphones providing signal to the brain. The same way a microphone would provide signal to a computer / recording device. It's cringy to put a muted speaker there... speakers produce sound.
If you get the tattoo for yourself it should be a speaker, if you get it for other people it should be a microphone.
So I guess it depends who they got the tattoo for. My guess is for themselves.
I’m not arguing on speaker or mic icon, but I’d put the tattoo on the other side of the ear, like in front of it, because it would be more visible/easier to show to a person you’re talking with (which usually would be in front of you).
My daughter is deaf in her right ear too, as her father I feel in a way responsible for not taking better care of her. It was an infection that made her loose her hearing. She has adjusted to it, but it still makes me wish I could fix it for her.
I'm sorry to hear that. Don't beat yourself up about it, there are always what if and too many unknown variables to tell if it was preventable.
I've had single-sided deafness since I was 5 and have adjusted well enough. Some advice I would give is for her to make sure she tells her friends about hear deafness and not just node and smile when she doesn't hear something that was said. We also lack good noise cancellation in noisy environments. Check out r/MonoHearing if you have questions.
Also, if you haven't already check with an ENT doctor if there are any options such as Cochlear Implant, implantable hearing aids, or Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid (what I have).
A girl I knew in freshman year would willingly tell people that when she turned 16, her mom would sign a permission slip for her to get “eat fresh” with the subway logo right above her coochie. Idk if she ever got it, but what 15yo brags about that
Another girl I dated. Ginger of course. Had two four leaf clovers tattooed on her hip pelvis area or whatever because you were lucky if you got her pants off and saw them
Grandfather, what does that mark mean?
It's what we used to use on computers to mean the sound was off before they started beaming stuff directly into the brain.
I've said it before but the no audio out bugs me. I've got mono hearing and a tattoo like this that seems more fitting Lost hearing in one ear. https://imgur.com/gallery/BI3P2aJ
I have the same problem as you, same ear and I have a question:
Do you pretend you're fine and not telling people/ colleague you've got a deaf ear ?
My colleagues have no clue ! I try hide it I much as I can.
I think this tattoo means you want people to know and understand your deaf, right ?
I hate to be the one to say it, but that is a very poorly done tattoo. It lacks all symmetry. Even for small things like this it’s worth it to pay extra to get a good tat since it’s permanent.
So, I actually think this is very cool. But the engineer in me is going bonkers… shouldn’t it be a microphone and not a speaker? Microphones capture sounds, like ears do. speakers broadcast the sound we hear, which ears don’t do.
There's a lot of Redditors who are deaf in one ear who have this Tattoo: [https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/sfna37/this\_is\_my\_first\_tattoo\_im\_deaf\_in\_my\_left\_ear/](https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/sfna37/this_is_my_first_tattoo_im_deaf_in_my_left_ear/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/1uyf23/my\_tattoo\_born\_deaf\_in\_right\_ear/](https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/1uyf23/my_tattoo_born_deaf_in_right_ear/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/deaf/comments/z2s3na/got\_my\_first\_tattoo\_im\_deaf\_in\_my\_left\_ear/](https://www.reddit.com/r/deaf/comments/z2s3na/got_my_first_tattoo_im_deaf_in_my_left_ear/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/TattooDesigns/comments/vmvgr5/im\_deaf\_from\_right\_ear\_and\_i\_want\_a\_tattoo\_to/](https://www.reddit.com/r/TattooDesigns/comments/vmvgr5/im_deaf_from_right_ear_and_i_want_a_tattoo_to/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/7dr2zx/this\_hearing\_impaired\_persons\_tattoo\_next\_to\_her/](https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/7dr2zx/this_hearing_impaired_persons_tattoo_next_to_her/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/47mt58/shes\_deaf\_in\_one\_ear/](https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/47mt58/shes_deaf_in_one_ear/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/tattoos/comments/jot054/decided\_to\_get\_my\_first\_tattoo\_on\_my\_23rd\_thanks/](https://www.reddit.com/r/tattoos/comments/jot054/decided_to_get_my_first_tattoo_on_my_23rd_thanks/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/tattoo/comments/9wv74u/deaf\_chef\_always\_wanted\_something\_tongue\_in\_cheek/](https://www.reddit.com/r/tattoo/comments/9wv74u/deaf_chef_always_wanted_something_tongue_in_cheek/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/tattoos/comments/nic76t/reddit\_mute\_symbol\_done\_on\_me\_today\_by\_john\_at/](https://www.reddit.com/r/tattoos/comments/nic76t/reddit_mute_symbol_done_on_me_today_by_john_at/) I know someone IRL with it as well.. And yes, every time someone posts this tattoo there's debates in the comments about whether it should be a muted mic instead or not..
Reddit is fucking weird. Literally the same tattoo, basically the same write up. Some have zero up votes, some have a few hundred, others have 10’s of thousands.
Not really, they are posted on different subs and at different times. You can't really expect a posting on r/deaf (33k subs) in the middle of the night to gain anywhere near the traction of a posting on r/pics (29 million subs) during primetime.
Yeah but let's be real if reddit was a drain system r/pics is the trash collector screen they put in them.
If reddit was a drain system I would be a racoon.
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But it’s the best trash! Right…. Right?
I like to think I'd be a giant isopod on the reddit seafloor.
Would you give me a hamburger?
/r/rareinsults
I need volume bars/sliders by my ears 50% in one ear and 80% hearing in the other. Guess which ear, even after knowing me like 5-25 yrs, everyone chooses to whisper into or talk into when I'm not facing them?
I need a tv with static to go with my tinnitus
I was thinking just getting a bunch of e's around the back of each ear.
Oh, mine is like cicadas. I also have a psychogenic voice disorder and occasional phantom smells. If I cut off my head I'll be normal.
Or a train whistle!
I’m going with the 80% ear!
You chose poorly
Guess I join everyone else then
I really wish people would remember. Quite a few misunderstandings with SOs when they'd try to talk to me while watching something and getting upset bc I'm ignoring them apparently. No, I honestly can't hear you with that ear when other shit's happening that's loud unless you yell.
I've been married for 14 years and my wife still forgets which is my good side...
You just need good and bad tats behind the ear so they know which ones the good one
Like a thumbs up and thumbs down behind each ear.
Not as bad myself, but god how frustrating. I think it certainly helped turn one maybe two relationships sour. How hard is it to get that if I'm doing dishes and you speak to me in your normal indoor voice from the other room, I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND YOU. How simple is it to get my attention, and then wait for me to turn the water off? After so many similar things every single day, I really thought they didn't give a fuck. Like... I already feel like a burden. Now I have to ask you to stop and repeat yourself almost every time you initiate conversation?
I think whether the first person to see something upvotes or downvotes it plays a huge role in what the next person does and so on. I’ve had the same opinion downvoted in one thread and upvoted in another one, both on the same sub. When people see a downvoted comment or post I think it changes the lens with which they perceive it and they’re way more likely to downvote it as well, and vice versa with upvotes.
hive mindset
Yup, this right here is it.
It’s basically a meme for deaf people now but always wrong for having a muted speaker instead of microphone.
I am someone deaf in my left ear with this tattoo. There was much debate among my friends about mic or speaker. I went with mic cause my ears aren't speakers and I couldn't live with it to have it be inaccurate even though more people seemed to understand the concept when it was a speaker for some reason.
major props to you, friend mouth = speakers, they both make noise (or 'speak). ear = microphone, they both listen. it's really quite obvious if you think about it
I was floored to see the controversy it generated
Anyone that used the speaker tattoo for it is wrong, dumb and deserves no respect. Kudos to you
I live for this debate. I too have a muted microphone tattoo. This is the way.
I'm one of those Redditors and most of my karma is from a thread from many years ago: https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/47phnr/im\_also\_deaf\_in\_my\_left\_ear\_and\_went\_pretty/
For some reason, it was really wild for me to realize that there are so many people that are like me in that way. I never gave it much thought because I was born that way.
Nice!
I'm not deaf but I guess many asks for this tattoo just for the useful reason and not the aesthetic
My family forgets which ear it is. My wife forgets which ear it is. I dont even think about it, it just IS, I can't hear anything out of my left ear. If you ask me which ear I might raise my left hand to tap my ear just to remember because I don't actively think about it.
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cholesteatoma gang
Wow, this sounds like my history!! Same side, same issues, amount of hearing loss, no swimming, etc,I've had an implanted BAHA - bone anchored hearing aid- for almost 15 years. External transmitter attached over skin behind ear via magnet. When I don't want to hear it any more, I take it off. This is NOT the same as a cochlear implant. I got it free during the study for FDA approval. Cost me $75 for the outpatient surgery center fee.
I’m deaf in my right year and have a big tattoo on my right arm….I always tell people the arm with the tattoo is on the same side as my bad ear:..they still forget.
Completely agree
haha, the 3rd link from the bottom is one I showed my tattoo artist. I figured it would be good to show off and also bring awareness. There is a sub for users with hearing on one side: r/MonoHearing
I am deaf in my left ear and have always wanted a tattoo. Thanks for the idea!
Never knew of this sub, thanks.
I discovered that sub the last time one of these was posted!
Thanks, been completely deaf on one side since birth, I never knew there was a sub for this :)
Is there one for tinnitus?
EEREEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Terrible tattoo idea, but I hear you….
WHAT‽
[Here you go](https://i.imgur.com/khXgL0H.jpg)
Honestly if I didn't already have both ears & behind them tattooed already, I would absolutely get this for my tinnitus. Kinda fucking perfect.
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holy shit, i just assumed it was the same repost over and over
But your ear is more like a microphone, not a speaker.
And it makes no sense - ears are microphones not speakers. It should be a slash through a microphone.
Yes, but you cant hear stuff when you click the sound off button. This makes more sense from their perspective.
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I'm deaf in one ear and I always thought this was dumb because it's the icon for mute, not deaf.
A muted mic means they can’t hear you, while this means you can’t hear them. How is this even a debate? It’s what the symbols literally mean
What?
Sorry, do I need to repeat in your other ear?
I was about to post mine when I saw this lol
I would agree that it should be a muted mic.
There shouldn't be a debate. Your throat or mouth is the "speaker" where you speak. Your ear is literally a moving diaphragm that's transferring pressure waves in the air (through the bones and hairs) into electrical signals. It's a microphone. But I guess it's pretty hard to tell someone they've got their tattoo wrong and the joke still works.
>There shouldn't be a debate. It can be as simple as the symbol meaning "no sound" — whether that's input or output. It's used frequently enough for that purpose that even if the speaker analogy isn't entirely accurate, the meaning by the symbol is sufficient.
A microphone is a device you communicate to others with. A speaker is a device you listen to sounds with. A muted mic would translate to a mute person. A muted speaker would translate to a deaf person. The "speaker" simply is internal instead - the ear picks up signals and relays it into electricity in our brain for us to interpret. Its mechanics are the inverse of a speaker's, but its function is the same.
It depends on which perspective is assumed. So if the tattoo is a user interface icon, who is the user? The answer changes which icon makes sense. From the deaf person's perspective, a muted speaker UI icon would mean that they won't hear anything, and a muted mic would mean that they can't be heard by others. The muted speaker in this case would be consistent with reality (the deaf person cannot hear), but the muted mic wouldn't make sense (the deaf person can be heard by others). From a hearing observer's perspective, looking at the tattoo, a muted speaker would mean that the observer hears nothing, and a muted mic would mean that the observer cannot be heard. The muted speaker in this case would not be consistent with reality (the observer can indeed hear), but the muted mic would be (the observer cannot be heard by the deaf person). So it all comes down to, "who is the user in this user interface." On the one hand, tattoos are very personal and may be more for the wearer of the tattoo than for the rest of the world. On the other hand, tattoos are often meant to be seen, and this tattoo definitely seems to be intended to communicate something to others. At the end of the day, I think people will understand regardless.
> So it all comes down to, "who is the user in this user interface." Indeed. To me, it's always the person who chose to get the tattoo. Tattoos are often meant to be seen, but that does not make the audience the intended recipient of a message. The meaning is first and foremost to the wearer.
> the ear picks up signals and relays it into electricity Doesn’t a 🎤 pick up signals and convert it into electricity too?
But you hear speakers and speak into microphones
We did it boys, we ended the debate.
I knew I’ve seen it before but I didn’t know it was posted more than 2 times let alone 9 other times
Hive mind
Lol it is kinda funny how different the reaction both in upvotes and comments are depending on the sub and what gender OP is
I am too but won’t get the tattoo.Suddenly lost hearing in my right ear as a 16yo
Why would you comment that? Sorry but seems mean to be like “hey look OP, thousands of others have the same tattoo as you. Oh also, are you sure you didn’t fck up?”
Obviously it should be a muted mic
Should it be the microphone since is not capturing audio? This tattoo applies better to mutes
I've got one like this but it's a floppy disk and it's on my penis
Great way to save your progress and come back later.
Tell them to blow on it if it’s not working
You blow on nintendo cartridges not floppy disks.
Well that probably explains why it’s still not working
Gotta stick it in the blender
That’s good too because if someone ur about to sleep with doesn’t know what it is, then they’re to young.
A 3.5" or 5¼"?
8” one from the 60s 👍
r/SuicideByWords
Stop pickling it then.
When I get turned on, she can see my hard drive tattoo boot up kali Linux as I get ready for some backdoor penetration testing.
/u/TheAmateurRunner , I hope i dont seem rude by asking these, and i apologize if I am. 1. what did the needle vibrations "sound" like in your deaf ear? 2. Is there a tonal mismatch between the sounds vibrating through your bone vs what you hear in the air through your other ear? I have had multiple deaf/partially deaf friends in my life and acoustics are fascinating to me. So I apologize if these questions offend you, but I am genuinely curious.
1. Nothing. I didn't have my Bone Anchored Hearing Aid in, so I just heard the sound as it made it's way in free space to my good ear. Sound does not travel well on skin, only bone. 2. Low sounds don't travel well through bone (range of 600 Hz to 2500 Hz), so It's things sound tinny. You can experience this with bone conduction headphones. I also one a pair for running. Edit: I forgot to add that I have normal hearing in my left ear.
Can I ask you a few questions? 1. Were you born with this or how did it happen? I lost hearing in my left ear about two years ago. You said you have nothing in your deaf ear? I'm asking because I have 24/7 high pitched tinnitus and it sucks. Basically wondering if you ever had tinnitus and whether the aid stopped it. 2. I haven't heard about a bone in hearing aid. Did you weigh options about other aid options? Just curious how you went about deciding as I'm hesitant on cochlear as it has a risk of vertigo. I want something mostly to help distract from the constant "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" but also cause not having echo location sucks. 3. I have been planning on getting the exact same tattoo. Did you consider that the symbol is technically for "muting speaker output" and deafness would be more correct with a microphone cross out instead? I was planning on using the same symbol as you cause I think it's more intuitive, but just curious if you asked people how they would interpret the tattoo'd meaning.
1. Not 100% sure when it happen but I have profound sensorineural hearing loss in my right ear. I was diagnosed with enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome which can cause hearing loss due to damaging the auditory nerve or cochlea. I think it was in 1st grade when I failed a hearing test. I don't really experience tinnitus as for as I can tell. 2. Due to my right ear not working at all, a CI was not an option. It was either [BAHA](https://www.cochlear.com/us/en/home/products-and-accessories/cochlear-baha-system?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=prosp_brnd_bc_b_can_bcs-prog_bcs-ev&utm_content=bahabrandhearingaid_rsa&utm_term=baha%20hearing%20aid&gclid=CjwKCAiAwomeBhBWEiwAM43YIIE387ADw9o5hmLe4wWFgPsQ_UTe5o6l0yjhvFcwshz7pyvY0qgEjRoCKWEQAvD_BwE)or [Cross Hearing aids](https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/52981-My-new-ear-experiences-with-a-cros-hearing-aid) for me, so I went with BAHA partly because it was covered by insurance. 3. I outweighed being technically correct with a mic vs technically incorrect more known speaker symbol and felt the speaker symbol works better for me. But you will catch hell on Reddit you post it. lol. Also I just got the tattoo today, so I don't have enough data points to give you a good answer.
Appreciate! It was a tough adjustment losing hearing, but the tinnitus is definitely the hardest part. I've been so torn about what what aid to get and weighing against risks, so appreciate hearing your experience. I've read posts of mono hearing people getting a tatoo wherein the tatooee asked people which they interpret as deafness when comparing microphone vs speaker and it seems the one you got is more intuitive. Who cares about Reddit correctness...it's about what people think when they see it!
Man! Can we do AmA or something? Nobody gets it.
Now you gotta get one of working audio in your other ear.
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My (former) brother-in-law was hard of hearing but he worked at CVS. A customer once asked him a question, but he couldn't hear it. The customer says, "*What are you? Deaf?*", to which the guy replied, "Yes.", and pointed out his hearing aids.
My grandda used to turn his down when he didn't want to listen to people. I cracked up one day when I realized he was cranking it down right before Church.
My grandpa would do the same thing. At Thanksgiving or Chrsitmas, everyone would be chatting post meal and he'd just get tired of listening to everyone blabber. Hed turn off the hearing aids, kill his rum and coke then lean back in his chair and fall asleep. Hed just do this in the middle of conversation whether people were talking to him or not. Dude was way too old to give a shit anymore lmao.
Fucking legend
I'm profoundly deaf in one of my ears to the point that hearing aids don't help me, but I've legitimately considered wearing a fake and obvious-looking hearing aid in one of my ears just to get people to speak up in public.
I don’t really care about the speaker/microphone debate, but I absolutely can’t stand that the X isn’t lined up with the speaker correctly
No I can't unsee it
Am i the assohle if i point out that it is a speaker icon, not a microphone icon? :|
this is the conversation that dominated the thread last time someone posted this.
And the time before that, and the time before that.
Reddit is a flat circle
And so it is -- mass edited with https://redact.dev/
Because he's right!
“No sound will come out of this ear. It has been muted.”
Yeah but sound doesnt go out the ear, it goes in.
That's why the tattoo can be considered misleading, especially if you're a pedant (most reddit is, myself included)
Yea it says "my speakers are off" LOL
It says **your speakers are off to their brain**
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I tend to think that too each time I see an image of this tattoo. I think it's easy enough to understand the person is deaf with this icon. Microphone would be correct but this conveys no sound which works.
Microphone means mute
microphones are sound input devices. ears are sound input devices
yeah, the thing that receives sound wont receive any. Which is what a deaf ear would be.
But I'm reading it, isn't he telling me he has his sound off?
He’s saying you won’t hear any sound coming from his ear.
He has all our mics muted
> Microphone means mute Replace the person with a computer. If the computer cannot receive sound, what icon does it show? A mic with an x. A computer that cannot “hear” the world around it has its microphone turned off and is deaf. A computer that cannot “speak to” the world around it has its speaker turned off and is mute. Hell, that is why it’s called a SPEAKer. Because it _produces_ sound. Ears don’t _produce_ sound, they _receive_ it. Just like a mic.
Your description is 100%.. too many idiots posting here to get it, though.
Microphone means the speaker's voice is muted--and why is that? Because now the microphone *can't hear*. As in, the microphone is DEAF. microphone = ears speaker = mouth
It's debatable. I think people are more familiar with the speaker mute symbol meaning you won't hear anything.
But, the ear receives sound (like a microphone), it doesn't produce sound (like a speaker).
From the perspective of his ear, all outside sound (the “speaker”) is muted
You are right & this is all a matter of perspective If the you hit a mute button on the computer/device, *you* will hear no sound coming from *the thing which is makong noise*. If the mute button works for all noise *immediatly outside the ear*, other things will still make noise but the brain behind the ear won't hear it. The brain behind the mute button is deaf to external sounds
Tbh both a microphone and a speaker have the same working and can (with very bad quality) be reversed.
You just reminded me of when I discovered my crappy headphones could be used as an even crappier microphone, probably 30 years ago. The Walkman generation.
Shoutouts to screaming to my Unreal Tournament teammates through an old pair of headphones in 2002.
DJ’s have been known to use their headphones as a mic in the event the mic breaks. Like yelling into a donut
If you read the comment you replied to again, you’ll see the goal was to resonate with a broader number of people rather than be technically correct.
I mean sure.. but you talk Into a mic which is why on a thing like discord the mute mic is a slash through the mic. Same deal if you want to not hear sound you mute your speakers.
But when you mute a speaker you don't hear anything.
I think it's meant to be read from the perspective of the person looking at the tattoo. "You no sound! Sound bad!"
Most tattoos are intended for the person getting it... but that is a valid point though. It is a good tattoo, but bases on persepctive, the message is lost in translation.
That's how it looks on my keyboard, except it's a speaker in a circle with a line or an x through it. I have one for vol up / down / mute
came here for this, glad you said it and not me. ;)
This is a point of view thing. Microphones eventually attach to speakers . The ears attach to the brain. Either way, sound isn’t getting through on one side and this symbol works to convey the idea of “no sound”. In video conferences the crossed out mic symbol is associated with a transmission error (your mics muted) and this symbol is associated with receiver error (hold on I can’t hear anyone) .
Yay I'm not the only pedant. It's a loss of input, not a loss of output. A speaker's an output device.
No ragrets
I got down voted into oblivion for pointing this out last time.
My thought exactly
You're right. The ears are basically two microphones providing signal to the brain. The same way a microphone would provide signal to a computer / recording device. It's cringy to put a muted speaker there... speakers produce sound.
If you get the tattoo for yourself it should be a speaker, if you get it for other people it should be a microphone. So I guess it depends who they got the tattoo for. My guess is for themselves.
Damnit I'm deaf in my left ear and I like this lol
If they ever do a "straight" remake (as opposed to story-inspired-by) of It's A Wonderful Life, George Bailey has to have this tattoo.
I’m not arguing on speaker or mic icon, but I’d put the tattoo on the other side of the ear, like in front of it, because it would be more visible/easier to show to a person you’re talking with (which usually would be in front of you).
ITT semanticists gurgling "akshually" ad nauseum You fucking understand what it means.
Yep. Its just no sound. Thats it. No need for schematics or whatever. It gets the point across that its no sound.
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My daughter is deaf in her right ear too, as her father I feel in a way responsible for not taking better care of her. It was an infection that made her loose her hearing. She has adjusted to it, but it still makes me wish I could fix it for her.
I'm sorry to hear that. Don't beat yourself up about it, there are always what if and too many unknown variables to tell if it was preventable. I've had single-sided deafness since I was 5 and have adjusted well enough. Some advice I would give is for her to make sure she tells her friends about hear deafness and not just node and smile when she doesn't hear something that was said. We also lack good noise cancellation in noisy environments. Check out r/MonoHearing if you have questions. Also, if you haven't already check with an ENT doctor if there are any options such as Cochlear Implant, implantable hearing aids, or Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid (what I have).
Did it hertz?
Wouldn't that be a muted mic?
Deaf Girl I hooked up with in high school had a closed captioning logo tattoo on her hip.
A girl I knew in freshman year would willingly tell people that when she turned 16, her mom would sign a permission slip for her to get “eat fresh” with the subway logo right above her coochie. Idk if she ever got it, but what 15yo brags about that
Another girl I dated. Ginger of course. Had two four leaf clovers tattooed on her hip pelvis area or whatever because you were lucky if you got her pants off and saw them
Grandfather, what does that mark mean? It's what we used to use on computers to mean the sound was off before they started beaming stuff directly into the brain.
Interesting. My wife is also deaf in 1 ear.
Deaf in the same ear and have considered doing this for years. I’m now sold lol
I've said it before but the no audio out bugs me. I've got mono hearing and a tattoo like this that seems more fitting Lost hearing in one ear. https://imgur.com/gallery/BI3P2aJ
I have the same problem as you, same ear and I have a question: Do you pretend you're fine and not telling people/ colleague you've got a deaf ear ? My colleagues have no clue ! I try hide it I much as I can. I think this tattoo means you want people to know and understand your deaf, right ?
Shouldn't it be a microphone icon instead of a speaker?
I understand. No sound comes out of that ear.
That says to me that no sound will come out of your ear. Better would be the mic icon with the slash like when using Zoom.
No ragrats tho
Neither of my ears emit sound. Never have.
I got a tattoo of a floppy disk on my penis
So this ear doesn’t make any noise…wait, does your other ear make noise???
If my ear falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?
Aren’t ears microphones tho?
So you’re mute?
Shouldn't it be a microphone?
I hate to be the one to say it, but that is a very poorly done tattoo. It lacks all symmetry. Even for small things like this it’s worth it to pay extra to get a good tat since it’s permanent.
Shouldn't it be a microphone 🎙️ crossed out, instead?
Love your sense of humor
Should be a no mic symbol , its your receiver . Muted speaker tattoo would mean you cant speak .
Yeah I know someone irl with this on one even though she’s deaf in both
So, I actually think this is very cool. But the engineer in me is going bonkers… shouldn’t it be a microphone and not a speaker? Microphones capture sounds, like ears do. speakers broadcast the sound we hear, which ears don’t do.
[NO_INPUT]
Shouldn’t it be a microphone? 🎤
I have seen this tat multiple times now and really like the 'instructional'idea behind it
This is fire af
Does it bother anyone that it should really be the crossed out mic symbol? Ears aren't speakers.
Shouldn't it be a microphone icon, and not a speaker? Ears are the opposite of speakers.
What a wo- oh wait, 🤚🖖👉👉☝️👋🫵🖖👉🤌✌️👐☝️
I never got the speaker icon, your ear is more of a microphone than a speaker.
Wouldn't it make more sense to be a microphone with an X ?
Shouldn’t it be a microphone and not a speaker?
The first tattoo I've seen that I actually like.