Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Seeing With Your Hands and Ears
Chapters Two and Seven were very interesting to me. They prompted me to do a bit of self reflection. Chapter two dealt with utilizing sound to make judgments on space and time. Chapter seven dealt with very precise awareness of touch. I have found throughout my life my sense of hearing and touch has made me very aware of certain things. I grew up on a farm working with my hands and with many types of tools and equipment. Over time I began to learn how the machinery felt when it was functioning properly, when it wasn't and when it was under low to high loads. I also began learning to see with my hands, meaning when I would be servicing equipment I could not always see what I was doing with my eyes. I had to learn to rely on my touch when feeling the components, what different components felt like and so on. Fast forwarding to today, my awareness through hearing and touch has continued to greatly increase and become much better. Now I can listen to my truck, for instance, while driving, and I may hear a sound which should not be there and, from there, diagnose the issue. I could also be driving and feel the suspension or drive-line through the pedals or steering wheel and if there is a sensation which should not be there I feel it right away and it prompts me to begin diagnosing the issue. I have also became much better at seeing with my hands. This also helps me greatly with my job in the military, as well as my personal life. There have been plenty of times in the Army when I would be on a patrol at night and have to make an adjustment to my weapon in the dark or to certain gear I was carrying. Being on patrol, you cannot use a white light, sometimes you can get away with a red or green light, but generally you cannot use any form of light because it will reveal your position. I had to learn my weapon(s) inside and out by touch, as well as my gear. What I noticed was this seemed to come more naturally to me than some other members of group I was with. I believe it is because I have spent mostly my entire life learning to hone these senses without actually realizing it. To then see how far those with disabilities have taken these senses was truly amazing and captivating.
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Hi Matthew!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a cool post. I love that you related what we've learned back to your military experience. I can't imagine being in such a high intensity situation and not being able to utilize all of my senses. On the other hand, based on your post and our text so far, I'd imagine that your other senses begin to compensate quite well for the ones you're unable to utilize (in your case, touch for sight). I'd also imagine that your heightened sense of hearing is very helpful in the military as well.
It is interesting you bring up my sense of hearing. I have noticed I can hear subtle noises as well as distinguish different types of vehicles from the engine sound, whether they are approaching or diverging, different weapon systems by the sound they make when firing and many other things. But I actually have trouble hearing certain tones of voice. It really bugs me when I am looking at someone and cannot for the life of me hear what the heck they are saying. The Army says my hearing is fine....I don't fully believe them.
DeleteI think that it is amazing that humans have so many abilities that we are not aware of. I think that it is even more amazing that once we open out minds to the situation or what we have newly learned, we can amaze ourselves. Like you said, seeing with our hands is something that I believe most of us do. I am a waitress, I am hands on with almost everything I do. Once I read this book and even your post, it opened my eyes and allowed to me put fourth my true ability. In the military, I can see your senses as a necessity and I couldn't picture soldiers having to be put in those situations without utilizing all their senses. Thank you for your service and a great post.
ReplyDeleteI would never trust myself to be a waiter! I always visualize myself dropping all of the plates or trays. I commend you for your skills.
DeleteGreat post! I hated night patrols when I was in the Marines! I had to tape up everything to keep noise discipline and my night vision goggles sucked. It had no depth perception, so it made holes on the ground look flat. What a great awareness to have! You can probably fix weapon malfunctions, like double feeds or stove pipes pretty easily in the dark! I would have been scrambling and probably handed it to you, if you were near by.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your service, Semper Fi! I'm not sure when you got out but I'm sure you probably had night-vision close, if not the same, as the crappy models they gave us overseas. Night driving in blackout was the worst! But I got use to it. Double feeds are the worst. I carried a gerber on my kit I could easily get too to yank those types of issues out. One of the problems I always have, being left handed, is spent cartridges going down my right sleeve. It freaking sucks. And generally you have to ignore it when it's real world and deal with the little scorching hot bugger later. I have a few nice scars that are finally starting to go away on my right wrist from them.
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