What would happen if we couldn't hear ourselves?

[DelusiveNinja]

What do you think?

I am aware that this may defy some scientific laws.

 

[Rook]

From the start, or after a while? If you could not hear yourself from the start, you would have to infer the impact of your voice on others from their reaction to it. If the deficiency develops after a while, you'll still have a pretty decent grasp on your voice's tone to replicate it correctly, as one's brain stores this information.

 

[Reluctantly]

In thought as well?

 

[DelusiveNinja]

Yes. I noticed what I said was ambiguous after I had to leave. What I meant was:
What if you couldn't hear yourself in speech or internal speech (sub vocalization)?

@Rook
After a while for verbal speech and from the start for internal

 

[Ex-User (9086)]

Losing the ability to sub vocalize at an early age, could lead to disorders in the relations of the impaired with society. If the deficiency was targeted soon enough, initially this person might have used monologue as a substitute. After this source of control is lost this person may look for consuel of others, or may learn how to understand every seen object including letters as images that convey the meaning.

I assume it would be possible to abstract from sounds and focus on sight and that thinking was not damaged here.

 

[redbaron]

I think we'd probably be deaf.

 

[pernoctator]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nm5jl7aM08

 

[Tokig]

I would be very curious to explore this mental realm, specifically if we cannot "hear" our internal voice. Perhaps we would have a more "true" inner dialogue, unhampered by the tamperings of formalized language. As a side example, people who switch countries and languages eventually begin to think in the new language. What language then would we then think in? Not auditory, not speech, not words, but pure meaning. Would our thoughts then be more visual? Perhaps more tactile-based? Scents, tastes, everything conveys meaning. I should think that the loss of internal hearing would be liberating.

 

[crippli]

I feel like I'm somewhat separated from my inner dialog. Meaning I can use it as entertainment, learning, get advice etc. It goes constantly, so if bored, i will listen to the inner dialog. I presume what goes on is 'me' is one brain half, spying on what the other is thinking/speaking about. Maybe this switches, so later I am the other half, listening in on the previous me. This makes sense to me, since both half's have their own consciousness(if not mistaken, this is proven).

If I couldn't hear myself, one brain half should be dead, and I presume I would lose the ability to self reflect.

The ears are in this context only for input, and mouth for output.

Visual modes will also occur, then, 'the voice' may shut up(focus). And not even input is registered. That seems again to be a different mode, a third and fourth consciousness? Sometimes all of this can be overactive. Sometimes the other brain half is more or less watching a movie. And what I think is cool with this, Is that this 'other' is smarter(but certainly not always, impulse control is of the essence, and always double check with the other<-sticky). So what I hear, is not something the brain half that I am on could have come up with. And I'm like, wow, really? Normally I can keep all of this undetectable from my surroundings, but emotional internal reactions can be challenging, especially if good humor is in play.
---
Bottom line. It appears to be a self substantiating process. If I could no longer hear myself. My needs for entertainment, learning, all types of input, would multiply. I would need more. Or the the brain would rot. Or become a robot(todays technology).

 

[Duxwing]

I would be very curious to explore this mental realm, specifically if we cannot "hear" our internal voice. Perhaps we would have a more "true" inner dialogue, unhampered by the tamperings of formalized language. As a side example, people who switch countries and languages eventually begin to think in the new language. What language then would we then think in? Not auditory, not speech, not words, but pure meaning. Would our thoughts then be more visual? Perhaps more tactile-based? Scents, tastes, everything conveys meaning. I should think that the loss of internal hearing would be liberating.

Without structure, our thoughts would be freer and therefore less organized; perhaps the trade-off therefore would not be worthwhile.

-Duxwing

 

[nebnobla]

Ask a deaf person.

 

[Proletar]

Ask a megalomaniac.