I recently acquired hearing aids, so I wear tiny computer-managed sound equipment in my ears. Like other people new to hearing aids, I’ve rediscovered that the world is horribly noisy — I had become used to the quiet of hearing loss. Now my pen scratches too loud on the paper when I write. The tassels on my shoes rattle. Traffic is an insupportable roar.
At least I can turn my hearing aids down or off. How do the rest of you stand this all the time? I can also turn the hearing aids up and eavesdrop like never before, but at that level, even the rustle of my hair becomes bothersome.
This leads to another question: Would superhero-level super-hearing be a good thing? The background noise would be appalling. And you can’t turn your ears off.
Super-vision might not be a problem because you can close your eyes. Super-taste might be fine as long as you’re not eating something awful. Likewise super-smell, unless there’s a stench. But if you develop eczema, super-touch might be torture. Would enhanced tactile sense also mean super-pain?
Marvel Comic Universe and DC Comics: Have you fully thought this through?
Speaking of superheroes, I have one more question. I used to work as a journalist covering municipal budgets. Whenever I see a thrilling fight scene where heroes and villains bash streets and infrastructure, trash cop cars, and smash buildings, I see millions of dollars in repairs. Who’s going to pay for that?
