While the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages, here are three benefits of hearing loss
Arguments
I have to confess; I only use this tactic on my husband. As we grow old together, the need to employ it is less and less. If my husband is on a nagging fit or seemingly unreasonable, I turn off my aids and turn my back. That discussion is over! That is a real benefit of hearing loss!
Avoiding Undesirable Requests
I think this is a form of “selective hearing.” Sometimes, when younger and more rebellious, I would feign not hearing a request to refrain from doing something I didn’t want to do. When questioned later why something wasn’t done, I’d innocently respond, “Oh, must have misunderstood what you said.”
Eavesdropping
On occasion, I “eavesdrop” in my own fashion, utilizing the dynamics of hearing that I am especially skilled at. Those are reading lips, reading body language, reading facial expressions. I rarely catch an entire conversation just reading lips, but with snatches of the lips combined with facial and body language, I can surmise pretty well the essence of a conversation going on from across the room.
