Assumptions and Deafness

We make a lot of assumptions and most of the time we’re right. That car is going to merge without signalling. I am going to need an umbrella. That food looks too spicy. That mole looks a little suspicious. You get the idea.

An old joke can also make the point: A man is worried that his wife is losing her hearing so he consults a doctor. The doctor says, “Stand behind her and from about twenty feet ask her a question, then ten feet away, and then right behind her.” So the man goes home and asks, “What’s for dinner?” No answer. Then from about ten feet away he asks, “What’s for dinner?” No answer. Then right behind her he asks, “What’s for dinner.” The wife turns around and says, “For the third time, we’re having chicken.” 

The humor is debatable, but the first time I heard it, I assumed the husband was legitimately concerned about his wife’s hearing. The twist at the end of the joke and what makes it funny is that he is the one who is hard of hearing. We all know of assumptions we’ve made about other people that are wrong. The idea is that we have to be careful and check ourselves first.