Can we please please normalize subtitles?
Subtitles are:
1. A necessity for deaf people
2. REALLY helpful for those who are partially deaf, have APD (like me and my sister) or any other hearing problem
3. really helpful for those who can’t focus well, especially for those with ADD/ADHD (like me)
4. Is incredibly helpful for people learning a second language, or for bilingual people who can read better than they can hear
5. Even if you aren’t into learning the language, there are countless amazing foreign movies and songs you really can’t enjoy without subtitles!
6. Can help people (like my sister) who have reading comprehension
7. Can help when you’re having a party and you don’t want to pause every time someone wants to make a comment/joke
8. Can help when the characters in the show have a heavy accent (especially in period shows)
9. Let’s be honest subtitles can really add to the humor of the show! (”sobs mathematically”, “screeches loudly”, “angrily fixes bowtie”)
10. Can let people watch content without headphones, or in areas of loud noises.
11. Alternatively, If someone has sensitive hearing or is triggered by loud noises, they can turn the volume down low and still be able to enjoy the content
12. The last bit is VERY true for movies where they switch between soft speaking and LOUD BOOMING NOISES (I’m looking at you hunger games)
13. Very good for helping young kids recognize and associate words and learn to read faster!
14. Really good when you’re eating chips/crunchy candy and can’t hear the movie
15. IS A NECESSITY FOR DEAF PEOPLE!!!
I can’t even tell you how many of my friends made fun of me for needing subtitles, to the point of where I just don’t bother with them anymore. Asking for subtitles at an event is the scariest thing I can imagine. People often complain that it “gets in the way” of their movie. Watching shows (especially in loud areas or with people who talk a lot) is incredibly frustrating for me. People often think I’m stupid for not understanding a show or needing to rewind when someone talks. Most Youtube users don’t bother to create subtitles for their videos (and auto-generated subtitles are crap). I just wish people were nicer to people who need subtitles, and that they were more accessible on other platforms.
My mom is unilaterally deaf, but we’ve used subtitles since long before any hearing problems occurred. Sometimes the dialog-to-music ratio is off as fuck in the master, and subtitles help to balance that.
subtitles are also super helpful for autistic people! i have auditory processing disorder, so sometimes it’s like i hear everything a second or two after it’s said. subtitles are very helpful so i can read the dialogue while my ears catch up
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The Paradox Machine 