Ordering the 5 senses

[Starburns_]

A discussion that I once had with someone just popped into my head, as to which sense you'd least like to lose. I said sight, she said hearing.

Just wondering that if you were to put the 5 senses in order from most valuable to you, to least valuable, what would you come up with? And why?

Personally I'd go:

1. Sight - I reckon I'd really struggle without this one, I'm generally a visual person, and I find I use this sense more effectively than the others.
2. Touch - This would be pretty close to #1, but it's hard to imagine or even simulate what that loss of sense would even feel like to know it's importance.
3. Hearing - Would make communicating more difficult, and mean no more music, but I would still miss the above two more I think.
4. Smell - Smell has it's advantages, but there's quite a gap between it and hearing for mine.
5. Taste - It would make eating a chore, but at the same time, probably open me up to eating different things more.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Cool thread. Personally:

1. Touch - A loss of touch would be more dangerous than crippling imo - not knowing when you're touching something boiling hot or experiencing any other kind of pain. Could get to a point where too much damage has been caused before you realise.
2. Taste - This is an interesting one, and if you asked me a few months ago it probably would've been last on my list. However I watched this documentary a couple months back on a woman who had lost her sense of taste and it was much more crippling than I'd ever imagined. She literally struggles to eat as, for starters, there was no interest in doing so - she felt as though it was a massive chore. Secondly, it increased her focus on textures to the point where a lot of food - especially after being chewed - was revolting. Revolting to the point where she couldn't bear to eat most things and would go days without eating. She'd rather feel horribly sick with hunger than actually eat, which is incredible when you think about it. Something you take for granted massively.
3. Sight - As somebody whose major hobbies include playing tennis, playing video games and messing around with graphic design, blindness would pretty much curtail a lot of the fun I have. Not to mention requiring help for a lot of other activities.
4. Hearing - It feels weird having this so low as it's something that I think would suck to lose, but at the end of the day I think it's easier for somebody who's deaf to get on with their life than it is somebody who's lost any of the above. Not doubting the struggles that deaf people go through, but with sign language and the growing influence of visual technology, things are getting easier for those who live with deafness imo.
5. Smell - Would suck to lose, but it wouldn't be overly crippling in my opinion.

 

[HahnPremium]

You both pay scant regard to the sense of smell.
OP obviously sniffing glue.

 

[Jaeger]

1. Sight
2. Touch
3. Hearing
4. Taste
5. Smell

 

[timtamWB]

1. Touch - You do so many things using touch. You can't tell if you're hurting yourself, you won't be able to be pleasured by a woman, or a man (or both at the same time...), you won't be sure when you're pressing or not pressing something, or holding or not holding something. It would be extremely difficult without this
2. Taste - After reading Dannnnn's explanation, I had to put this here. No way I could risk my health like that.

There's a gap between the above two and the next three, where the above two are almost necessary, and the others are easier to live without

3. Hearing - I play music, teach guitar and mix artists, and do a music course. I like to appreciate music and sounds of nature. You can also hear if someone is coming up behind you to stab you in the back, which is a plus
4. Sight - Didn't really want to put it this low, but the others are more important. You lose the beauty of the world, but you can still imagine it and see it in your mind. Although you would lose a lot of visual mediums, I value sound higher.
5. Smell - Nobody cares about you smell, go away. In fact, it's almost a benefit, you can go anywhere that smells revolting and others won't go.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

You both pay scant regard to the sense of smell.
OP obviously sniffing glue.

Not at all; it would be a horrible thing to lose and I'm not at all trying to downplay its significance. It's definitely something we take for granted. But at the end of the day it's not something we rely on. Touch we rely on for pain; it alerts us to a problem. Sight is crucial to everyday life and alerts you to danger as well as being the basis of a lot of activities. Hearing can also alert you to danger and is the essence of communication in most senses; as social beings we rely on it a lot. The loss of taste, as I mentioned, is more crippling than you'd imagine and acts as a 'reward' for satisfying basic human needs. Smell is partly involved in the experience of flavour, but in very few instances does it warn you against impending danger, nor does the loss of it stop you from doing most things in your life. I think it would be a horrible feeling to not be able to smell, but I can't imagine it being as crippling as the others. If we relied on it as dogs do it would be a different story.

 

[HahnPremium]

Not at all; it would be a horrible thing to lose and I'm not at all trying to downplay its significance. It's definitely something we take for granted. But at the end of the day it's not something we rely on. Touch we rely on for pain; it alerts us to a problem. Sight is crucial to everyday life and alerts you to danger as well as being the basis of a lot of activities. Hearing can also alert you to danger and is the essence of communication in most senses; as social beings we rely on it a lot. The loss of taste, as I mentioned, is more crippling than you'd imagine and acts as a 'reward' for satisfying basic human needs. Smell is partly involved in the experience of flavour, but in very few instances does it warn you against impending danger, nor does the loss of it stop you from doing most things in your life. I think it would be a horrible feeling to not be able to smell, but I can't imagine it being as crippling as the others. If we relied on it as dogs do it would be a different story.

As I thought, glue sniffing is prevalent.

 

[TubbsFarquhar]

This is a very good idea for a thread. In my opinion:

1. Sight - I'm with Fyfie on this one, I think I would really struggle with being blind. Much of my hobbies are visual based and not being able to witness the beauty of nature, women etc. would be an awful experience.
2. Touch - Not only would this be crippling (I couldn't imagine living without being able to feel things), it's also dangerous as Dannnnnnnnnn explained.
3. Taste - Again, Dannnnnnnnnn put this one perfectly. Loss of taste sounds horrific.
4. Hearing - Communication would be harder and not being able to listen to music would suck balls but I think I could bear it and being deaf would certainly be more manageable than going blind with sign language and hearing aids readily available. Would still suck to lose though.
5. Smell - I would hate to lose it but it isn't as important as the other senses IMO which is why I have this one last.

 

[Starburns_]

2. Taste - This is an interesting one, and if you asked me a few months ago it probably would've been last on my list. However I watched this documentary a couple months back on a woman who had lost her sense of taste and it was much more crippling than I'd ever imagined. She literally struggles to eat as, for starters, there was no interest in doing so - she felt as though it was a massive chore. Secondly, it increased her focus on textures to the point where a lot of food - especially after being chewed - was revolting. Revolting to the point where she couldn't bear to eat most things and would go days without eating. She'd rather feel horribly sick with hunger than actually eat, which is incredible when you think about it.

That does sound horrible. Now that you mention it though, it does remind me of a time when I was on some chemotherapy drugs which really messed with my sense of taste (though rarely did they knock it out completely), and I found eating really difficult for 4-5 months. I always just assumed the issue was general nausea, but perhaps the taste thing was part of that too. So whilst not being quite the same, I maybe got a taste of it.

Probably should have had it above smell at least.

Something you take for granted massively.

Similar the point I was getting at with touch, you can't in effect simulate the experience of losing that sense, so it's importance can't be as clearly comprehended as say sight or hearing.

You both pay scant regard to the sense of smell.
OP obviously sniffing glue.

Hayfever leaves my nose blocked a lot of the time, so it's not hugely important to me.

But if you think it should be higher, make your case.

 

[HahnPremium]

.
But if you think it should be higher, make your case.

I would need some glue to make it higher.

 

[zimma]

All I can think is without the sense of Taste my diet would probably improve... Suddenly I have no reason to not eat horrible tasting vegetables, worst case if you can't taste it anyway just enjoy a life on blended food, slam it down fast and done. Boring but would be efficient...

 

[Catfish Alley]

Touch
Sight
Hearing
Taste
Smell

 

[Stratton_Gun]

1. Sight
Touch
Taste
Hear
5. Smell

 

[willba_victory]

1. Sight. Pretty clear cut in my opinion. Would find life pretty depressing if i couldn't see anything.
2. Touch
3. Hearing
4. Taste
5. Smell

 

[Catfish Alley]

Most people seem to have Touch and Sight as their top 2. No touch would be worse in my opinion. You'd be pretty useless and you couldn't experience much at all.

I guess I'm thinking as a fairly new Dad. It would be tough not seeing my boy. But not being able to pick him up for a hug would be the worst. Hell, you couldn't even walk if you had no nerve receptors.

 

[Igloo]

1. Sight - without a doubt.
2. Touch
3. Taste
4. Hearing
5. Smell

 

[I Lost My Keays]

1. Sight
2. Touch
3.Taste
4. Hearing
5. Smell

 

[Guardian Hawk]

I'd probably have it last too but people are definately underestimating the importance of smell.

It has likely saved your life more than once without you remembering it! It is a massive warning mechanism for chemicals, hazardous substances, disease, etc. Particularly what we eat and drink, letting us know food is not quite right or that we've left bleach in that cup - not water. I have gone to eat meat on more than one occassion 'fresh' from the supermarket and if wasn't for the rancid smell causing me to gag I probably wouldn't be here today.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

All I can think is without the sense of Taste my diet would probably improve... Suddenly I have no reason to not eat horrible tasting vegetables, worst case if you can't taste it anyway just enjoy a life on blended food, slam it down fast and done. Boring but would be efficient...

See this woman couldn't do that at all as the loss of taste increased her experience of texture to a point where most foods - especially blended foods - were completely unbearable. It's hard to explain and I don't really understand it either (hard without experiencing it for yourself), but it was pretty shocking to see what she was going through.

 

[Sydney Bloods]

Hmm

1. Touch: I'm accident prone as it is without the feed back letting me know my hands are touching a burning hot baking tray or that I'd just ripped the skin off my thumb trying to change an oil filter I'd be dead in a month (also sex would suck and not in the good way)

2. Sight: although people debate this blah blah blah, I can't imagine living without sight life would suck, can't play video games, watch movies hell I'd need to relearn how to read. Plus falling down stars and shit I can barely catch a bus now let alone being blind, plus I love driving.

3. Taste: taste is awesome I love it, comes in at 3 only because deep down I know I could get by without it.

4. hearing: as much as I don't listen to people I think Id miss it....really can't think of a reason right now.

5. Smell: do I really care about smell? Most useless on the list I think. Can't see my life changing for the worse, I could even fill in for Mike Rowe on dirty jobs and enjoy foods based on taste nor being put off by the smell.

 

[Sydney Bloods]

See this woman couldn't do that at all as the loss of taste increased her experience of texture to a point where most foods - especially blended foods - were completely unbearable. It's hard to explain and I don't really understand it either (hard without experiencing it for yourself), but it was pretty shocking to see what she was going through.

Solution......blended food + funnel

 

[JuddsABlue]

1. Sight by a long way. If you lost all other senses you could still get the most out of life with sight. Your world revolves around what you see. Without your sight the world doesnt exist, youre just floating in a random vaccum with all these things happening around you that you're not a part of. It would be like being trapped inside your own brain forever
2. Hearing - Walking around def would suck, really suck but not as much as losing sight
3. Touch - the last of the big 3 imo, but would still rather have hearing. Sight can substitute somewhat for touch
4. Smell - Only for its life saving ability, ie smelling smoke etc. Its pretty important in survival
5. Taste - Not tasting would suck but you really dont lose a lot, especially for me, I have a very basic palate

 

[Hank Scorpion]

1. Sight - I don't know how I could cope without sight. Integral to just about any daily activity.
2. Touch - Pain is an indicator of danger. Without it, we expose ourselves to risk.
3. Hearing - With the electronic age, hearing is probably less important. I can put up with TV subtitles and using social media in place of a phone.
4. Smell - Don't really care for smell.
5. Taste - Losing this could have benefits, reducing cravings for sugary foods and making vegetables more tolerable!

 

[Reginald Perrin]

1. Sight for me is the most important too. Mine isn't the best anyway and we have a degenerative disease in our family line that slowly results in blindness. My eldest brother is blind and I guess I'm hoping I don't end up the same way.
2. Hearing. Having a vision issue has heightened my sense of hearing and I tend to rely on it heavily.
3. Touch. Losing it would mean a lot of pleasure vanishes, but it's not quite as important for staying safe as sight and sound.
4/5 Taste and smell. You can't really separate these, because without a sense of smell you lose your sense of taste anyway.

 

[soupaman]

Sight and touch are the two most important. The rest would all be devastating to lose, but these two are head and shoulders above the rest.

Touch is so integral to life that you forget its importance as its something you cannot turn off and thus take it for granted.

Sight is just as important though, and you can actually imagine life without it. Ever walked through the house in the dark with no lights? How many times did you walk into tables, chairs, doors, walls, corners everything? Imagine this impracticality everywhere you went. And yes you could get around with a seeing eye dog or a cane but you are slowed down immeasurably. You also can't drive, so you are completely reliant on others for transport.

Further to this though the scope of things you miss out on being blind as entertainment is ridiculous. You are almost completely unable to play and enjoy any sport, cannot enjoy any kind of television or movies, cannot read, cannot interact with others effectively. With sight you can make up for the things you would lose from losing the remaining senses through an ability to read (expressions, subtitles, books, sign language, signs etc.) and being able to visually see dangers that smell may alert you to.

Life without sight would be shit.