# Super-vision or super-hearing?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [June 19, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045 "2011-06-19T17:07:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/1 "2011-06-19T17:07:15Z")
No setup, because I can’t be arsed, but there is a poll, whose results are public, because, ye gods, the question is silly, which is de rigeur.
If you choose super\*-vision\*, you get telescopic, microscopic, increased-visual-range, and [del]x-ray[/del] penetra vision. The first will allow you to multiply your visual acuity by a factor of up to about 10,000 at will, though obviously the curvature of the earth will limit its useful range; you can decide what magnification to use. The second will allow you to match the resolution of the most powerful optical microscope. The third will let you see into the infra-red and ultraviolet portions of the spectrum, but at no greater useful distances than you can normally. The last will let you see through opaque barriers as if they were as transparent as ordinary window glass; it does _not_ involve any sort of dangerous radiation being emitted from or received by your eyes. You can only use one super-vision variation at a time. You can turn the super-vision on and off at will.
If you choose super-_hearing_, you can either increase the range of frequencies you can hear, or magnify the volume of what you hear. When using the latter, you can, of course, control the level of magnification, or focus on particiular, far-distant sound sources while ignoring other sounds. However, you are still limited by the speed at which sound travels; if you’re trying to eavesdrop on something 770 miles away, you’ll get the sound an hour later. You can turn the entire thing off at will, or, if you wish, tune it so you can always listen for a particular sound but otherwise have normal hearing.
Which do you choose, and why?
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/2 "2011-06-19T17:17:32Z")
‘Fred, if I had supervision I wouldn’t be in this predicament!’
Super vision would be more useful for flying. Super hearing would probably annoy me.
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### Author:  [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/3 "2011-06-19T17:28:51Z")
Yeah, I’d go with super vision, too. Super hearing seems to have less practical application–but might be handy at night, or while spelunking.
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### Author:  [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/4 "2011-06-19T17:30:52Z")
I have worn thick glasses since I was 9. I would like to see! Also, I don’t really want to hear what people say after I leave the room. You know what they say about eavesdroppers!
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/5 "2011-06-19T17:33:13Z")
> [@Pai325](#):
>
> You know what they say about eavesdroppers!
I haven’t heard.
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### Author:  [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/6 "2011-06-19T17:46:39Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> Super vision would be more useful for flying. Super hearing would probably annoy me.
^ This.
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### Author:  [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/7 "2011-06-19T17:48:23Z")
As usual, my choice is determined by what lends itself best to get-rich-quick schemes. In this case, super-hearing – just set up shop anywhere near some corporate/government/financial headquarters, tune in to whatever ‘this information must not leave this room!’-meeting is on, and then sell that information to rival corporations/governments/financial agencies.
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/8 "2011-06-19T17:49:53Z")
> [@Oakminster](#):
>
> Yeah, I’d go with super vision, too. Super hearing seems to have less practical application–but might be handy at night, or while spelunking.
I tend to think that super-hearing has a huge potential for biting you in the ass. Do you REALLY want to know what other people say about you in your absence?
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/9 "2011-06-19T18:04:13Z")
Super-vision, of course. The reason: boobies.
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/10 "2011-06-19T18:56:10Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> Super-vision, of course. The reason: boobies.
[ol]
[li]The interwebs allow vast boobage to be seen as it is.[/li][li]Being able to see the boobies of every woman you pass by may well result in your growing inured to the sight.[/li][li]If your possession of super-vision becomes well-known, expect a great number of slaps.[/li][/ol]
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/11 "2011-06-19T19:25:13Z")
Will super hearing ever let you spot women sunbathing topless on the other end of the beach?
That answers that question.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/12 "2011-06-19T19:26:08Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
>
> [ol]
> [li]The interwebs allow vast boobage to be seen as it is.[/li][li]Being able to see the boobies of every woman you pass by may well result in your growing inured to the sight.[/li][li]If your possession of super-vision becomes well-known, expect a great number of slaps.[/li][/ol]
1. So?
2. The vision is self-selective, right? So I don’t have to look at all of them. Just the perky ones.
3. Life involves risks. 😃
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### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/13 "2011-06-19T19:51:06Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> 1. The vision is self-selective, right? So I don’t have to look at all of them. Just the perky ones.
Even looking at only the perky boobies will eventually grow old. It’s like working in a chocolate factor and getting endless free samples. If you indulge yourself in that, eventually chocolate will lose its appeal. “Confirmed beauty will not bear a stress” and all that.
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### Author:  [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/14 "2011-06-19T23:24:57Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> I haven’t heard.
Eavesdroppers never hear any good Of themselves. Said many times by mother to me. This little pitcher had very big ears.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [June 19, 2011, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/15 "2011-06-19T23:54:19Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
>
> Even looking at only the perky boobies will eventually grow old.
Well, assuming I started stealing my father’s Playboys around age 9…47 years of looking at them hasn’t grown old yet.
I’ll give it another 50 years or so and get back to you.
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### Author:  [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2011, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/16 "2011-06-20T00:46:25Z")
Hearing is best used for appreciating music or picking up on things that deserve a peek at. Give me ultraviolet vision any day!
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### Author:  [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/17 "2011-06-20T01:11:38Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> Will super hearing ever let you spot women sunbathing topless on the other end of the beach?
Perhaps you’d hear women talking about how hot you are in your speedo.
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### Author:  [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/18 "2011-06-20T01:17:50Z")
Can super hearing demodulate radio? De-crypt encrypted signals? It’d be cool being able to “tune in” to any radio signal around.
Vision though. Microscopic vision? Seriously? OMG that would be so cool! And night vision? And nudie/hidden weapon vision? Awesome.
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> ‘Fred, if I had supervision I wouldn’t be in this predicament!’
>
> Super vision would be more useful for flying. Super hearing would probably annoy me.
Wait, we get to fly? Or you mean in airplanes? Yeah, I guess that would be handy if you were the pilot, or had a window seat. I’d be busier studying the microscopic flora and fauna on the back of the seat in front of me.
I’d be world famous just for discovering, describing and naming more bacteria and viruses than all the humans before me. By day. By night you’ll find me in the backyard looking up, all night long.
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### Author:  [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2011, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/19 "2011-06-20T02:15:25Z")
I’d pick supervision and then learn to lipread. BOOYA!
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### Author:  [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2011, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-vision-or-super-hearing/586045/20 "2011-06-20T04:15:20Z")
While I initially thought I’d prefer the latter, super-vision seems to come with more than super-hearing.
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