"I hadn't really noticed that I had a hearing problem. I just thought most people had given up on speaking clearly"

Hal Linden's quote talks to the idea that hearing loss can be a progressive procedure, and that it can be challenging to acknowledge. It suggests that hearing loss can be so steady that it can be challenging to observe, which it can be easy to assume that the problem lies with others, rather than with oneself. This quote likewise speaks with the concept that hearing loss can be isolating, as it can result in a feeling of disconnection from others. It can be tough to comprehend what others are stating, and this can result in a sensation of being overlooked or left out. Hal Linden's quote speaks to the idea that hearing loss can be a hard and separating experience, and that it can be hard to acknowledge.