A response to "Joe Biden's Stutter, And Mine"

A response to "Joe Biden's Stutter, And Mine" I posted [this article](https://www.reddit.com/r/Stutter/comments/dzrzn5/joe_bidens_stutter_and_mine_the_atlantic/?ref=share&ref_source=link) here about a day ago. I've been thinking about it, about why Joe Biden doesn't talk as much about his stutter as the author of the article would have liked. I apologize for the somewhat-lengthy read. I kept it as short as I could. I hope it's worth your time. --- I recently read The Atlantic's profile of the Joe Biden, the former vice-president. During Biden's decades in the public, he has sometimes talked about struggling with a stutter as a young man. It was never a core talking point, it was one of several anecdotes he would share as proof of his ability to overcome adversity with hard work and determination. This particular piece was written by John Hendrickson, who also has a stutter. Throughout the piece, Hendrickson wonders why Biden hasn't has been more vocal about stuttering. It's especially unusual because Biden's political opponents have accused him of senility for speaking gaffes that, to a trained eye, were clearly caused by a speech impediment. Biden could simply explain this to the public; it would benefit him politically, as well as relieve any personal discomfort caused by the incidents and the public response. But Biden wasn't interested in talking about his recent struggles, even in an interview he knew would be centered around stuttering. Hendrickson wrote that Biden would speak about his stutter as minor annoyance in the present, but mostly as a problem of the past, a struggle already overcome. But we know Biden has not overcome his stutter. Stutters are incurable if they last into adulthood. And Hendrickson was able to cite multiple public appearances in the past six months where Biden blocked (or at least appeared to). Hendrickson's transcription of the interview included the pauses and repetitions that disrupted Biden's statements. Hendrickson confesses to the reader that he was hoping for deeper, more thoughtful answers from Biden; more acknowledgement that the stutter is still a problem, more of Biden's emotional relationship to his speech impediment. But Biden's statements don't go to that depth. So Hendrickson and the reader are left wondering why Biden maintains an air of near-invincibility where he is clearly still vulnerable. As someone who has lived through (read: survived) five New England winters, I think I understand Biden's approach. When I'm been outside on a chilly winter day and I feel a little cold, I tell myself "I'm fine." When I've been out long enough that I feel cold all over, I tell myself "I'm just a little cold." When the icy wind is blowing right through my jacket, my eyes are watering and the only thing on my mind is getting somewhere warm, I tell myself "Okay, now I'm cold. But it's not that bad." Only after I've made it indoors do I drop the charade and think "Jesus fucking Christ I'm freezing! God that was awful! AHHHH!!" I lie to myself because it's an effective strategy. Despite knowing that I'm colder than I admit, despite knowing that I'm lying to myself, it actually helps. I can't explain how it works, but telling myself the cold isn't so bad actually helps me handle it better. My Boston winter metaphor may also explain why Biden seemingly never fully let his guard down and admitted just how much pain his stutter had caused him; how painful it must have been to be mocked for mental inability when he knew it was a speech impediment. In the bitter cold of New England, no matter how cold you may be, you know that sooner or later you'll be warm again. And *then* you can finally drop the mask and fully acknowledge the pain. You don't get that with a stutter. A stutter that persists into adulthood will be a lifelong affliction. There is no expectation of relief. You never stop downplaying the cold, because you don't expect to ever get warm. --- I know this ends on a down note. Sorry. It's harsh, but I think it's true. And I think it's better to confront harsh truths than to ignore problems or leave them unresolved. On the plus side, I'm almost two years into writing a book about stuttering; hopefully when it's done it will leave you better off. The two goals for the book are to teach the public about stuttering (so they would understand Biden's blocks) and help stutterers better live with the impediment. Send me a DM if you're interested in reading portions of the book. I can share a Google Doc with some mostly-complete chapters. --- Bonus idea: I think Biden - like many of us, maybe - may downplay his stutter because it helps his confidence. Confidence is a bonus for solving any problem, but it's especially helpful when you're dealing with a stutter. Low confidence leads means more blocks, so there is extra reason to "fake it til you make it."