Protip: the farther away you are from other people, the less you can hear their noise. If you live far enough out all you have to be concerned about is quieting your appliances, which can be done.
As for headphones, ordered noise is better than disordered noise. When you have to descend into the screaming abyss, headphones are necessary protective equipment. (Counterpoint: they make you an easy mark when the harassment escalates beyond obnoxious behavior.)
I've known people who find the quiet disquieting. Fortunately none of them were fun to talk to anyway, so it was a mute point.
I believe the reason endless noise is so important to certain people is what fills the internal void when it ceases. Contemplation of self requires facing and questioning the asshole you really are. Particularly in this era of keyboard warriors and tribalism there is no one to punch you in the face, either metaphorically or physically. In the past such interactions were a way to force feed a dose of reality and some amount of introspection.
The worst is the overpowered bass on custom car stereos.
I have done calculations by walking away from a "boom car" until I could no longer hear it at an annoying level and looking at maps. Near a couple of hotels, they were easily annoying hundreds of people. Even in a SFH neighborhood with 1/3 acre yards, I estimated near 100 people being annoyed at once.
The ads for the amps and speakers are often very explicit about the purpose being to annoy people for fun. I think the penalty for playing these stereos should start at permanent forfeiture of the vehicle and everything in it, first offense.
I live in Mexico much of the year. You're so right, it's a noisy culture. They think little about tomorrow, it's a survival culture. So is Haiti. IMO, many of these cultures make up in noise for what they lack of hope in a prosperous future.
They do not believe that education or thinking, contemplation are valuable. Whats vital is to affirm life of survival, not of victory.
After 2 years of living on a farm i moved out to an apartment in a 20 million people city. Not only that, but in a "bohemian" neighborhood, or bar district. The music is so loud during the weekend one can hear it even with headphones on. I began to plan my escape. Some weekends i'd drive to the beach, others to the mountains, in search of some serenity. You are right too correct about the "third world" and noise. Imagine trying to read your copy of Plato's works while African-Brazilian drums are blasting on the street as if i was in the Haitian rebellion or some Jungle Adventure. Now i made my first aniversary of living in this apartmwnt. It weakens my soul everday. Weekend escapades are the only thing keeping me sane.
Bail! You can buy some land and set up a travel trailer on it for 5K. It's better than putting up with an urban area in a decaying "multicultural" empire.
Excellent perspective! Thank you for putting in words what I feel so often. I live in beautiful north Alabama. I have friends who live a few miles away where the roads are gravel & houses are far apart. Walking in the woods there recalibrates my soul. Silence is more precious than gold or silver. 🕊️
I am glad I am not the only one holding a massive grudge against overt and shameless pollution of common space with often most terrible music or whichever sound garbage.
I once saw a small group of younger teenagers going for a walk in the woods near large city and they were playing music loudly. I contrasted it with my loud music but to no avail, and then I reproached them but again to no avail. I was baffled why would anyone go to the wood, and blare music instead of enjoying the sound of nature.
This is just one example of serious problem we have in society, not only one you mentioned in the article ie noisemaking in public for the sake of fun and annoying people , but another, children are obviously not tought how to act in public, to have respect for the common spaces and other people, and what the smartphones (ie technology) are for.
Twenty years ago (I considered 'not so long ago' but too much happend) in semi-rural France, where I spent my school holidays at my grandparents', the use of ANY powered equipment in one's garden was prohibited on Sundays
One source you missed: Barking dogs. A brief journey through social media exposes the trend of teaching your dog to bark and howl simply because the owner thinks it's funny.
White noise machines and 33 NRR ear plugs have saved my life.
Thank you. Yes, silence is golden. I note that nowadays, protests are noisy as hell, with protestors using bull horns to verbally assault others. Yet it is tolerated by the new regime. And certain subcultures wallow in noise, like the obnoxious rapper you describe. And religious retreats, nunneries, monkish temples in the mountains... they know how to do it.
Having my headphones on may not be good for me, but it's better than the alternative, i.e. listening to the irrational noise pollution here in southeastern Tennessee.
Protip: the farther away you are from other people, the less you can hear their noise. If you live far enough out all you have to be concerned about is quieting your appliances, which can be done.
As for headphones, ordered noise is better than disordered noise. When you have to descend into the screaming abyss, headphones are necessary protective equipment. (Counterpoint: they make you an easy mark when the harassment escalates beyond obnoxious behavior.)
I've known people who find the quiet disquieting. Fortunately none of them were fun to talk to anyway, so it was a mute point.
Mute point, ha, ha, good one!
Silence is divine.
Mark 4:39 (CSB)
He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still! ” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
1 Kings 19:12 (CSB)
After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was a voice, a soft whisper.
I believe the reason endless noise is so important to certain people is what fills the internal void when it ceases. Contemplation of self requires facing and questioning the asshole you really are. Particularly in this era of keyboard warriors and tribalism there is no one to punch you in the face, either metaphorically or physically. In the past such interactions were a way to force feed a dose of reality and some amount of introspection.
The worst is the overpowered bass on custom car stereos.
I have done calculations by walking away from a "boom car" until I could no longer hear it at an annoying level and looking at maps. Near a couple of hotels, they were easily annoying hundreds of people. Even in a SFH neighborhood with 1/3 acre yards, I estimated near 100 people being annoyed at once.
The ads for the amps and speakers are often very explicit about the purpose being to annoy people for fun. I think the penalty for playing these stereos should start at permanent forfeiture of the vehicle and everything in it, first offense.
I noticed that Mexicans really liked these things when I was a kid. Build the wall!
I live in Mexico much of the year. You're so right, it's a noisy culture. They think little about tomorrow, it's a survival culture. So is Haiti. IMO, many of these cultures make up in noise for what they lack of hope in a prosperous future.
They do not believe that education or thinking, contemplation are valuable. Whats vital is to affirm life of survival, not of victory.
I often wonder how many people out there are deaf by the age of 40 from driving or riding in these things. It's got to be an impressive number.
After 2 years of living on a farm i moved out to an apartment in a 20 million people city. Not only that, but in a "bohemian" neighborhood, or bar district. The music is so loud during the weekend one can hear it even with headphones on. I began to plan my escape. Some weekends i'd drive to the beach, others to the mountains, in search of some serenity. You are right too correct about the "third world" and noise. Imagine trying to read your copy of Plato's works while African-Brazilian drums are blasting on the street as if i was in the Haitian rebellion or some Jungle Adventure. Now i made my first aniversary of living in this apartmwnt. It weakens my soul everday. Weekend escapades are the only thing keeping me sane.
Bail! You can buy some land and set up a travel trailer on it for 5K. It's better than putting up with an urban area in a decaying "multicultural" empire.
Excellent perspective! Thank you for putting in words what I feel so often. I live in beautiful north Alabama. I have friends who live a few miles away where the roads are gravel & houses are far apart. Walking in the woods there recalibrates my soul. Silence is more precious than gold or silver. 🕊️
I am glad I am not the only one holding a massive grudge against overt and shameless pollution of common space with often most terrible music or whichever sound garbage.
I once saw a small group of younger teenagers going for a walk in the woods near large city and they were playing music loudly. I contrasted it with my loud music but to no avail, and then I reproached them but again to no avail. I was baffled why would anyone go to the wood, and blare music instead of enjoying the sound of nature.
This is just one example of serious problem we have in society, not only one you mentioned in the article ie noisemaking in public for the sake of fun and annoying people , but another, children are obviously not tought how to act in public, to have respect for the common spaces and other people, and what the smartphones (ie technology) are for.
Twenty years ago (I considered 'not so long ago' but too much happend) in semi-rural France, where I spent my school holidays at my grandparents', the use of ANY powered equipment in one's garden was prohibited on Sundays
Vestiges of strong catholicism.
Make France First Daughter of the Church Again!
One source you missed: Barking dogs. A brief journey through social media exposes the trend of teaching your dog to bark and howl simply because the owner thinks it's funny.
White noise machines and 33 NRR ear plugs have saved my life.
In Orthodoxy silence is part of the greatest of prayers. There is an icon for Holy Silence.
Thank you. Yes, silence is golden. I note that nowadays, protests are noisy as hell, with protestors using bull horns to verbally assault others. Yet it is tolerated by the new regime. And certain subcultures wallow in noise, like the obnoxious rapper you describe. And religious retreats, nunneries, monkish temples in the mountains... they know how to do it.
https://onesquareinch.org/
Great article.
Having my headphones on may not be good for me, but it's better than the alternative, i.e. listening to the irrational noise pollution here in southeastern Tennessee.
John Wesley Hardin thought something like that. I tend to agree
John Wesley Hardin thought something like that. I tend to agree.