Describe your new book: This book is the story of my life — the ups, the downs, and the music. If someone were to write your biography, what...
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This is as important a topic as any. Noise damages us physically, and eventually diminishes our humanity. We slowly lose the ability to hear detail and nuance in music, language, and nature. On top of that we are losing our attention span, due mostly to the endless penny arcade of those shouting and babbling in mass media.
The penny arcade promises instant gratification. But you have to buy something which is usually junk. Thus you will later discard it and buy some more upgraded junk.
is that all there is to human existence?
If that is not what we want, then maybe we have to change a few things. It might be good to start with looking at why people seek out loud noise (an attempt to grab some fake ecstasy to alleviate the numbness from the dull routine of most corporate jobs, or an attempt to escape bad personal surroundings, etc.)
It might be good to follow the author's advice to create more places in public life for silence, for instance.
Banning leaf blowers, changing our modes of transportation and construction, thinking about the damage sound amplification does (And in music, amplification can cover up a lack of talent), and other actions might be a good start.
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In Pursuit of Silence: Listening for Meaning in a World of Noise by George Prochnik
Bevan, July 28, 2010
This is as important a topic as any. Noise damages us physically, and eventually diminishes our humanity. We slowly lose the ability to hear detail and nuance in music, language, and nature. On top of that we are losing our attention span, due mostly to the endless penny arcade of those shouting and babbling in mass media.The penny arcade promises instant gratification. But you have to buy something which is usually junk. Thus you will later discard it and buy some more upgraded junk.
is that all there is to human existence?
If that is not what we want, then maybe we have to change a few things. It might be good to start with looking at why people seek out loud noise (an attempt to grab some fake ecstasy to alleviate the numbness from the dull routine of most corporate jobs, or an attempt to escape bad personal surroundings, etc.)
It might be good to follow the author's advice to create more places in public life for silence, for instance.
Banning leaf blowers, changing our modes of transportation and construction, thinking about the damage sound amplification does (And in music, amplification can cover up a lack of talent), and other actions might be a good start.
(1 of 1 readers found this comment helpful)