Too Much Noise

Are you aware that there is allot of noise out there? I am, and I don't like it. No matter where you live today, the noise level has increased and may be affected our peace of minds. It's un natural to live in a world of noise. Uh, noise is not sound. Sound is not unsettling because it is natural. A bird singing, the wind howling...those are sounds. But noises are man made irritants that have increased dramatically over time as humans have perfected newer but noisy technologies.

Some noises are more troubling to me than others. Maybe the most irritating noise is the many annoying ring tones of cell phones. Whoever determined that making loud cell noises was a need for cell users must have been driven mad by to many other noises. The "cute" jingles or obnoxious blaring songs some people use as ring tones are the worst.

And what about profanity we hear every day on the street, in private, everywhere. The loss of civility in society that marks our course culture today produces a product- filthy language. Have you noticed how profanity is spoken more loudly and aggressively than pure language? Have you noticed how people accept it as normal? Profanity may be the worst kind of noise because it is both physically distasteful and morally offensive. That it is so widely used, means it may be the canary in the mine that should tell us that it is time to tone down the noise of all types.

Another noise that is maddening to me is the loud music some people play while driving in their cars. You can bet the music is a filthy rap "song" or music that no one would listen to if it were played at a normal volume. I have never heard anyone blare classical music on his or her car radio as I drove next to them. It's probably because those who listen to classical music are far more intelligent and thoughtful than rap music fans. You can bet if someone is blasting rap music in his car it's not only because he or she likes what is played, but probably because the loud noise that the music makes keeps them from having to think, something those types rarely do in any case.

Perhaps the worst kind of noise for all of us who think the world is much ado about noise is that of cumulative noises. The world's biggest ever and most technological society has too many cars, planes, lawn mowers, TV's and sundry other devices that seem to never stop playing...loudly. They are so noisy that many of us are accustomed to noise and don't notice them much of the time. In that case, the noise has defeated us. Noise is distraction and distraction stops the mind from thinking (as the total noise level increases the aggregate thinking level decreases). When we stop thinking about matters big and small we are less aware and, thus, more easily controlled by people, governments and forces that act in a selfish interest rather than for the individual and common good. As a result, life becomes a little less pleasant.

Is it possible to escape the excessive noise today? Probably short of moving into isolation and living away from them or disdaining them as much as one can, no. It is a shame we can only cope somewhat by understanding noise and trying to adapt to much of it. The world would be a calmer, more tolerant and a kinder place if we had less noise. Just be grateful that you read this and don't have to listen to me reading it. That would be noise of the worst kind.