The section that I took notice to most in Culture Jam was "Noise." I never really took notice to how much "noise" there was in my life until I read this section. I know for me to work I need to have some kind of music or TV on because when it's quiet in my room it makes me feel very uncomfortable. It makes me wonder how many other people feel this way when in silence. But even when I, or any one else, tries to work in silence we're not really in total quiet. I turned off all of my music and listed to the sounds around me. I never realized how "noisy" even "silence" is. It makes me think about all of the things that I can tune out and how much I miss because I do. I've come to realize that "noise" can be good for you but every now and then silence is good for you. It lets your brain unwind and relax from the constant stimulation of noise.
I think it would do a lot of us a world of good to deliberately tune into the "silence" around us a little more. We do forget how simple sounds can be soothing. The wind in the trees. Rain on the roof. The crunch of leaves. I agree. It lets my mind relax when I can let go of some of the "noise" and stress in my life.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you when it comes to "silence" not really being all that silent. Where I live here in SHIP on Prince St., there is always some sort of noise all the time it seems. That's why I like to go hunting and fishing, because when I go out and spend the day in the mountains there actually is silence and it is one of the few times that I am able to really let my mind rest from its usual everyday hustle and bustle.
ReplyDeleteI'm just like you when it comes to the silence. I hate it being silent around me. It lets my mind wonder too much and usually that's a bad thing. Just like now, I'm watching TV. I mean I'm not really watching it but it's better than the sound of my fish tank filter.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you without a doubt. If i am in a completely quiet room i feel like my ears start ringing because they are so used to hearing everyday "noises" that they are not used to it so my mind substitutes the lack of noise with ringing in my ears. Either that or i am going insane. When i go to sleep at night i always have to have some sort of ambient noise. Whether its my computer humming or my television turned down real low i always need some sort of ambient noise. Another thing i would like to say is that as a child i grew up in Alabama on a farm in the middle of nowhere. There was almost zero ambient noises. The only thing you could hear at night were the horses neighing in the barn, crickets, or coyotes howling. I found it easier and more peaceful to go to sleep with the lack of noise. After living in Alabama for 8 years i moved to the the city of brotherly love and boy was that a culture shock. I went from having 0 neighbors to thousands of people everywhere. Cars honking, music playing, people yelling, and subway trains hissing. I found it very hard to sleep at night for about a year because i was so used to being in a quiet environment my body just couldn't adjust to it. Now, after living in the city for over 12 years my body has grown accustomed to these ambient noises and almost always needs them. All in all what i am saying is that going from no noise to being pounded with noise definitely altered my mind and the way i sleep. Being out here in Shippensburg its like home. There arent that many ambient noises here at Ship. So since i lived in the city for song long and accepted loud noises as a part of life, being here in ship with no noises has thrown me a curveball once again. So now when i go to sleep at night i need some ambient noise like my computer to help me fall asleep.
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