If you have grown up with it, or if you have lived in the heart of a large city, possibly in an apartment building, you may not be bothered by noise. A few people have been fortunate to have grown up in the country where neighbors were close enough to be neighborly, but far enough away to not become intrusive. Some, like me, did not discover the immense peace of silence until later in life.
I was like most teenagers when I was young. I would hide out in my bedroom and play my music loudly in order to drown out the drone of the TV, which my stepfather always had tuned to sports, or news. Our neighbors were not particularly noisy; but the din of traffic on the highway that was situated only about ten yards from our home, was at times deafening. Noise pollution has multiplied exponentially over the past fifty years. There are millions more people piled on top of one another in cities, trying to drown out noise from their neighbors. It is exacerbated by the many things which have become part of our modern life. Human beings have always lived in groups – in towns, cities, and communities – but there were far fewer ways to get on one another’s nerves. There may be safety in numbers, but not necessarily, peace. It is possible that in times past, people were generally more respectful of their neighbors.
Today, we have a nearly infinite number of noisy sources in smaller and smaller areas; and we are crowded together in often the worst kinds of situations. There is of course, the ever present array of sounds made by automobiles, like the flapping of tires hitting pavement on the highway, the powerful engine noise of tractor trailers, and the rumble of motorcycles.This is compounded by the shriek of sirens that is nearly constant in big cities, and the blast of trains as they barrel through railroad crossings. In the more dangerous sections of large cities, the sound of gunshots is not uncommon. The number of domestic dogs has increased along with our human population, giving rise to often raucous and incessant barking. The frequent hum of lawnmowers and string trimmers in summer, and snowblowers in winter, are often accompanied by our numerous industrial machines, like jackhammers and power saws. Added to that, are our many household appliances like blenders and electric toothbrushes. There is also the music that is everywhere. It can be booming from our neighbors’ windows or shaking the ground from the automobile outside our window, driven by a teenager who has the bass turned all the way up. It can be any of multiple genres, from rock to reggae, to country, classical, or rap, to name only a few. The majority of homes, restaurants, and stores have some kind of music playing day in and day out. They also have at least one television that is tuned to any of hundreds of channels, or streaming a movie, or a YouTube video. When people are not texting on their phones, they are often engaging in conversations, adding to the ever present hum that pervades our world of sound.
One hundred and fifty years ago, neighbors were appreciated, since they often lived some distance away. The constant need to shut out or drown out our neighbors, did not exist. Headphones are becoming more common these days; but in closing off the sounds of the neighbors around us, we also close off the sounds of life itself. I surround myself in the quiet to the extent that I am able to. I hear the blue jay’s call when it comes to snatch up the peanuts I set out for him each morning. I can hear the distress calls of my chickens whenever a stray cat turns up in their yard. Sometimes when I lay awake at night, I listen to the various creaks and groans that this house makes, whenever the furnace or the water heater cycles on. I find these sounds comforting because any slight alteration to these sounds alerts me to possible danger. Too much noise causes me anxiety. I have come to crave the quiet, knowing that like water, it is one of my basic needs. And, I prefer to keep my neighbors at a comfortable distance, where we can each honor our personal space.
