A World of Silence

Summary

The article "A World of Silence" contemplates the impact of noise on daily life and the potential consequences of its absence.

Abstract

The essay explores the ubiquity of noise in modern life, from the cacophony of traffic to the clamor of human voices, and examines our complex relationship with it. It suggests that while noise can be distressing, its absence might lead to a sense of something missing, as illustrated by a hypothetical scenario of a silent childhood and the introduction of noiseless electric cars. The article argues that despite our desire for tranquility, complete silence could lead to psychological distress, akin to the effects of solitary confinement, and ultimately alter our perception of the world, which relies on auditory cues to maintain a sense of normalcy and anticipation.

Opinions

Noise is an intrinsic part of our daily lives, and we have adapted to its presence despite its sometimes disruptive nature.
A hypothetical world without noise, such as silent children and cars, is initially perceived as a luxury but may eventually lead to dissatisfaction and a sense of emptiness.
Complete silence is theorized to have detrimental effects on mental health, potentially leading to loneliness, instability, and a loss of the ability to anticipate events.
The article posits that noises and sounds are essential elements that define our world, and their removal would fundamentally change our existence.
While temporary silence can be refreshing, it is not considered a sustainable state for the long term.

Is silence silently superior? Or is it silently sabotaging?

There’s so much noise all around us in our daily lives. We go outside, and we hear cars going down the road, making all types of noise. Sometimes we may take a walk, trying to escape the noise, just to be interrupted by the obstruction that is a crowd of people talking loudly. Even going inside our homes, we might find ourselves obstructed by the loudest screech on the television, or even a political outburst on the radio.

There’s no escaping it, all these noises have utterly become a part of our lives, and that will never change. They may be upsetting in some situations, and we may wish that there was no such thing as noise. But we have adapted to the noise despite the discomfort it brings us, and it’s not really like there was much of a choice to begin with. But just imagine if it was really possible to completely rid ourselves of all the noise in the world.

Imagine being a parent of a young child or multiple children for that matter. You likely face quite a trial dealing with a little screaming monster that gets unhappy even after you feed and bathe it. It feels like no matter how much effort you put forth; the noise just does not end. Even at the end of the day, you lay in bed getting ready to close your eyes when you’re interrupted once again by the screaming. You just can’t escape the cycle of noise from raising a child.

But in an alternate universe, imagine the same situation without any noise at all. Imagine having a trouble-free child that you simply care for but without the screaming. They don’t quarrel with you and get upset over nothing and are always in the moment. And when you finally lay in your bed at night, you feel like something is missing before you successfully drift into a deep slumber.

That sure would feel odd, especially when you wake up with your hair all over the place. I mean, you just woke up eight or more hours later and on your own instead of to some loud, youthful screams. Even though it may indeed feel like something is missing, it’s an absolute luxury to a parent. You would never be willing to go back to the former, constant screams that you are used to, and neither would anyone else.

Now let’s move on to the public roads, where more of our noise problem comes from. The cars that tread the streets make more noise than we could ever have hoped for. Even though we may be miles away from the nearest freeway, you can still here the traffic in the distance. You really have to be intently focused on something else in order to ignore the noise. And if that’s not the case, then your only other option would be to substitute that noise for other noise.

But in an alternate universe, the cars are all electric, and the motors don’t make a single sound. The tires are of a different material as well, and even the largest pothole is struck by them, with no noise emitted. Now you can go outside from your home with not a single disruption. It doesn’t feel like the peace is obstructed, and the flow of the air becomes the only dominant noise where applicable.

If you live in an area where loud vehicles are common, you likely won’t miss them when they are gone. You’ll enjoy the peace and quiet, and then you’ll plan to take a trip in your car as well. You’ll start driving and wonder why there is not a single sound coming from the engine. Then you’ll remember, “oh yes, there’s no more sound.” What a luxury.

Well, no, actually it’s not going to be a luxury for very long though. You see no matter how much someone wants something regardless of the individual, everyone still reacts the same. If you give someone what they actually want, they won’t actually want it anymore or will take it for granted. So, what’s the ultimate result when we finally get the silence we desire?

Well, what happens when you isolate someone in a solitary confinement cell in a prison? Over time they become lonely, and they progress to a mentally decayed state, and transform to be completely unstable. Naturally, you may wonder what happens when you take away the noise from people. Well, I think that the same would occur.

Your mind would begin playing tricks on you thinking that there is something missing and that life as you now know it is empty. You wouldn’t be able to register your surroundings as well as you could prior, and it just wouldn’t feel right. And without sounds and noises to tell you what is coming next, the feeling of anxiety and anticipation builds inevitably. Finally, you completely lose your mind, and it won’t be easy to return to the mental state by which you were at your best.

So that is what a silent world would be like and it’s quite a spectacle to imagine. I know that the noise we deal with now can be bothersome, but I know even more that we would miss them if they were gone. Silence can be a good, temporary fix and there’s no disputing that. But there is no way that it could ever serve as a long-term, permanent solution.

After all, if everything is entirely silent, do we even have a world anymore? The noises and sounds that we hear every day are one of the very elements to our world. So, consider taking these away, and you have now fragmented your very world that you cherish.