Silence is golden

[Grand Moff Muffin]

As the noise of Cardiff's anti-spaceship batteries thunders around me this fine 5th of November, have we become so used to hustle and bustle that we're afraid of a little silence?

I know I haven't, but then I despise crowds, mobile phones and headphones. I know plenty of people who don't like being left in their own company and must always be conversing with others in one form or another.

After a respectful silent pause to gather your thoughts, please post your views on noise and 24-hour communication.

But don't all shout at once.

Martin

[legios]

martinm said:

As the noise of Cardiff's anti-spaceship batteries thunders around me this fine 5th of November, have we become so used to hustle and bustle that we're afraid of a little silence?

I know I haven't, but then I despise crowds, mobile phones and headphones. I know plenty of people who don't like being left in their own company and must always be conversing with others in one form or another.

After a respectful silent pause to gather your thoughts, please post your views on noise and 24-hour communication.

But don't all shout at once.

Martin

I for one am not averse to silence - indeed I positively seek it out at times. One of the best parts of my weekend tends to be a walk along the canal up to the old Roman fort on a Sunday morning, when there tends to be no-one about except me and perhaps the occasional swan (and they aren't particularly noisy folks either). I do like a bit of peace and quiet, and I feel the lack of it if I am not able to get a bit of peace at some point during the day. At the moment this sensation is quite marked - after over a week and a half of a steadily increasing barrage of explosions (we have been averaging one every twenty-thirty seconds since I got off the train at 6.15 this evening) and no likelihood of an actual let-up until after New Year it is actually starting to get rather wearing.


I'm a bit equivocal about 24 hour communication as well. As a bit of a news junkie I like being able to go online and catch up with things at my discretion. However I can unplug without any real sense of having withdrawal symptoms so it isn't something I would say runs my life.

Mobile phones I treat as just another tool - I do own one, and sometimes it comes in handy but once again it isn't something I feel undressed without. It is a thing that is useful at some times and not so useful at others. But then I come from an immediate family who have a relatively laid back attitude to communication - both my mother and sister own mobile phones that are only switched on when they are travelling long distances, or in my sisters case when she is away from home working. The rest of the time they tend to sit in a drawer, and even when they do take them with them when they are away anywhere the phone gets checked twice a day - like a messaging service rather than being on all the time.

I sometimes wonder that it isn't so much the existence of the tools but something in modern society that emphasises the receipt of validation from others. A sense that one's self only has as much value as the conversations, text messages and Facebook links that one has with others. Is our society being changed by the prevalence of "always on" devices - is it becoming the default that we are expected to be actively connected to the "social network" at all times? I'm not sure but it is a thought that I keep cycling back to. (Apologies, if I have drifted a little off-topic here). Our networked world is wonderful for getting information in a hurry but I sometimes do wonder exactly how it is reshaping the basic assumptions of our society. Is it necessarily desireable that the basic assumption is that everyone should be contactable anywhere at any time. If everyone is always part of an extended social network mediated by "social networking" web-sites, mobile phones and whatever new gadget evolves as the PDA, Blackberry, mobile phone and Ipod collide and fuse then how much room does that allow people to define themselves as individuals. Does that kind of connected soup start to erode the space to simply be oneself and think ones own thoughts in isolation?

(I'm not really thinking about whether this is a good thing or a bad thing - to me that is a subjective judgement that everyone has to make for themselves - but it does appear to be a trend that is changing the world around us.)

I'm going to stop now as I've realised I'm starting to go all Mamoru Oshii and send the audience to sleep. Someone should probably say something interesting and relevant now to counteract my rambling.

Karl

[The Doctor]

I've spent far too much of my life on my own. I hate being in my own company these days. Bring on the hustle and bustle I say.

-Ralph

[Andy Turnbull]

It depends on my mood to be honest. There are times when I really don't need to see or hear anyone else and just spend some time relaxing by myself - drawing is really good for that I find. Other times I welcome the background noise of other people and the company of others.

Part of that is tied up to the fact I have the choice, I do tend to find when the choice for either is not mine to make I can be a bit narky.

Andy

[Grand Moff Muffin]

And now the ad at the top of the page is for an anti-snoring device.

Martin

[legios]

martinm said:

And now the ad at the top of the page is for an anti-snoring device.

Martin

How wonderfully apt. Robo-verts may be an irritation most of the time but just occasionally they serve up something amusing.

Karl

[Shockprowl]

I'm about as sociable as a dose of the Plague. Don't like works dos, everyone gets too drunk and rowdy. Don't like night-clubs, to busy and ruckus. Bah-humbug. My ideal night out is a small group of friends in one of those pubs where you can actually hear each other. And it's not just age talking, I've always been like that. Peace and quite is great, and there's not enough of it in this world. However... at work, on a night shift, I love the 24 hour TV and internet that's available to keep me sane and entertained. I think Karl hit it on the head, it's good to have these things, but the provision should be there to unplug and turn it off if you want to.

[Bogatan]

I'll usually take being on my own over being with people I dont have anything in common with. For the last year or two I've lived a relatively solitary existence quite happily. I have a few friends that I see semi regularly though there has been some spread in those two years. Living with my family means I can't go completely hermit.

At work (Asda) I got on fine with everyone I worked with and could happily chat with them throughout the shift, but I didn't have anything much in common with them and felt no desire to spend time with them outside of work. If left alone throught the shift I would also be quite happy, My minds usually full of thoughts to mull over while alone. In my new job I'm less social though thats largely to do with struggling to get through the work load on time. I think of myself as the worlds most stressed out laid back guy.

It probably doesn't help that I really lost what little interest I had in going out to nightclubs and the drinking that goes with it. Though when I do go out I'll almost always enjoy myself. I'm maybe just very lazy.

I like having my mobile on me when out for the convenience, but at home its put down and ignored unless I expect a call, even then I just try to leave it somewhere I can hear it. I most like the phone for the walkman as I like to listen to music when walking sometimes and often while at work to block out distractions. Also I love having a nice camera built in so I can take random pictures of anything that takes my fancy.

I finally signed up to facebook last week which is my first such move since the old non internet dial up bulletin boards in the late 90's. Hull had a good collection for a while thanks to Hull's 5p unlimited calls making visits very cheap and at the time Kingston Communications pricey internet packages. I'm off topic now.

Andy

Andy