It is quiet here.....I used to think that we Americans live with a lot of noise around us and we do, some I suppose more than others, but until I visited Japan, I didn't realize how relatively quiet it is here.
In one of my recent posts I talked about the Japanese use of "ma", which is quiet spaces in their speech. I'm not doubting that they do that and it may be their way of having some sort of privacy being that they live in such close promimity to one another. What I experienced there in the public world was a profusion of noise, however. I was completely overstimulated and often found myself stressed by the deluge of sound.
Whenever anyone entered a store they were greeted by everyone. You might hear "Irasshaimase!" countless times while shopping for just minutes in a small store. If you are in a larger department store, just imagine how many times it might float across your ear drums. We were in a large electronics store at one point. Every floor displaying a different type of product, for example, computers on one, music on another, cell phones on yet another. (Yes, there was a whole floor for cell phones. There must have been at least 5,000 different phones to choose from.) So if you stopped on each floor you would be greeted by maybe 20 salespersons, and then you would hear those same 20 greet the next 20 people or so that walked onto that floor. Add to that every TV or CD that was playing and you can get an idea for what I experienced.
On the street there was all the usual noise, plus every time a light changed there would be a chirping, bell ringing or song playing for the blind to hear. (I think this is a great idea, but it adds to the noise level.) In the subway and train stations, as well as on the subways, trains and buses, there are constant audio signals for each mode of transportation coming and going, then voices in at least two languages telling you every stop coming up.
I enjoy some quiet in my world. When I am home alone, the TV never comes on, and I only have music playing occasionally. It helps me to be able to think more clearly. Some days the only noise I hear is the phone ringing, conversation with the caller or my own playing of the piano. It's refreshing to be back in a relatively quiet world.
In one of my recent posts I talked about the Japanese use of "ma", which is quiet spaces in their speech. I'm not doubting that they do that and it may be their way of having some sort of privacy being that they live in such close promimity to one another. What I experienced there in the public world was a profusion of noise, however. I was completely overstimulated and often found myself stressed by the deluge of sound.
Whenever anyone entered a store they were greeted by everyone. You might hear "Irasshaimase!" countless times while shopping for just minutes in a small store. If you are in a larger department store, just imagine how many times it might float across your ear drums. We were in a large electronics store at one point. Every floor displaying a different type of product, for example, computers on one, music on another, cell phones on yet another. (Yes, there was a whole floor for cell phones. There must have been at least 5,000 different phones to choose from.) So if you stopped on each floor you would be greeted by maybe 20 salespersons, and then you would hear those same 20 greet the next 20 people or so that walked onto that floor. Add to that every TV or CD that was playing and you can get an idea for what I experienced.
On the street there was all the usual noise, plus every time a light changed there would be a chirping, bell ringing or song playing for the blind to hear. (I think this is a great idea, but it adds to the noise level.) In the subway and train stations, as well as on the subways, trains and buses, there are constant audio signals for each mode of transportation coming and going, then voices in at least two languages telling you every stop coming up.
I enjoy some quiet in my world. When I am home alone, the TV never comes on, and I only have music playing occasionally. It helps me to be able to think more clearly. Some days the only noise I hear is the phone ringing, conversation with the caller or my own playing of the piano. It's refreshing to be back in a relatively quiet world.
1 comment:
Wow, I don't think I could function in that kind of an environment. I'm very sensitive to sound and background noise and always notice my stress levels going up as the sounds around me increase in volume or quantity. Very interesting tid-bit as I sit at this desk and LOVE the silence I hear. Thanks for the reminder!
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