What is our obsession with background music.
It occurred to me that something was strange when I boarded the Virgin Atlantic flight to the UK the other day. Relatively loud background music was playing on the plane and continued to do so until the door was closed. Why?
I went to breakfast with friends the other day, and my favorite breakfast spot had been taken over with loud salsa sounds. We had to ask them to turn it down so we could talk. Why?
I got in a Lyft vehicle and the radio was turned on with music blaring. Why?
I go to a trade event and want to talk to a potential customer. Music is blaring. Why?
How about the dentist office? The waiting room at the tire store? Walking through the mall? The latest hit restaurant? Why?
Why is music needed everywhere? And in most places, the music is something I don’t even like. How can they program sounds that fit everyone. If they do its elevator music and no one likes it.
Ok, I’m deaf. Its hard enough for me to hear when its quiet. When the background is filled with music, its impossible. If I want to hear music, I’ll go to a club that plays what I want to hear. I’m told the loud beats make one eat and drink faster so there is more turnover in the restaurant. Wow. People buy more at the mall when they are grooving to hard rock.
I wore my noise cancelling head phones for the entire 10 hour flight to the UK. They weren’t plugged in. It was 10 hours of glorious silence.
Just sayin
JVH
2 Responses
The fall of the Roman Empire again. We are afraid of silence. We are afraid of these “empty spaces” as the quiet spaces. We are afraid to look within and pause. We are afraid or incapable of listening to one another. Thanks to you, JVH, I have become a better listener. Yet, I have a long way to go. Those pauses when another is thinking to formulate his/her thoughts. Those silences. These are the spaces where our gratitude and appreciation for each other can grow. When we hold another’s space instead of wanting to yap or to be lost in the noise of nothingness. When we sincerely respond when it is needed instead of reacting. I appreciate this blog JVH. Thank you. Sincerely, Astrid Ambroziak – astrid@parkingtoday.com
Amen!