I wonder how "The Quiet Ones" would handle someone with a disability like Tourettes syndrome or with some sort of medical equipment that made an annoying noise. I'd give anything to watch the moral dilemma play out.
The Quiet Ones
301–310 of 397 posts
Re: The Quiet Ones
#302Earlier quoted context omitted.
Many people are addicted to stimuli in whatever form because they do not want to be left alone with their thoughts. Some just turn on the TV whenever they are alone, some have to socialize and can't stand being alone, others do drugs. Time alone in the nature or meditation is quite the opposite and something I would wish those stimuli seeker would experience more often.
> Time alone in the nature or meditation is quite the opposite and something I would wish those stimuli seeker would experience more often. Why? That assumes that being alone with your own thoughts is somehow good for everyone. I've done it--it's not all it's cracked up to be, IMHO. I believe there's enough variation in the way people's brains are wired up that it's not really possible to say "this specific thing tha…
I think people who know the matter would tell you that if you though about what you could get done, then you didn't make it to meditate (the right way).
That said, I'm not able to do it properly, too.
Re: The Quiet Ones
#303Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'm with pg here on the endless search for silence as well as your use of late nights to find it. I have sound-blocking ear muffs scattered all over the house and in two backpacks for when I'm studying on campus at Stanford, because at Stanford "quiet study area" seems to be an oxymoron. Studying, like everything at Stanford, is a social event. One disturbing phenomenon I've discovered: When I use these ear muffs to…
noticed this 110% percent - I started wearing earplugs pumping whitenoise a few years back to help sleep - I need these things all the time now - I have whitenoise running probably 18 hours per day now (except when I'm driving).
I think the opposite is also true. I became able to sleep through nearly anything (nearly including, unfortunately, 4am fire alarms and, more fortunately, 4am wrong-numbers) in the dorms at college, where it was noisy nearly all the time.
Re: The Quiet Ones
#304Earlier quoted context omitted.
"young women especially" really?
Sure. Why not? Listening to music while in public sends the clear signal that she doesn't want to talk to you or anyone else. I think young people use earphones as a way of finding some privacy in an over socialized world. A pretty good adaptation, I would say.
I don't think it's for privacy, unless you're in a situation where social interaction is expected (you don't expect much of it on a daily commute, for example). Music adds comfort to an environment which is usually quite hostile: traffic noise, flashing adverts and constant movement, etc.
Re: The Quiet Ones
#305Having grown up in Eastern Europe, I was always reminded by my parents not to talk loudly in public places. The habit is so ingrained that even now I'm uncomfortable speaking up when strangers are around. When I visited North America for the first time, I was of course surprised by loud voices everywhere, but I just shrugged it off and assumed that it was a cultural thing. And now this article surprised me again.
I am from Central Europe and was brought up similar way. But this kind of upbringing is rare here.
Even some older people (I guess they should know better) tend to be loud, obnoxious and really don't care about their fellow passengers.
Also, nowadays it's completely normal for a parent to let their kid loose and don't mind at all that it is screaming or bothering other people. They're happy as long as said kid is not troubling them.
I'm always surprised how calm and orderly are children of Asian descent (usually immigrants' or tourists').
Re: The Quiet Ones
#306Re: The Quiet Ones
#307Earlier quoted context omitted.
Many people are addicted to stimuli in whatever form because they do not want to be left alone with their thoughts. Some just turn on the TV whenever they are alone, some have to socialize and can't stand being alone, others do drugs. Time alone in the nature or meditation is quite the opposite and something I would wish those stimuli seeker would experience more often.
> Time alone in the nature or meditation is quite the opposite and something I would wish those stimuli seeker would experience more often. Why? That assumes that being alone with your own thoughts is somehow good for everyone. I've done it--it's not all it's cracked up to be, IMHO. I believe there's enough variation in the way people's brains are wired up that it's not really possible to say "this specific thing tha…
I do believe that I am on a search for quiet, and I agree that for some people they don't like to be alone with their thoughts.
However, I don't think that's a bad thing. I don't know how their minds work, so I just assume that we think and process the world a little differently. Because of that, I try to be sensitive to their needs/desires, and they do the same for me.
It's not a statement of who's "better," just how each person is a little bit different (for me anyway).
Re: The Quiet Ones
#308Earlier quoted context omitted.
My office at work is a virtually silent team room. All of my coworkers are exceptionally quiet people. It drives me mad. Most days I spend my entire productive workday in a coffee shop across campus, precisely because it is loud and busy. Only with the surrounding noise can I avoid being distracted by specific things. The environment is so noisy that it allows me to ignore to entirely.
My wife is the same way: she works best in a coffee shop, with background noise. My hypothesis is that people who are able to multitask (ie. not me) need a certain level of stimulation to absorb the attention that would otherwise crystallize into distractions. For me, when I'm able to concentrate, the background noise is irrelevant. I simply do not hear it.
When the ambient sound level gets too low, I get a strange feeling in my ear -- kinda like a hand or leg "falling asleep". It's really distracting.
White noise, and ambient "study" music is great -- it's like a null placeholder, I can focus and I remember hearing nothing instead of hearing silence.
Re: The Quiet Ones
#309"Respecting shared public space is becoming as quaintly archaic as tipping your hat to a lady, now that the concept of public space is as nearly extinct as hats, and ladies." ...and there you get it. It's really about someone pining for the golden age, and habits that weren't as innocuous as he presents it. Nowadays we have to live in the same space with millions of people, who all have different needs and habits. Th…
That was a very nice post. Thank you.
Re: The Quiet Ones
#310Earlier quoted context omitted.
Many people are addicted to stimuli in whatever form because they do not want to be left alone with their thoughts. Some just turn on the TV whenever they are alone, some have to socialize and can't stand being alone, others do drugs. Time alone in the nature or meditation is quite the opposite and something I would wish those stimuli seeker would experience more often.
> Time alone in the nature or meditation is quite the opposite and something I would wish those stimuli seeker would experience more often. Why? That assumes that being alone with your own thoughts is somehow good for everyone. I've done it--it's not all it's cracked up to be, IMHO. I believe there's enough variation in the way people's brains are wired up that it's not really possible to say "this specific thing tha…
Everyone should find their own way. I agree. But being able to enjoy quiet time is something you can learn.
A common problem for people who can not be without stimuli is that they can not disassociate from their thoughts.
That means just looking at your thoughts or whatever other inner processes are going on and letting them pass by without getting attached to them.
This is what you train when you meditate and it does not come over night, but it gives you the ability to gain more control over yourself and quiet time or time you use to meditate becomes rather entertaining...
There are a lot of scientifically proven benefits for doing meditation as well.
Doing this is a lifestyle choice. There is nothing wrong if you enjoy drinking sugary soda drinks every day if that's you choice that's what it is.
I do meditation since several years and also studied the science related to it. This is meditation in a nutshell for me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sspY43lxqhE