Noise Pollution

Yesterday I sat in my room reading and I could hear the people outside my window talking, playing music, laughing...and it sort of bothered me. I tried to go to sleep and I couldn't for a while, because I was focused on the noises. But I can sit in my glider chair which has a very pronounced squeak as I rock, and not be bothered at all. So what is noise pollution? I was lying in my bed thinking is it my right to tell them they are being loud or is it their right to be loud on occasion? When did that get decided in favor of the one who is trying to sleep? Was the person ever trained to sleep in a noisy environment or were they babied with silence whenever they slept? Maybe they can only sleep in silence, but how many times were you shushed as a kid? How often are people told to be quieter in life? And why should that be the side that wins out? I think we should have our moments when we are allowed to be loud without censure or persecution. Although, there was a time when I thought people should really be aware of their noise pollution and respect others more.

I was a loud child and am loud now on occasion...and when my parents told me that I should be put on a fire engine in place of the siren, I was very upset. I thought that was mean...and I was not trying to be mean with my volume. I was just excited or happy or passionate...and I thought these things were good. And now still, when there is a discussion of whether someone is too loud or not, it is always the one shushing them that is unhappy or mad, while the loud one is usually having a good time. That seems like we should value being lout more than we do.

Air plane noise, recycling truck clanging, obsessive knocking, tapping, scraping or any other repetitive noise and the loud roar of a car sans muffler are all more likely to be classified as noise pollution. Or perhaps it is defined by the location you are at or the mood you are in, because surely the sound of a snore during a operatic aria is distracting and unwelcome. The sound of an arguing couple in the elevator is alarming and uncomfortable...but if they do not think it is noise pollution and I do, is it?

I can get used to a lot of things, like the squeaky chair or the air planes flying overhead...but what about my roommate arguing with his girlfriend on the phone...or the random faux-screams of a girl at night...I think that I can ignore them too

What I cannot seem to avoid is the noise pollution that goes on within my own head...the thoughts that just clog things up and do not do anything good. I cannot help wondering why does this person think that...or what do they think...or are they laughing at me, am I so self-centered I think they would be, boy my reality is all about me!...or what does my life mean. I find these to be polluting, but do not know where the source is and how to combat the pollutants or what the effects will be.

I think it just is all relative.