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But why does that matter to you? Do you consider yourself a superior human because you don't want or need background noise?
Maybe you're NOT implying one is better than the other...but it kind of seems like that's what you ARE implying.
This is the Psychology forum. Psychology is the study of human behavior.
Psychology also explores why people behave in various ways.
So discussion of human behavior and exploration of human behavior is why the Psychology forum exists and why psychology as a discipline of human knowledge exists.
Last edited by matisse12; 12-15-2021 at 12:48 PM..
I always thought it was the introvert/extrovert thing. I'm an introvert. So when I work I want dead silence.
I can live in the extrovert world for a little while - you know, go to bars and parties and so forth. I am even an experienced public speaker; made instructional videos and the whole bit. But when it comes time to relax and regroup or get down to serious work.... dead silence.
FWIW: I am a retired salesman. Everyone thinks salesmen must be extroverts, but I was always a top producer. I was just a little hard to find after hours, that's all.
This is the Psychology forum. Psychology is the study of human behavior.
Psychology also explores why people behave in various ways.
So discussion of human behavior and exploration of human behavior is why the Psychology forum exists and why psychology as a discipline of human knowledge exists.
I asked if he/she felt superior to those who need noise.
I would add that background noise (beyond the din of a crowd) is a recent development for the human species... through most of history it wasn't there.
Why do some hate quiet. Not just the awkward silence during conversation or in the presence of people. But some just can't seem to handle quiet even if they have something to do. Many can't even appreciate quiet because they because they're used to artificial unnecessary background noise like music or tv.
I see why libraries had to mandate silence long ago.
Well, OP, I've known a few people over the course of my life, who couldn't tolerate being alone with themselves unless there was a distraction going in the background (music or TV), because they couldn't handle their own internal dialog.
These are people who suffered abuse when growing up, maybe had an alcoholic parent or a hyper-critical parent, or some such. And those tapes kept playing in their head. They couldn't get away from it, except by drowning out the thoughts with background noise. It's sad.
Well, OP, I've known a few people over the course of my life, who couldn't tolerate being alone with themselves unless there was a distraction going in the background (music or TV), because they couldn't handle their own internal dialog.
These are people who suffered abuse when growing up, maybe had an alcoholic parent or a hyper-critical parent, or some such. And those tapes kept playing in their head. They couldn't get away from it, except by drowning out the thoughts with background noise. It's sad.
The need to have noise in the background is certainly not a condition of solely or predominantly "people who suffered abuse when growing up, maybe had an alcoholic parent or a hyper-critical parent, or some such. And those tapes kept playing in their head"!!
It is part of the human condition for a good number of people - to fill feelings of emptiness inside.
And to help ameliorate feelings of loneliness for some.
My ex wanted to blast both TVs even when he was in his office. He would claim he was listening to them. I wanted some peace and quiet. Unless he was watching tv in the living room I would turn that one off.
Well, OP, I've known a few people over the course of my life, who couldn't tolerate being alone with themselves unless there was a distraction going in the background (music or TV), because they couldn't handle their own internal dialog.
These are people who suffered abuse when growing up, maybe had an alcoholic parent or a hyper-critical parent, or some such. And those tapes kept playing in their head. They couldn't get away from it, except by drowning out the thoughts with background noise. It's sad.
This is me...some. But also it's me laying there in the dark thinking about what I'm going to do on the weekend, or replaying a TV show I watched earlier, or a billboard I saw on the way home, or potential worries...or whatever. My mind races and I mean RACES from one subject to the next in the complete quiet and dark, and sometimes I lay there in bed for at least an hour, trying to make myself go to sleep. And it seems like I've been this way for most of my life, since I was 9 or 10 at least, if not before.
But I had a bunch of siblings, and me and my sisters shared a bedroom. Sometimes I think noise IS the "normal" for me, and has been since I was a baby.
Why do some hate quiet. Not just the awkward silence during conversation or in the presence of people. But some just can't seem to handle quiet even if they have something to do. Many can't even appreciate quiet because they because they're used to artificial unnecessary background noise like music or tv.
I see why libraries had to mandate silence long ago.
I just find silence distracting. Maybe because I have ADD, IDK. I graduated college Magna C um Laude doing all my work at home with TV on in the background.
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