Reading Blog #2

Searching for silence, by Alex Ross, follows the author’s journey as he travels around the world in search of complete silence. His travels take him from a monastery in Switzerland, to a soundproof room in the Microsoft headquarters, to a wilderness preserve in the United States. In the article, Ross discusses the impact that constant noise, also known as noise pollution, can have on an individual’s life. He attributes noise pollution to elevated levels of stress and adverse health effects. Following this assertion, Ross goes into detail about the various methods people will go to in order to get some silence in their lives, such as through retreats to secluded areas or by wearing noise canceling headphones. He however makes note of the fact that these methods are often incapable of achieving complete silence. Throughout the course of the article, Ross analyzes the importance of silence in various cultures, often through practices such as meditation and spiritual ceremonies. He cites the benefits of silence as increasing cognitive function and creativity in individuals, as well as reducing stress. The article culminates with Ross making the important distinction that the absolute silence he set out to find cannot possibly occur naturally. Even when produced artificially, true absolute and complete science is still impossible. Regardless, he states that the pursuit of silence is important to form a habit of mindfulness and appreciation for life. While I agree with all these claims, I would say that most meditation practices include some sort of droning noise as to not have complete and total silence, and in completely soundproofed rooms, people often report going mad from the sound of their own heartbeat. Therefore, I would say while quiet is beneficial, silence might not be.