Things that go beep...

[GeorgeG]

Have you ever stopped to think about how much of our lives is dominated by electronic noises?

We wake up in the morning to some sort of electronic sound, usually either a clock radio playing music or beeping. From there on it just grows and grows.

- kitchen appliances
- unlocking/locking the car
- warning to fasten the seat belts
- telephones, both home and cell
- back-up alarms on some vehicles
- turning on and operating our computers
- non-stop beeping at any retail check-out, especially supermarkets
- more beeps in just about any workplace

It seems to never stop. At least pagers, for the most part, have gone away, but then there are plenty of hand-held video games to make up for the loss.

Is it any wonder that true peace and quiet seems so foreign? I actually have some in-laws that are terrified of absolute quiet. Maybe it's just something that's no longer appreciated...

 

[I'mNoPrince]

I can take the beeps but man the LEDs are driving me crasy.

I mean I have more lights in my room then the osbourne spectical of lights.

 

[luvflorida]

I mean I have more lights in my room then the osbourne spectical of lights.

Whenever I venture downstairs in the middle of the night, I always marvel at all the lights. Who needs a nightlight? My husband's den/office looks like an airport landing strip with all the various blinking lights from the computers, printers, clocks, cellphones, etc., etc.

 

[CaptainJackObsessed]

Whenever I venture downstairs in the middle of the night, I always marvel at all the lights. Who needs a nightlight? My husband's den/office looks like an airport landing strip with all the various blinking lights from the computers, printers, clocks, cellphones, etc., etc.

Airport landing strip That was a good mental image I hate alarm clocks...good thing I don't need one Now at night, my house is completely dark and we have sliding pocket doors and since it was so dark I couldn't see and hit the door head on becuase I thought it was open when it really wasn't

 

[bicker]

Maybe it's just something that's no longer appreciated...

I cannot agree. I think most people do appreciate quiet. Indeed, what I see as a bigger concern is that many folks don't appreciate what these "beeping" tools do for us -- how they enhance our lives. People tend to develop a contempt for the familiar, and the more wonderful technology becomes ubiquitous, the less people appreciate how much better life is because of it. They wax poetically about the good ol' days, which actually weren't that good, and criticize nuances of the present day and express fear for the future, a future that holds a greater promise than we can even imagine.

 

[luvflorida]

I cannot agree. I think most people do appreciate quiet. Indeed, what I see as a bigger concern is that many folks don't appreciate what these "beeping" tools do for us -- how they enhance our lives. People tend to develop a contempt for the familiar, and the more wonderful technology becomes ubiquitous, the less people appreciate how much better life is because of it. They wax poetically about the good ol' days, which actually weren't that good, and criticize nuances of the present day and express fear for the future, a future that holds a greater promise than we can even imagine.

Wow, I just woke up, came downstairs, logged on to the DIS, and this is the first thing I read. How can you even think like this so early in the morning!?! You must be a morning person!

As I sit here enjoying "the quiet", I can hear the clock on the wall loudly ticking, the furnace kicking in, the refrigerator running, and the water cooler humming. At least nothing is beeping at me, yet.

 

[bicker]

How can you even think like this so early in the morning!?! You must be a morning person!

I woke up pretty late this morning, at about 5:30 AM. I'm typically asleep by 9PM.

As I sit here enjoying "the quiet", I can hear the clock on the wall loudly ticking, the furnace kicking in, the refrigerator running, and the water cooler humming. At least nothing is beeping at me, yet.

I live about 150 feet from Interstate 95, so there's always a little bit of civilization within earshot.