An experiment to try with your friends and family. Turn off the car audio.

This thread is making me uneasy . I actually cannot stand silence at all, when I go to bed at night I have to have a fan blowing right near me so there is some background noise. And if I walk into the staff room and the TV is off, I can't fully enjoy my break because of it. I even thought of making a sign once that says "The TV should be turned on at all times, no excuses", that's how bad it is.

Originally posted by tropic
My dad's car doesn't have a radio. Its weird when i sometimes fly into USA and dont have that luxury of tuning into the 'news' station... and I'm minimalist so its not like I have itunes pandora or anything like that

Its weird not that most of us cant live without radio at all but that pop/crap most people need to be listening to 24/7...

what do u guys listen to in the car, or do you not have a radio/audio source playing most of the time??

what do u guys listen to in the car

the kids

reply to post by ErgoTheConclusion


Do you see dead people and talk to god too?

Usually what happens when I turn the radio off in my car is I start thinking.
'Oh god what was that rattle, is something loose somewhere?'
'Why is my suspension making that squeaking sound?'
Then if anyone starts speaking I tell them to quiet down so I can hear if the rattle happens again

I probably need to learn to relax

Turning off the stereo could be expensive. You'll hear that CV joint chirping away and have to fix it. You'll hear the breaks making noise when you press on them and have to get new pads and disks. You may discover the muffler fell off years ago. You may notice that without the stereo that your car is a piece of crap and have to start shopping for another. Everything was let go so long that things are expensive to fix. Well I suppose it is better than getting killed in an accident because the car pulled into the other lane when the flat tire caught fire because you thought the thumping was part of the music.

hi

reply to post by ErgoTheConclusion


For what it's worth, I think your little experiment is brilliant. I spent far too long in a bad marriage simply because I kept myself busy and constantly distracted. One day, I actually ran out of things to do. I was stuck at home, nothing to do, didn't watch tv, and I actually panicked. Blew me away but I realized that I had been spending the last several years doing everything I could to avoid ever letting my thoughts drift. I realized how freaking miserable I was. Asked my husband for a divorce that night and it was the right decision.

Whereas it's not the same as turning off a radio to let people sit in silence and see how they react, my story can at least vouch for the seeming need for constant distraction to avoid actually thinking. Silence can be a hell of a thing to be stuck alone with only your thoughts to keep you company if you're unhappy. I think a lot of people keep themselves distracted for those very reasons. Brilliant experiment indeed.

P.S. My car and my home are quiet nearly 24/7 except for talking.

reply to post by WhiteAlice

Thank you very much for passing along your experience because I think both things leading up to it as well as the realization in that moment are pretty profound, and your choice afterwards was very challenging. I'm very happy to hear your choice made a difference and you've found a better equilibrium and comfort with your own inner noise and silence.

reply to post by wjones837

reply to post by IntrinsicMotivation

Thank you both for those posts... they really add some oomph to the reality that there is something there worth exploring. Regardless of what the real source is there is a distinction and people (as evidenced in here alone) are able to recognize it and choose to change it and find a surprisingly different way of walking through the day.

Originally posted by Ghost375
Or maybe it's because people are accustomed to listening to music while driving?? It's a habit, so yes it might seem "addicting." You must be very socially awkward if you can't see how driving in a silent car with someone could be awkward(sorry not trying to be offensive here).

That was taken into account. Everyone but me was used to driving with music. I was the only person in my social circle/family who drove in silence... at least the only one that any discussions were had about it.

The breakdown was this: Everyone was used to driving with music. Then it was split into those who didn't notice there was silence, or even did notice and liked it (and have since started driving without music themselves)... and those who it sincerely bothered. The split between those groups tended to fall in the categories explored in the OP.

Originally posted by Ghost375
P.S. There's a reason they require double-blind studies for experiments.....it's because if you do experiments like the one you tried, you'll see what you want to see. In your mind, you really saw a correlation with how "plugged in" people are, and how quickly they turn on the radio. Time and time again, whenever people do an experiment expecting something, it will turn out that way.

I appreciate the criticism but I think you are missing the mark of what was communicated and requested. Nowhere was it advertised as a hard experimental result. It is presented as "I've noticed a pattern... does this match anyone else's experience?" and I provided all the steps I did take to look closer at the pattern.

If others did notice similar or related patterns the perhaps the thread *will* inspire someone to do some more rigorous testing. But if we are going to spend our time pointing fingers when someone can't go straight from "hmmmm" to double blind experiments before trying to shed light on potential patterns... then we're entering the realm of the absurd and impossible. I don't think that's what you were requesting, but I think you put more gravitas and expectations on the OP than was offered.

Others have posted some more scientific information that relates to it.

For whatever, unknown reason, the "radio" gives me a headache and makes me feel ill. Most likely the unneeded subwoofer. People that have their radio on far too loud does indeed make me very sick.

When you ask them to turn it down they act as if you're trying to "take their fun away". Yes, you rebellious free-spirit, I only want to turn the radio off because I'm trying to cosmically oppress you.

I honestly believe people become slaves to static noise and electromagnetic interference, it just wires their brain. They can't do anything at all or function without "noise" in the background. I've watched people like this, they go literally crazy and pace around like they're quite mad.

reply to post by ErgoTheConclusion


I am a total pattern junky myself (and yes, I'll "don the lab coat" to test a hypothesis, too, lol). I had a really interesting conversation a while back with some people who were discussing a book that purported to tell them what they really wanted. The idea baffled me--a book that tells you about what you need? Shouldn't one be able to get that from inner reflection? Anyways, I started gently asking them questions about it and the response was incredible. These people who were so self-concerned enough to read a book on what they wanted kept themselves so busy that they didn't feel like they had time to have for any self reflection at all. I got ganged up on and verbally attacked for actually making time to think about what I wanted in life, accused of being "self-aware" as if that were somehow a terrible thing. It was mind blowing. Worse yet, these people did have time to do those very things. From what I could glean, they were sinking large portions of their free time in various media--tv, social, and whatnot. It absolutely blew me away. When I look at my own pool of friends, I see a major pattern. Those whose lives are filled with substantial issue are absolutely addicted to media. It's not as if they are too dumb to realize that there are issues in their lives or worlds. They are simply incapable of lifting their head out of the water.

And yes, talk about this and some will attack you. Been there. And I'm glad, too, even if it makes me a dirty "self-aware" person. hee hee

Originally posted by guymontag
For whatever, unknown reason, the "radio" gives me a headache and makes me feel ill. Most likely the unneeded subwoofer. People that have their radio on far too loud does indeed make me very sick.
(snip)
I've watched people like this, they go literally crazy and pace around like they're quite mad.

To balance the equation... if I'm subjected to broadcast radio for too long I will also start going crazy and pace around similar to those who do so when there is silence. So for those in the cheap seats, I'm not advocating that "getting uncomfortable" is a sign of being "unaware"... just the conditions people in different states of mind find themselves uncomfortable.

So that said... I'm in the same boat as you. I honestly feel a sensation of a swarm of bees "attacking" my mind when subjected to broadcast radio. I'm willing to admit it's simply an over-sensitivity due to so much time without the radio... but "natural" noise that is louder and more pervasive such as waterfalls and animals don't have the same effect. Same for certain types of music that have been brought up here such as Vivaldi, Beethoven especially, etc.

Danke for sharing your experience.

Originally posted by WhiteAlice
And yes, talk about this and some will attack you. Been there. And I'm glad, too, even if it makes me a dirty "self-aware" person.

hee hee

How DARE you try to consider your relationship to those and the environment around you!

Don't you know the entire point of existence is to blindly bump around smashing into people with whatever blind force and attitude you happen to be feeling at that moment!

You must be some sort of "peace seeking terrorist!"

when I have my car stereo off, it means I am wanting concentration.
When some one turns on phone music that drives me wild.
can't stand music with out bass. Plus I don't mind the sound of my Subaru.

reply to post by ErgoTheConclusion


Wow! The most interesting revelation about this post is that some people are so addicted to radio in their car!
I only turn mine on once in a while, and only if I am alone and in a special mood for it. I never turn it on when anyone else in the car (I prefer we talk to each other).

reply to post by ErgoTheConclusion


lol, that's actually the way I see humanity. We're all like water molecules in a body of water--just kind of bumping into each other without paying much mind as to where we're all going. I get the same kind of response when I mention that I don't watch tv. Comcast actually treated me like I was insane despite my saying that I had better things to do with my time than sit on a couch for hours. But really, hadn't noted the radio thing but then again, everyone that I tend to drive around with also keeps their car radios silent--anomalous, eh? lol

reply to post by ErgoTheConclusion


I personally don’t like live radio as it has lots of adverts….so I listen to my iPod or I talk to the people in my car.