Silence is Golden

Silence and the Notion of the Commons

Summary: In this article the author, Ursula Franklin, talks about how technology has come to affect the soundscape. She mainly talks about how silence is being privatized and manipulated for profit. She talks about how businesses constantly surround their customers with noise (music) aimed at getting them to buy something, or feel a particular emotion. She argues that silence used to be common to all, and how now, silence is something that can be privately manipulated.

Quotes:
"The distinctive character of this domain of silence is that it is an enabling condition that opens up the possibility of unprogrammed, unplanned, and unprogrammable happenings."(Franklin643)

This quote is interesting because it is a central part of her claim for silence. This is why we need silence: because it enables for these amazing, thoughtful things to occur.

"But in many cases silence is not taken on voluntarily and it is this false silence f which I am afraid. It is not the silence only of the padded cell, or of solitary confinement; it is the silence that is enforced by the megaphone, the boom box, the PA system, and any other device that stifles other sounds and voices in order that a planned event can take place."(Franklin163-165)

This quote is interesting because the author is claiming that forced silence is bad. She later goes on to claim that forced noise is also bad. Because of this, she seems to claim that any private manipulation of the sound scape is a bad thing.

"I wonder if music will soon be piped into the voter's booth, maybe an upbeat, slightly military tune: '  Get on with it. Get the votes in.'"(Franklin644)

This is very interesting considering we already see this happening with political propaganda. If it is an attack ad, the music will be very dark and dramatic. If it is a campaign ad, it will be hopeful, soaring, patriotic. I wouldn't be surprised if this were to happen.

Questions:

"The kid is programmed. We are programmed. And we don't even ask for a quiet space anymore."(Franklin646)

I don't really know what she means by "programmed". What is it that we are programmed to do?

"Is not our sanity at least as important as the safety of our cars? One should begin to think: are there places, even in conferences like this, that are hassle-free, quiet spaces, where people can go?"(Franklin,645)

I understand her argument here: silence allows for sanity. There is a character on Doctor Who called "The Master". Ever since he was eight, The Master has been able to hear a constant drumming sound in his head. This sound drove him insane. My question is: Is this what is happening in real life? Has a lack of silence contributed to the increase in school shootings and the like?