PG’s Tips for Survival at the RHN

 

SIDNEY CONSIDERS JOINING THE ‘POLICE’
- to combat the increase in noise level

 

    ‘Is it just that I’m getting older and less tolerant?’ Sidney wondered, ‘or is it indeed a fact that we all are becoming deafer, and less able to enjoy quiet?’ These were questions which needed answering.

    What was the problem which caused our Sid to react so intensely?

Gone are the days of quiet children’s TV, for example. Everything seems to be ‘hyped up’ to a screaming mass of yelling kids, or even presenters. It appears that unless there are flashing images, clever graphics and gimmicky sounds, a programme won’t be able to attract the younger viewer. This is of course nonsense, as any parent who has read a favourite story to a child will testify.

    The ‘noise police’ would have their work cut out to patrol the wards during day or evening. The general level of noise competes room to room, irrespective of whether there was a resident in at the time. This made Sidney think that the music blaring out was for the benefit of staff.
    How about the question of whether we are becoming deafer. This indeed is truer of those who live in town rather than those brought up in the country. The first group are who seem to be those who thrive on noise – they appear to be afraid of quiet and silence. This isn’t true of the country ‘yokels’ who can cope with, and flourish on, these. More significantly, they aren’t afraid of their own company.
    These are, Sidney was aware, sweeping generalisations, and neglected the introvert-extrovert dimensions of personality. However the ideas might be a way of explaining why some enjoy constant noise, while others endure it!

     ‘What was needed,’ reflected Sidney ‘was really a case of give and take.’

 

 

Written by Peter Gow

July 2004

 

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