2 ms·

For the youngsters out there, the worst sound ever is scraping fingernails on a chalkboard. I do not think anyone can deal with that. Just thinking about it g

by jmclnx 4y ago

For the youngsters out there, the worst sound ever is scraping fingernails on a chalkboard. I do not think anyone can deal with that. Just thinking about it gives me the willies. I do not remember when chalkboards were phased out to whiteboards, but I have not seen one in quite a while. edit: spelling

harperlee 4y ago
Or cutlery screeching over ceramic dishes.
iancmceachern 4y ago
And poor quality chalk sometimes had chunks of not chalk in it that would make that noise every so often
albert_e 4y ago
The more interesting part of this to me is the fact that just reading the phrase / thinking about "fingernails on chalkboard" causes a very clear physiological reaction. We can almost feel the chalk powder getting under our fingernails and causing an irritating feeling shuddering through our body. Why is that I wonder. What evolutionary past may have contributed to this aversion. I can imagine for example someone naming their music band "fingernails on chalkboard" and having dismal sales because of this very phenomenon. I wonder if there is an OPPOSITE example to this. Reading a phrase automatically causes distinct positive response involuntarily?
- jmclnx 4y ago
  I can think of one sound that sounds pleasant, even when I think of it. But when first heard by people not knowing what it is, it scares them. Sadly due to climate change, I hardly ever hear that sound where I live. I use to hear it every winter when I went ice skating on lakes with friends. It has been over 20 years since I heard it. Now, the lakes where I live do not freeze enough for people to walk safely on it. It is Ice Expanding, here is a youtube link of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFSb-7PUjOU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFSb-7PUjOU
  - albert_e 4y ago
    Wow that's interesting -- thanks for sharing. I grew up in tropical country so this is a very different perspective and an experience I never had. Yes such sound would surely scare me. PS: Though I was wondering in my post about just phrases as they are written and read, not necessarily as they are heard.

by jmclnx 4y ago

harperlee 4y ago

Or cutlery screeching over ceramic dishes.

iancmceachern 4y ago

And poor quality chalk sometimes had chunks of not chalk in it that would make that noise every so often

albert_e 4y ago

The more interesting part of this to me is the fact that just reading the phrase / thinking about "fingernails on chalkboard" causes a very clear physiological reaction. We can almost feel the chalk powder getting under our fingernails and causing an irritating feeling shuddering through our body. Why is that I wonder. What evolutionary past may have contributed to this aversion. I can imagine for example someone naming their music band "fingernails on chalkboard" and having dismal sales because of this very phenomenon. I wonder if there is an OPPOSITE example to this. Reading a phrase automatically causes distinct positive response involuntarily?

jmclnx 4y ago
I can think of one sound that sounds pleasant, even when I think of it. But when first heard by people not knowing what it is, it scares them. Sadly due to climate change, I hardly ever hear that sound where I live. I use to hear it every winter when I went ice skating on lakes with friends. It has been over 20 years since I heard it. Now, the lakes where I live do not freeze enough for people to walk safely on it. It is Ice Expanding, here is a youtube link of it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFSb-7PUjOU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFSb-7PUjOU
- albert_e 4y ago
  Wow that's interesting -- thanks for sharing. I grew up in tropical country so this is a very different perspective and an experience I never had. Yes such sound would surely scare me. PS: Though I was wondering in my post about just phrases as they are written and read, not necessarily as they are heard.