4 ms·

Agreed. I live on an acreage with the sound of birds and the sea for company, and I could not possibly deal with high-density living. Peace, every single day,

Agreed. I live on an acreage with the sound of birds and the sea for company, and I could not possibly deal with high-density living. Peace, every single day, is just wonderful. (I'm so sorry for your situation -- it sounds ghastly. Move if you can. It's not worth living like that.) However, I also know that many people find my lifestyle agoraphobic, and positively need high-density living. Many PhDs at my institute seem to feel the need to constantly surround themselves with noise and distractions that would do my head in (they literally have TV series playing on their phones as they do repetitive analysis tasks ... it is freaking weird!) I'll never forget my first time living in the UK, describing my happiness of hiking in the wilderness to my English colleagues, and them looking at me in absolute horror, telling me that the idea of not being able to see a human house in any direction would scare them half to death. And now, even when I go hiking, I encounter people who feel the need to hike with a bluetooth speaker blaring out their music / podcast / audiobook at themselves and everyone else. I love silence, but most of the world seems genuinely scared by it.

vladvasiliu 2mo ago
> And now, even when I go hiking, I encounter people who feel the need to hike with a bluetooth speaker blaring out their music / podcast / audiobook at themselves and everyone else. Man, I really have no issue with people who can't enjoy the silence, and feel the need to occupy their ears. But imposing this on other people is beyond inconsiderate. I have no idea how this kind of behavior came to be so widespread. And at least out in the forest, you'll be a nuisance for a few minutes while you pass someone. But the same shitty behavior happens every day in cities, on the street, and in public transport, where you're being an asshole to dozens of people for possibly dozens of minutes at a time.

vladvasiliu 2mo ago

> And now, even when I go hiking, I encounter people who feel the need to hike with a bluetooth speaker blaring out their music / podcast / audiobook at themselves and everyone else. Man, I really have no issue with people who can't enjoy the silence, and feel the need to occupy their ears. But imposing this on other people is beyond inconsiderate. I have no idea how this kind of behavior came to be so widespread. And at least out in the forest, you'll be a nuisance for a few minutes while you pass someone. But the same shitty behavior happens every day in cities, on the street, and in public transport, where you're being an asshole to dozens of people for possibly dozens of minutes at a time.