Noise is everywhere. It’s random and distracting. Sometimes it’s self-inflicted (AirPods et al) but often it’s an unbidden assault. Constant auditory clutter can lead to an exasperated, “ It’s so noisy I can’t hear myself think.” And Not Thinking’s partner is named Trouble.
Signal is the flip side of noise. It’s sound that is valuable because it conveys meaningful information that you’re aiming to detect. Alas, the assault by noise drowns out much of what is useful and necessary.
In quieter times, the town crier, the belfry and schoolhouse bells, and factory whistles all conveyed important information to those in earshot. When the bell rang, people listened. Bells sent signals, not noise. Contrast that with today. The fire alarm goes off and people ignore it as a distracting annoyance. The overhead speaker scolds, ad nauseam, not to accept items from unknown strangers to carry on to the plane. Another distracting annoyance. The inbound Redline will be approaching the station in 2 minutes. I’ll believe it when I see it. Please shut up. The leaf blowers, the incessant beep, beep, beeping of the truck, the jackhammer tearing up the pavement- a whole lot of noise. To mangle Macbeth- sound, signifying nothing, creating fury.
According to Frank Wilczek, a physicist who tries to make the universe understandable to non- physicists, separating interesting signals from obscuring noise is a big deal in experimental science and statistics. All well and good for those who toil in those disciplines, but what got my attention wasn’t science or statistics, but how noise compromises our ability to “hear ourselves think” or to listen thoughtfully to others or to pay attention to what we are reading or writing. In a word, noise is distracting. It keeps us from being present for ourselves or for others. It keeps us from paying attention to interesting or important things.
Clutter is anything you do not use or need. Physical possessions. Electronic trash. Crazy schedules. Noise. As we teeter between relief in an easing in Age of Corona and a worry about future re-tightening, do yourself a favor. Appreciate the quiet. Listen, and hear yourself think.