Noise pollution might not seem to be a fascinanting topic but it does make me wonder why it would appear that some poeple after experiencing loud annoying sounds as a constant part of their lives, somehow seem to get so immune to that noise, to the extent that they do not even become conscious of it after a while. Right now my specific interest lies in the fact that as a child I grew up in an area where an aluminum production company has trains that pass multiple times each day right behind my house. Having lived there all my life , the sound of the train which was loud and offensive to strangers would become even familiar, and strange but true, even comforting to me. I also realized that friends and acquiantances from my childhood share similar experiences.
This experience has definintely left some questions in my mind. What really is defined as noise? Can noise that is repelling for some, be comforting for others, and if yes what is the explanation for that? What makes people seem to be immune to noise? I am sure that as I dig further into this, I will probably have more questions.
At this time I am talking with ordinary folks like me to see if our experiences are the same, and surprisingly they are. There are people who are not bothered by the cacophony of noise in the city, but their rural counterparts do not share the same sentiments. I am also talking to colleagues who are scientific minded about different aspects of noise pollution, and I am discovering that some of the answers that I am getting are matching up with my experiences. For example, I was told that noise, which was at first a displeasure, could in fact become a pleasure. I am wondering what the real scientific data will reveal.
Definitely, my next step will be to still gather more data in the field, and finally compare these findings to see exactly if and how my wonderings are addressed. It becomes really difficult to even find other blogs that address my question. However, I came across a blog-"Noise Pollution" by Craig Harrison at http://craigharrisonmusic.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/noise-pollution/. This blog speaks to my research interest only as far as the over arching issue of noise pollution. However, unlike my experience, Harrison never mentioned anything about becoming tolerant of the noise in his world. In fact, he made a rant about the noise of the bus on his way to work, and the noise in the basement where he works. "The Daily Commuter" at http://thedailycommuter.wordpress.com/2008/11/25/deafening-music/and did not speak about the noise of a train, but basically about the noise of music blaring from electronic devices as he commutes on the train or bus to work. Again, he never seemed to transcend to the level of "noise pollution immunity". Am I to understand that such level of tolerance is only reached by few? Whether or not, it is still important to understand the mystery of noise tolerance.
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