The Etiquette of Noise

Over the past month I've been transcontinental several times. It's been a crazy month, with lots of time spent in transit on planes, trains and buses. And while I've been on the go, something has really been grinding my gears.

Travel is already an exercise in patience, particularly in the summer with all its sweaty busyness. Getting stuffed into a tin box, that flies, like a bunch of sardines continues to be a debasing experience. 

But we make it far worse on each other than we should - we've forgotten some of the very basic tenets of respect and decorum along the way. Something happened over the past few years of isolation to our own space. People have forgotten themselves.  

It seems to me that people don't realize that their noise travels, and affects the people around them. 

I realize I run the risk of sounding like an old hag when I make this complaint; that I am a competitor to the crusty old men who sit on their porches and shake their fists at the youth of today. 

But the truth is, this isn't just an issue with bad behaviour of today's youth. On the whole, I think people have forgotten normal decorum. Cover your mouth when you cough. Don't put your feet on public transit seats. Say thank you. Try not to disrupt people around you, with whom you are coexisting. And most importantly, could we all just put in our headphones?

We've all become a bit too entitled when it comes to our own endeavors and unfortunately regularly impede on the sonic space of others. Noise can be disrespectful - whether that be listening to your TikToks on the subway, or taking a phone call or FaceTime on speaker phone in a packed streetcar, mid-work rush. And god forbid we wear headphones when we play a game or watch a TV show on an airplane. 

At first listen, I might crotchety. I understand. But noise pollution is a real thing, one which creates more irritation and friction on peoples' patience than its worth. But most importantly, respect for and awareness of others is an essential practice of a society. And it’s not being practiced enough. So please, don't be offended when I ask you to put in your headphones. It's for your own, and everyone else's, good.