Gail's Blog

Coarser, Louder, Harder–Where is the Peace?

Is it me, my age, my ears?  I am not sure if it’s not all of them.  Is our society just more edgy, more loud, more rude, more of

Calm and Serene

Calm and Serene

everything?  I still think we crave time to process what we have created and quietude to calm ourselves.  I was at, of all things, a flea market.  I haven’t been to one in years.  I was told a certain artist would be there so off I went to meet her.  It was fun and I like all the people milling around selling and buying.  I went to a stand to buy one of the fresh juice drinks.  I had fresh watermelon.  It was great.  There was a very loud band playing and I sort of took it in stride but it was right by the juice merchant who had to listen to it all day.  He said they just get louder and it was his feeling that they weren’t that good but they would play louder so as to get the attention.  He then said that was what he noticed about different bands, they would play even louder when they weren’t good.

Now this was a young man making this comment.  I thought about it and it carried in my head that we seem to promote more loudness.  Here is Los Angeles, we have so many loud restaurants.  They don’t even try to soften the walls and ceiling and floors to lower the sound levels.  People shout over their food. People talk loudly on their phones and sometimes the background music blasts out the conversation.

Our movies are harder, coarser and louder.  I love the movies and my partner is a member of the Director’s Guild so I am never at a loss to see what is coming out, came out or will be released.  But we are so filled now with loud sound, enormous special effects, end of the world scenes, walking zombies, bombs, explosions and brutal death images, police crime scenes and really brutal video games.  I went to the Game Stop to buy a video game for my grandson and that was really an eye opener.

Our politicians are loud.  They do sound bites and throw just about anything at the camera.  One of the biggest complaints you hear about Donald Trump is how coarse he is at his rallies and how he encourages his audience to do and say violent things.  It definitely reflects and appeals to a certain element of our society.

Does the music reflect our society?  There is great music out there.  There is fusion music out there.  One thing for sure though, classical music is really a dying element of our society.  Just check the radio stations that have classical music programs.  They are getting fewer and further behind in popularity.  Music is now more international and that’s a good thing but we still need the calmness.

Basically, humans haven’t changed.  They still are made up of the same particles of eons past.  They still crave the basic kindness and acceptance of other humans.  They really are set to time clocks that are not only earth bound but also heavenly bound.  We get stuck in only our physical needs and focus on them at the expense of our emotional and spiritual needs.  Many of us focus on getting as many earthly things as we can.  The price to pay for this can be insecurity, anxiety, fear, boredom, a distortion of values and discontent.  We substitute psychology as a cure for soul and spiritual starvation.

Do we turn it up louder to prevent us from thinking, feeling or processing?  Do we need the shock value of hardened events?  Do we want it coarser so we can get a rise out of ourselves?  Is this all part of the Aquarian Age and the rise of the rights of the individual?  Maybe so!  We’re still adjusting to how to manage ourselves in a world that seems out of control.  We seem to give our focus to quantity, appearance, lack of moderation, excess, wastefulness, self-righteousness and boastfulfulness.   Throw in hyprocrites when talking about politicians.

Our higher selves, our souls and spirits are respectful, gracious, benevolent, generous, free, tolerant, merciful, forgiving and sincere.  We need to turn it down, slow it down, and calm it down so we can remember our true natures and live a life of more contentment and peace.

 

 

 


13 responses to “Coarser, Louder, Harder–Where is the Peace?”

  1. Sharon says:

    I appreciate all the comments and this excellent blog obviously has resonated for a number of people with heartwarming suggestions. The previews at the movie are outrageously loud and when I asked the manager why, as I find it so disconcerting, he said the trailers come in that way. It’s like a conspiracy of “in your face” whether you like it or not.

    I vote for a places of peace …where it is softer, quieter and gentler! When my husband and I were in San Fran years ago, we found a cafe that served peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, as well as with wine available, and classical music playing. It was delightful and memorable.

    As always, thank you, Gail for your insightful contributions.

  2. Hi Karen,
    Nice to hear from you. It seems more and more people crave a bit of quiet. The more we can simplify our lives, the better. It truly is the lean horse for the long race. My son when he was a little boy used the say that classical music was the music of the angels. I wonder if he wasn’t correct. Out of the mouth of babes. Regarding a numerology cirriculum, if more people seem interested in it, I would do it. I would probably due it on the internet. Stay tuned.
    Thanks for writing.

  3. Karen says:

    I’ve felt this way for a long time, and I’m happy to hear it’s not just me. I rarely will watch a reality show, unless it’s something that might help others. I feel a large portion of reality shows are part of the problem and feeds this environment. It encourages people to act more bizarre than others for ratings, and it encourages people to laugh at these reality stars, while they’re making bank, and having the last laugh. Do some people feel so inadequate that they need to watch someone else making a fool of themselves to feel better about themself? Social media can be used for good or for bad, and the extremes people go to fosters poor judgment and bad behavior. Society needs to remember that it’s not just about one person rights, but respecting the rights of all people around you by having courtesy and respect for those in your community. My daughter is trying to help a friend find an apartment and she said her friend likes to be more social and loud and I said they should have communities according to likes. (I do feel that people who need that much outside stimuli are probably not as likely to be in touch with themselves and are avoiding that at all costs.) She said that would help because some people are loud and some people like it quiet as a library. My place would be at the library. I love peace and quiet.

    I like Carrie’s idea for the cafe. It would be nice to enjoy a meal where you can speak in a normal tone of voice, and without sitting in someone’s lap. Some places really pack you in on top of each other.

    I’m also interest in Kim’s question about certified numerologist training. Have you offered that before?

    Great article as always. Thank you!

  4. Elizabeth says:

    Gail, you are so right about noise pollution in our world. It is everywhere: from our vehicles, helicopters, backing up vehicles, what some call “music”, even our refrigerators, to name a few sources of noise. Noise is ubiquitous. People are continuously plugged in and turned on and are addicted to their cell phones.

    Today’s movies cater to youth and their need for sensory input. The last movie I went to with all the previews and ads was an assault to my senses. I’ll wait until I can see a movie at home from now on. I love classical music and fear the end of radio station broadcasts some day. I feel like a dinosaur in today’s loud and obnoxious world. Yes, we all need, require in fact, peace and quiet during our days.

    Good luck to Carrie and her coffee shop idea – I’d patronize it if it was geographically close enough.

  5. Jan says:

    Many good observations, Gail. Wondering more about the “why”, although I agree with most of what you have described. I would caution you about believing “what you hear” about anything. I find that my firsthand experience of many things is very different than how the media spins the story. The media (including all “entertainment”) seems to be pushing us in the direction of more chaos….is there a reason? And why are we so willing to tolerate this? There is a very good little book I read once called “The Addictive Organization” that made some good points. I think I’ll dust it off and review it again.

  6. Bea Almeida says:

    Your article triggered my thoughts: that crude & rude are “in” and the word “decorum” has fallen out of the dictionary with “respect” and “refinement”
    close behind.. I fear that Trump has encouraged the “dark side” in some people. Is the need for change so strong that we must trample common decency and
    do we want our children to develop these traits–win at any cost. Would our Founding Fathers have approved of such leadership. and I wonder what the
    rest of the world thinks as they see the face of the United States changing so much. Just sharing some thoughts.

  7. Flo Selfman says:

    Just wrote a whole rant against our noisy society, then erased it. As usual, Gail, you’re right on the money. One of the few poems I ever wrote is called “How I Calm Myself” and the last word in it is “C h o p i n.”

  8. Hi Kris,

    Thank you for writing. I also appreciate hearing from you. We won’t get the leader we want until 2024. We still are in a transition period and a big cycle doesn’t end until the summer of 2023. Yipes. There is no guarantee that a non-politician will be a better leader. Running a government is not the same as running a business. Totally different structures. CEO’s don’t have Congress. I am still waiting for a leader who can be called “great” rather than “successful”. The last one, in my opinion was Lincoln, maybe Roosevelt.

  9. Hi Kim,

    Thanks for your input. Regarding the certified numerology program, I keep molling it over. Are there others interested?

  10. Hi Carrie,

    If you do have this type of coffee shop, let me know and I will let others know as well. People will come.

  11. Kris Saba says:

    I have listen to Trump many times. I don’t think he encourages violence. We have been divided way before Trump.
    became the presidential nominee.

    Obama is considered the great divider he was very complacent when there were riots in Ferguson. He said that the police were in the wrong without knowing the facts. He said before he was elected that we are not just republicans or democrats but we are all Americans. But he seems to think that the Republicans cause all the problems.

    Our “fearless” leaders in Washington seem more interested in being reelected than what is in the best interests of our country. The politicians talk about the same issues for years, but nothing gets done. For example, why does it take millions of dollars to run for office? What about our immigration issues and we need a strong military to keep the peace. All talk and no action.

    Their is toxic hot air coming from our politicians, and our media is biased and dishonest. We need to elect some one who is not a politician.

    Thanks Gail for your well written articles. They are thought provoking, but I often disagree with you liberal perspective.

  12. Kim says:

    Hi Gail…great article. I am a very sensitive being. I was living in the city for a year last year and had to get out with all the loud noise. So I moved out to 6 acres and discovered after being here a month I am surrounded by 5 cell towers, some hidden on mountains on peoples back yard (yes literally in their back yard! Getting their mortgage paid I am sure) and also got this place because it doesn’t have smart meter hooked to the house, however being a new owner, it was slapped on my house while I was away one day. I can only get wifi in this area and they are not installing landlines anymore without charging you an arm and a leg.

    “The Electrical Noise,” is a silent war going on with our immune systems, and accelerted aging is dangerously in affect with society. I am a longevity research writer and Feng Shui Consultant….and I am hearing the same feelings from other sensitive Feng Shui Consultants that it is even affecting compass readings.

    The peace of our inner body and inner space is slowly being taken away.

    So as far as peace, one has to build a solar house, with EMF protective paint and EMF blinds, crystals and the lot…. far in the bush go find true peace.

    This has never happened on our planet in the history of our civilazation. We as an earth are experiencing 100 times the electrical pollution that are grandfathers experienced.

    Anyways, much more to say on the topic, but thanks for letting me express.

    When are you going to have an online certification course to become a certified numerologist?

    Blessings, Kim

  13. Carrie says:

    I have had this idea for awhile to open a coffee shop for those of us who would like a haven from the noise. Cell phones must be muted or turned off. Conversation encouraged and lots of areas where one could have a private conversation. Once a week hire some of the best accoustic musicians to play. Listening encouraged.
    Possibly it would go broke?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.