Are people intimidated by silence?

About 10 years ago I visited a cousin who lived high up on a hill above the city of Kandy in central SL. I had a friend with me. (city type) My cousins house was the last on a steep road. we could see the city and trafic far down in the vally but could not hear any noise. My friend kept saying "something is not right. I feel strange" etc. It finally dawned that there were absolutly no man made sounds. He insisted that he couldnt spend the night there. Later he asked me how I or anyone else could live in such a lonely place. Said he'd go nuts! Seems to me almost as if he was afraid of the silence.

I've come across this several times since. people want to sing or have the radio or engage in conversation etc. any thing but sit in silence. I have never felt this way. But then I spent most of my life alone and am quite used to being silent.

Anyone have any similar experiences?

It was a late Jan. bowhunt in New Jersey in 79 or 80. It was cold, so I was wearing the "tent." The tent was a coat that I had inherited, it's origin was Siberia and my grandfather had picked it up somewhere. Although it was big, I could get a (one) good shot off while wearing it.

I was hunting this hedgerow and a snowstorm blew in. It kind of spooked me at first, snow, wind, blowing all over the place. There had already been snow on the ground and this was just icing on the cake. I remember being there with snow blowing all around me, like a giant vacuum. After a little while it became very relaxing.

I remember the stillness of everything except the snow and wind, and the absence of sound. Nothing, nada, zilch. Not a sound.

That evening, I met up with my grandfather back at the truck, we talked about the days hunt and the storm that came in. When I mentioned the absence of sound during the snowstorm he said that if you were subjected to the absence long enough, you would go crazy.

Don't know if that was true, but it sure makes ya think.

In my experience, most "city raised" people are intimidated by the silence (at least the minimal noise) of the woods. I had a friend (Matt) that was born, raised, and had never been outside of the Bronx (NY), he worked for Nikon Optics, as a rep. He had the opportunity to go out west on a corporate funded wildlife observation and exploration trip -- to field test some new binoculars and spotting scopes. He asked me along as a guide -- Let me preface this story by saying -- I did not know before hand that he had never been outside of the Bronx before this trip. I met him and the other two members of the party at Jackson Hole (WY) airport. He (Matt) was alright up until we pulled out of the airport parking lot and headed into Jackson. Matt was actually having a panic attack, in the truck, on the way into town. He said that he felt "discombobulated" and "overwhelmed" by all the "openness" around him. Even in town he felt out of sorts. It took 2 of the 7 days for him to get acclimated to the town.

Once we finally convinced him to go into the woods, he was saying that his ears were ringing from all the silence. He was having anxiety and more panic attacks. He said he felt as though he was drowning out there. He was VERY uncomfortable in the woods, and wanted to go back to town IMMEDIATELY! He spent the rest of the trip in the motel room, where, as he stated, "he felt most comfortable"!

He told me later that his favorite part of the trip was landing at the airport in NY.

it's all in what you are used to. i've lived in big cities such as akron and phoenix and small towns of only 500 and now about 1.5 hrs from town. in flagstaff i lived next to the railroad tracks got used to the trains in phx it was the helicopters and sirens all night, now out here it is pure silence, your mind gets used to what is normal, processes the sounds and dismisses most noise or lack of it all you need to do is spend a few days adjusting to your new surroundings.

I think that some are intimidated by the silence but probably they would be intimidated by anything else out of their "ordinary" experience.
Its a comfort zone that they are not yet into, I notice the perceived lack of noise but other than an audiometric lab have never been in a "noiseless" zone.
In the bush there are places/days that are less noisy but if you keep calm and don't let it get to you, you'll soon start noticing all sorts of background noises that were always there, just never appreciated.
I often rely on the "noise level" generated by critters to warn me of disturbances in the local area, when things get real quite I really pay attention;)

shhhhhhhhhhh!:D

Man does someone love to hear themselves talk. Silence doesn't intimidate me, I think we could use a bit more of it here!:rolleyes:

I've seen the same thing here in the hills. A man from Ohio had full blown panic attacks when in Eastern KY. He said combined with the lack of noise the hills seemed to be closing in on him. Then again, sometimes I am not comfortable in packed crowds. I have always had my personal space and don't like strangers in it.

soon as i clicked on and saw your post i almost laughed myself to tears i knew what we posted would get your response ,merry christmas vw glad your still around

Merry Christmas VW!!!!:D

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Originally Posted by Nativedude

In my experience, most "city raised" people are intimidated by the silence (at least the minimal noise) of the woods. I had a friend (Matt) that was born, raised, and had never been outside of the Bronx (NY), he worked for Nikon Optics, as a rep. He had the opportunity to go out west on a corporate funded wildlife observation and exploration trip -- to field test some new binoculars and spotting scopes. He asked me along as a guide -- Let me preface this story by saying -- I did not know before hand that he had never been outside of the Bronx before this trip. I met him and the other two members of the party at Jackson Hole (WY) airport. He (Matt) was alright up until we pulled out of the airport parking lot and headed into Jackson. Matt was actually having a panic attack, in the truck, on the way into town. He said that he felt "discombobulated" and "overwhelmed" by all the "openness" around him. Even in town he felt out of sorts. It took 2 of the 7 days for him to get acclimated to the town.

Once we finally convinced him to go into the woods, he was said that his ears were ringing from all the silence. He was having anxiety and more panic attacks. He said he felt as though he was drowning out there. He was VERY uncomfortable in the woods, and wanted to go back to town IMMEDIATELY! He spent the rest of the trip in the motel room, where, as he stated, "he felt most comfortable"!

He told me later that his favorite part of the trip was landing at the airport in NY.

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I think the same thing would probably happen to me in you dumped me off in NYC, or LA. I don't even like going to Oklahoma City or Tulsa too much, and they are tiny compared to NYC or LA.

There is probably nothing I'd rather hear than a bubbling brook, the song of a bird or the call of an elk in the distance. I have no trouble at all being in the woods by myself just listening to the wind rustle through the trees overhead. I'm like Rifleman. It's the honks and the yells and the jack hammers that I don't care for.

I think Carcajou is right. It's all about comfort zones.

i know you have allot of posts here but you are relatively new here so all i can say is don't throw marshmallows to the bears..

WE - Even on meds, you're right. Somehow the post evaporated.

I agree with Nativedude, Slience is Golden. If you can't stand the sounds of nature how can you be true wilderness survival buff or nut? Personally I like the quiet and solitude.

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Originally Posted by Beowulf65

I agree with Nativedude, Slience is Golden. If you can't stand the sounds of nature how can you be true wilderness survival buff or nut? Personally I like the quiet and solitude.

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I also like the sounds of nature, it's when everything goes COMPLETLY quiet that I get nervous. No wind or sounds from the animals or birds. Did you ever hear the crickets suddenly shut-up? The next question is: "Huh, what caused that?":confused:

The absense (is that spelled correct? oh well who cares) anyway when all goes completely quiet, no natural sounds from crickets, birds, or other things that go bump in the night, then something has moved into the area, your guard should go up and you should pick up your firearm... hatchet, or knife, or what have you to make sure of your security. If you are 100% positive you're in an area where nothing can harm you... then blow it off (sucker) and go back to doing your thing. But when things get completely quiet I come alive and start using my ears, eyes, and nose (yes smell can keep you alive or safe also) to find what may have disturbed them (the wildlife at night) or get a general direction where the sound may have come from, of course being the way I am I then have to do a little stalking and snooping to find out what it was. But that's just me :D
And Fear or Nervousness is nothing more than caution out in the wilds, fear keeps you alert and alive, anyone who tells you they have no fear is either a liar or crazy, but there is a difference between fear of nature and respect of nature, if you do not respect nature she will bite you and it can be real painful, nervousness is caution of your surroundings. Control of your emotions is a key to surviving and the difference between a greenhorn and an experienced trekker, hunter, camper.
Just my thoughts.
Beo,

I think that if someone is used to always hearing noise of some kind where they live then to come to a place without it constant they would need time to get used to it, i like silence tho :)

I live where my neighbor is too damn close. The Boom Boom Boom from the kids stereo's drives me nuts. When I am out in the wilds, I prefer to be as far from the noise of people as I can get. This is why I camp in winter.

The sounds made by a fire and the passing of a breeze is all the noise I need.
I do carry a radio for the 4pm weather report. Most times I do not use it.

TDW or TGF want music playing from dawn to dusk. One set of well used batteries keeps that down to only a few hours of noise before I get my quiet.

Don

I myself like a quiet campfire that lets you listen to the sounds around you.Most people need radios and other things to create noise . I think that this makes them feel more like they are home. Most people are afraid of the woods because of the lack of noise. We all know that there are plenty of sounds to listen to and figure out in the woods. As for the absence of sound I have experienced that myself. Utter silence while in the woods. I believe that I only precieved this silence as it is impossible for there to be no sound at all in the out doors.