1) Rarely to people take time to simply sit and be silent and to enjoy that silence is around them. Silence is uncomfortable for people. People feel the need to have some sort of background noise when they are doing something. People often listen to music to fill that awkward silent space.
2) Silence is awkward. If two people are talking to one another and there is a brief silence it is called an "awkward silence". We try to avoid those awkward silences.
3) People enjoy having the television blaring in the background even if they aren't actually watching it or it is a commercial.
4) Silence is viewed as a negative quality. People would simply rather be outgoing than shy.
5) In school especially, silence is not appreciated. Participation is measured by the number of times you verbally speak in class, not by your participation through notes or listening.
It seems very peculiar to me. I can honestly say I'm victim to thinking and believing all five of these ideas. I often wish I was louder, more outgoing, not as quiet. But now that I think about it, why do I wish I was louder? What is wrong with being silent? Why is one significantly better than the other?
Furthermore, why is silence like this in America? Have people always viewed silence in a negative light or is this a relatively new phenomenon for our generation? If so, what changed in society that made the idea of silence what it is today?
