A Sound Break for Your Mind

Episode X: Umwelt

Umwelt, a German word for environment, connotes an organism’s unique, self-centered sensory world. The human Umwelt differs from that of dogs, or dolphins, or dung beetles each of whom possesses its own sensory emphases uniquely evolved to its environs and survival needs. We sense a small fraction of what is out there to experience – colors we cannot see, tremors we cannot feel, pitches we cannot hear.

While all creatures share this self-centeredness, humans’ narcissistic bent puts all the others at a distinct disadvantage. That which we do not sense does not matter much as we engineer our world.

When our actions degrade another’s ability to sense danger or feed or find a mate, what is our responsibility? Much has been made of the Supreme Court’s attempt to corral the Environmental Protection Agency this summer. Republicans and Democrats together created the EPA in 1972. The Clean Air Act, including noise as a form of pollution, created an Office of Noise Abatement. But while the Act significantly improved the quality of our air (carbon aside), that office has been unfunded by politicians since 1982. 

What might our cities and countryside sound like had the Office of Noise Abatement been given its due over the last forty years? Does anyone think the soundscape in which we live is acceptable? Noise levels in our cities, open lands, and even national parks have surged. A culture of intentional noise as self-expression has evolved – is an intentionally obnoxious exhaust note compatible with the idea of a national park? 

Whatever is celebrated by those who choose to offend, and whatever actions are committed by the oblivious, the Umwelten of countless beings without the power to speak or vote is sacrificed. We are responsible for our actions whether we perceive the repercussions or not.