The Noise: Part 2

The Noise is like plaque buildup from neglecting to brush your teeth. What began as a problem that you could solve has evolved into something that requires professional intervention. The only issue is, however, that a Noise specialist does not exist. There is no dentist that can scrape the buildup of Noise from the deepest crevices of your mind. There is no tool that can enter where only The Noise has entered.

Children are born with clarity of mind. The Noise has little opportunity to infiltrate their constantly developing brains. This is why a child is unaffected when confronted with differences in race, religion, or socio-economic status. They see what is in front of them through an objective lens.

Children are often perplexed by the actions of their parents. ‘How can you act in such a way? Are we not seeing the same thing?’ The answer is the Noise. Over years and decades many fall victim to the Noise. There comes a point where the Noise plaque has hardened so completely on your brain, literally inhibiting the connection of neurons, that you are unable to feel the full spectrum of emotions that you were once capable of.

And perhaps you have already come to this realization. You see a homeless man lying face down on a subway platform and you look away. A human being with as much inherent value as yourself… the Noise does not permit you to grieve. Perhaps in this way, the Noise is a defense mechanism against a world that, if you felt all of the pain and suffering in a real way, has a legitimate chance to destroy you.

Thus, instead of engaging with the full spectrum of human emotion, seeing the pain around you, without needing to solve it but maintaining the ability to experience it, to look at it, you turn your head and ultimately, actively, begin a comprehensive pursuit of the Noise.

The Noise is your initial defense against a world that is too real. Like candy that inevitably rots your teeth, the Noise stimulates you, promising to save you from your own existence. Instead of looking at the world, instead of acting courageously, you simply turn away, looking at anything else that will distract you. Fortunately, in the modern world, in a wealthy society, there are infinite ways that you can streamline Noise directly into your brain until eventually your entire world is a blind spot. You inject Noise through your ears and your mouth and your skin and every orifice in your body until you get what you wanted all along. You are now numb. Your brain is covered in plaque and you no longer cry.

The tricky thing with this Noise deal, though, is that it is a double edged sword. You destroyed your ability to perceive the world in order to save yourself from what terrified you, but consequently you also can no longer see the unbelievable beauty of existence either. And it is considered as ‘unbelievable’ because of the prevalence of Noise. In your world, you cannot even see the stars. You do not have to confront your existence, in fact, eventually, you are unable to.