The Generation That Will Lose Its Hearing
Posted: Saturday, January 31, 2009
by Nancy Daniels
Voice Dynamic
Living on a busy intersection, I am blessed with the 17 to 30-year-old males who sit at the light while blasting their music at such a level that my china cabinet shakes. After 12 years of this abuse, I am so mad at these kids that I have actually been tempted to approach them and ask them to turn it down. Of course in today's world, I stand a chance of being gunned down so I always come to my senses. Incidentally, I have found that this activity affects young males more so than females because the latter would rather talk in the car: loud music prohibits talking.
I pity these boys because the damage they are causing to their hearing will be permanent. They are not only blasting their speakers while driving, but they often wear earphones throughout much of their day, resulting in almost continual bombardment of loud sound. An interesting fact about those fine hair cells located in the cochlea of the inner ear is that they cannot be replaced. Once they are damaged, it is done.
According to The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, "Any sound above 85 dB can cause hearing loss, and the loss is related both to the power of the sound as well as the length of exposure. You know that you are listening to an 85-dB sound if you have to raise your voice to be heard by somebody else. Eight hours of 90-dB sound can cause damage to your ears; any exposure to 140-dB sound causes immediate damage (and causes actual pain)."
What I have found from the extreme levels to which I am subjected is that, when I am outside in my yard, the bass physically hurts inside my chest. In discussing this with my friend Anne, principal flute of Orchestra London, she expressed the same reaction. Keep in mind that Anne plays daily in an orchestra within relative close proximity to the bass section. Symphonic music can be loud; however, the basses do not ‘play in her chest' so to speak. It is the noise we hear from the cars driving past our homes that affects us.
This brings me to a number of questions.
1. What kind of parent would allow their children to blare their speakers at such extreme levels? This behavior is rude. Did you not teach your kids to have respect for the rights of others? Why do I have to be subjected to their noise?
2. What kind of parent would ignore the permanent loss of hearing that will result from playing music at such harmful levels? If the decibel level is so great as to shake my china cabinet, can you not appreciate the damage that is occurring?
3. What kind of parent would want to attend their son's funeral because he did not hear the other car honking its horn? If the volume level is so great that it can ‘rock' my chest, do you think these young drivers can hear what is happening outside their vehicles?
What kind of parent allows such activity? A stupid parent!
If you think that the playing of loud music is a phase, you are right. Your son will grow out it if he lives through it. But, if he lives through it, he will lose his hearing. Of course, if he loses his hearing, he then won't be bothered by the loud music of other 17 to 30-year-old males! Justice or lack of parental input?
The Voice Lady Nancy Daniels offers private, corporate and group training in voice and presentation skills, as well as Voicing It! the only video training program on voice improvement. For more information, visit her website at: www.voicedynamic.com
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More commentsWell, I'm in that generation that listens to loud music. I, for one, like to talk in the car with my friends instead of turning the music on. And I hate loud music so I do agree with you. I just think there are many more issues that are important. Besides, more and more people are using headphones today than ever before; so the question becomes does headphones lead to bad hearing latter on?Greg,Thanks for your comment...if the volume on the headphones is loud, absolutely, they can do damage just as easily. Please understand, I am talking about music that literally shakes windows and furniture. If people truly listen that loudly to their music wearing headphones, then they should be pitied.If young people want to damage their hearing, that is their right. But why do they have to subject everyone else to it?Personally, I don't think this any less important an issue than having to deal with second-hand smoke. Both are offensive to many people.Your right. There are noise poluttion laws and such however.Hey Gregory,Yes, but to catch these kids, you would have to lie in wait because if they see a cop, they drop the volume.
hi nancy,i just don't get why kids don't listen to their parents.but, they usually don't. even if we make them turn down any sound while they are at home, they just turn it up when they go out. i don't know what the anser is.talking them away would only cause more damage psychologically since they are like a part of some. so, you'd be trading their rebellion and distrust and hostility, for their hearing.i never allowed my kids to play loud music in the house, but i've borrowed their cars, and when i started them, the music was blaring.thanks for sharing with us,best regards,sueSue,Thanks for your comments.Interesting take on the psychological damage that might occur if you take their music, speakers away. I tend to think the psychological damage has already been done. Lack of discipline as well as lack of respect for others' rights is what is happening here.
This article explains the phenomenon but I think tghe author does not understand the culture and what this loud music meansMichael,Thank you for your comment. Everyone wants to blame the lack of personal responsibility on the 'current culture' when, in fact, lack of personal responsibility is merely a lack of common decency. Suffice it to say, if it moves my house, it is offensive. If they lose their hearing, it is stupid. And, if it involves a car accident, it is dangerous or possibly fatal.Do tell what I am missing.
Well, at 55 and hard of hearing, I can well relate to the article and the noise you are going through. But two things come to mind. One why didn't you call the police? and two why didn't you go to them yourself? My husband and I live in a community with kids playing their loud speakers and the gaurds do not enforce it. It is supposed to be turned down upon entering the community. They do that but then when they are out of sight the music gets loud again. We have called the property manager and the local police know about it. They can get fined but does that really do anything for them? I don't think so. Their parents pay the bill and that's that. It is very disturbing and rude and these kids definately donot have respect for anyone! We are baby boomers and with my hard of hearing, I can hear their speakers! It is that loud! Can't afford hearing aids but it still can dammage my ears further. Very interesting article and knowledge about how high sound can dammage your ears.Beverly,The police know about it. And there is nothing they will do because my home is not within a development, my home opens the development and the traffic passing my house is commmuter traffic with a 40 mph speed limit. It is just unfortunate that I am at the light.You are right, however. Parents pay the fine; the kids do not learn a lesson.Thank you for your comments.Hi,Sometimes the police don't even do anything! These kids think they can do anything they want to and don't give a darn. Some of these kids throw rocks at the security booth and at some of the houses. It is a shame, really.It is a shame that you do live at the light and at the intersection. You would think that a community would be quiet and follow the rules. Ha! I don't think so, because it is a jungle out there lol.Beverly,You are right. It is a jungle out there and all the lions like to roar!
Hello Nancy,This article reminded me of the day I was approaching my drive way and a group of kids standing in the road refused to move so I could get home...they chatted and laughed, as if I didn't exist.Well, guess what I did...I got out of my car. After introducing myself as a retired High School teacher, which I was, I then gave them a stern lecture, "look at me while I speak to you" instructing them about community cooperation and mutual respect.They moved on, some apologized, others did not. But, it never happened again. And, I recieved some "Atta girl!" comments from a few neighbors.Yes, there is risk...but not everywhere...kids need to be held accountable and adults we need to not always look for reasons to avoid speaking out when needed.SueSue,Yes, kids do have to be held accountable but today I find that sadly lacking. While what you did was truly job well done, my situation is not the same. (Were this happening in my driveway, it would be a different story.) Although I personally live in a relatively safe area, there are several surrounding communities that are dangerous. My road is a feeder for many of those communities, communities where drive-by shootings are common. So I will keep my mouth shut because I'd rather not be another statistic. Hopefully, in a few years, we will be able to move to a more rural area.
I think, Nancy, that the parents of these kids think--out of sight, out of mind (or hearing). I have been lucky to live most of my life in the country and have had very little problem with loud noises. However, due to age, I am slowing beginning to lose my hearing. It first started with ringing or the sound of water (or crickets) rushing through my ears. My ear doctor says it is, at the moment, incurable and the hearing loss will steadily increase--the ringing, I will get used to.Thanks for a great article.SandraSandra,Thanks for sharing that. It is called tinnitis, I think.My father has it as well as my brother. Recently, my dad (at 86!) took my 21-year-old son to a shooting range to teach him how to use a gun (my son is off to the army -- special forces -- in June of this year after he finishes college). Unfortunately, times have changed since the last time my father went shooting and the guy next to him had an automatic weapon. The noise was so unbelievably loud that it did even more damage to my father's right ear.Pop says he doesn't regret a moment of that experience however. My boys' father lives in Montreal and they see very little of him. So a chance for my son to bond in this fashion with a man, especially my dad, was pretty cool.
Very informative and helpful. We all need to be careful. Thanks for the information.Kirby,You are very welcome. Thanks for reading it.
Hi Nancy, this is another wonderful article. I see so much stuff coming from our you which is harmful and degrading to them selves. And it really bothers me. Some of cannot be corrected. And a lot more will affect their careers. Just to be "cool".
Thanks for the article I've spent 3yrs U.S.Navy engine room 61thru64 trust me they will pay for it at the other end.I have to put more base because of the blower fans one pitch for days at a time.treble sounds are a lot less...Agin thanks enjoyed article
A very intersting article on a subject you are very passionate about. The one word of caution I have is that there is an assumption at the end of your article that the parents have failed to raise their children properly. I disagree with that assumption. My parents are great parents and gave 1000% in raising 6 children with the ethics, values, and morals one needs to live a full and happy life. That said, did we ever stray from these ethics, values, and morals? Yes, we did. However, these were conscious choices we all amde in our learnign and growth as indivudals and human beings. Did we occasionally hurt ourselves or perhps others/ yes, I am sure we did.Parents cannot be there 24 hours a day/7 days a week. At some point it comes down to personal responsibility of the individual taking the action instead of blaming their actions on someone else's perceived failure. This is expecially true when we are talkign about individuals in the age range of 17 - 30 years old. We are talking about adults here. The issue really is with them and their conscious decisions, not their parents.Just my opinion. Thanks for the article. Tt sparks a great debate!
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