Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Lekker]

I have been here in Seoul for a long time now. I really can not recall a moment of absolute silence within the last year. every moment something going off in the background, cars, people yelling, vegetable trucks, people yelling, kids screaming, people yelling, power tools, cars honking, etc. etc. etc. I lived in New York City for four years and was still able to find peace and quiet from time to time. Here, it's a different story. Do we deserve the right to peace and quiet?

[kiwiduncan]

Down here in Yeosu I sometimes find myself cycling down quiet little forested valleys where all I can hear is the rustle of the breeze in the trees, and gurgling of a stream and the odd cheep cheep cheep from some sparrows.

[Cerriowen]

What's this "right" business?

If you want peace and quiet, then go find it.

You can drive or take a bus up in to the mountains. You can go into the forest. You can buy ear plugs.

[Adventurer]

[Luna]

I remember when I went home I was amazed by how quiet things were.

I had forgotten what the wind sounds like in the trees.

I think people feel they need peace and quiet - but I'm not sure if it's a right.

Do you have the right to tell other people that they should stop going about their lives because you don't like the noise?

[dean_burrito]

i go to the grocery store for my peace of mind. always quiet and peaceful.

[Adventurer]

[Lekker]

I'm just curious to see what people think. It is a topic of discussion currently on RadioNetherlands worldwide. If you check out radio broadcasting in international section of Itunes radio, click on RadioNetherlands. They are interviewing people and getting their opinions.

Seoul should be talked about as well. It's really noisy here. Like back home, if you go shopping for clothes, it's really quiet, but here, especially in places like Dongdaemun, everything is in your face and in your ears as well. Not that it's a bad thing.

I think people need peace and quiet in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

[ciccone_youth]

the worst noise is the morning vegetable truck.


whyyyyy??? whyyyyy??

is there a need for it??

[Lekker]

[ciccone_youth]

lol so true!! very often they are rather empty! i think they enjoy the sound of their voice in a microphone. it makes me so sad.

[brento1138]

There are several places a little leap out from Seoul (say, Sanbon for example) where one can find various hiking trails. It's pretty damn silent up there, except for the occasional bird singing!

Yeah, my advice, the only place to get away from the noise easily is to go hiking on a mountain...

[mnhnhyouh]

Seoul is sort of noisy, but there are many much noisier cities around. Hanoi can be deafening, as is Delhi, just to name two.

h

[Rteacher]

Noise pollution has been an issue - especially in big cities - for a long time, and governments should try to regulate it, but I agree with "Cerriowen" and other posters that ultimately it's up to the individual to find whatever "peace and quiet" he needs.

However, in some cases that might involve organizing political action.

As guest workers in Korea that isn't a practical option, so we can either try to arrange for enough quietude here - or leave the country if we need to.

(Of course, complaining on expat forums is another course of action...)

[Lekker]

I'm not coming here to complain.

Do you feel that you have the right to peace and quiet? Or would you rather put up with what is all around you and leave it to yourself to regulate sounds you take in and what you don't take in? Interesting, on the Radio Netherlands story, there was a woman in New Delhi, from Canada or America, who did a story from inside her closet about noise pollution. It's really interesting. If you have Itunes, you should listen to it. It's really interesting.

Interesting story. When I lived in Philadelphia with my brother, I can recall one morning, a Sunday, when there were construction workers jackhammering right below our flat. My brother was really irritated. To the point where he yelled out the window "Shut the *** up!" Construction workers laughing their asses off, still going about with their jackhammering at 8 am.

So he goes downstairs and starts yelling at them. Then I can hear arguing then I look out the window and this huge meathead tattoo armed construction worker has my brother by the neck and is pounding him in the head repeatedly. Nontheless it made for an interesting Sunday morning with me running down there breaking it up and dealing with the owner of the construction business and the police. Not fun.

So no, I don't think we have the right to silence in our lives, but we do need it in order to stay sane, to keep our blood pressure low, to live longer. The problem is that we have become so accustomed to technology that is advancing, making our lives easier and more convenient, which I think backfires and puts us in a state of aggravation.