I go to Panera several times a week to drink coffee and read. There is a group of older people who meet there regularly. Last week when they started to arrive I heard the theme song to The Jeffersons play very loud. I thought it was someone’s ringtone. And then it happened again. And again. Eventually, I realized that one of the women had a video on her phone that she was showing everyone in the group when they arrived. With the volume at full blast.
As I left, I walked past a man who barely moved his phone away from his mouth to mumble his order and then paced around the middle of the restaurant talking on the phone.
I went to a church last Sunday where a woman near me decided to have a conversation with a person who had arrived mid-service, I guess she thought the music portion of the service was less important so it didn’t matter.
At my old church, there were people who would have conversations mid-service. I changed where I sat to avoid them.
Parents hand their kids their phones to keep them occupied on planes, in waiting rooms, in stores, etc. but don’t always give them earbuds so we all get to hear the game or TV show.
I pause the TV regularly because my family will start to have a conversation mid-show/movie.
No place seems to be safe from the constant noise.
When did we lose the art of being quiet?
The World's Common Tater 
I don’t know but I wish we could go back to it. I rarely listen to music at home because the noise bothers me after a while and it bothers my dog too. Being quiet is a lost art. Now I think we fill our eyes with busy colors and pictures from the internet too and that’s distracting too. 😏
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I will admit that I like background noise when I am reading, writing, and cleaning. I do usually have the tv on at a low volume while I do other things. I am quiet and aware of disturbing others when not alone.
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Haha yeah…public places are different. I definitely watch a show while washing dishes but when you’re out in public it’s super annoying when people are loud and obnoxious
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So agree with this Tater, earbuds when out & about. And please use the mute button when talking to me. Both Himself and my mother are guilty of this – he does not like me to tell him this, but then I don’t like it when he compares anything I do with my mother either 😀
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Cell phones are a big part of the problem. When you have calls, music, and videos ag your fingertips it is hard to turn off.
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Yeah….I’m with you in that
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My husband used to be the worst with his phone. He never brought ear phones and didn’t realize it was rude to watch or listen to things in public places! Somehow I stopped it with him, but haven’t conquered everyone else!
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I love quiet, so I can think.
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