I thought it was science at first and was very confused... Silence... I tend to live most days void of any silence. If I'm at work I'm listening to music or talking to coworkers, if I'm moving around I have my ipod on and listening to a podcast and if I'm at home I have music playing and even when I don't I usually have a phone going on in the background. That being said, I have more recently, come to really enjoy taking late night walks around the city in "silence". I don't always do it in silence, sometimes I'm listening to music, but more and more I just enjoy the ambient nature of what is going on (then again I guess that implies that this isn't very silent). I think the most silent silence I've ever experienced is in Northern Minnesota in the middle of nowhere...but even then...I'd start to focus on the little noises that you don't notice unless it is "silent". So strange. The above also made me think of another form of "silence" and that would be how silent I am. Occasionally I'll fall into short ruts where the office will be empty, I won't see any friends, and I will just basically not talk for a few days. It is a strange revelation to be walking home and think "hmm, I haven't spoken to anyone today". Saying depressing is too simple, it makes me feel almost cut off from the world at large to be wrapped in that type of silence.
I think the most silent silence I've ever experienced...
That phrase "the most silent silence" screamed at me (tee hee)
thenewgreen, that would be a good question for your podcast. What is your most silent silence? For me, believe it or not, it was just after my daughter was born. She wasn't crying. There were no beeping monitors. A nurse, a doctor, me, the baby daddy, and my mother were all there and she was just "looking" insofar as newborns can see, just looking around in amazement. Magical ... I love silence.