Regarding the drummers who may bring down OWS - scientific evidence: background noise affects us

[Miss_Underestimated]

The residents distressed by the drumming noise have a legitimate complaint -- such noise has tangible effects on our ability to concentrate...

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=ask-the-brains-background-noise

How does background noise affect our concentration?

Mark A. W. Andrews, director and professor of physiology at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pa., replies

By Mark A. W. Andrews | January 4, 2010

"background or low-level noise in the home, work or school often disrupts people’s concentration. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, ambient noise also affects people’s health by increasing general stress levels and aggravating stress-related conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary disease, peptic ulcers and migraine headaches. Continued exposure does not lead to habituation; in fact, the effects worsen.

Several studies have indicated that stress resulting from ongoing white noise can induce the release of cortisol, a hormone that helps to restore homeostasis in the body after a bad experience. Excess cortisol impairs function in the prefrontal cortex—an emotional learning center that helps to regulate “executive” functions such as planning, reasoning and impulse control. Some recent evidence indicates that the prefrontal cortex also stores short-term memories. Changes to this region, therefore, may disrupt a person’s capacity to think clearly and to retain information.

Though not definitive, recent research also suggests that noise-induced stress may decrease dopamine availability in the prefrontal cortex, where the hormone controls the flow of information from other parts of the body. Stress resulting from background noise, then, may decrease higher brain function, impairing learning and memory."

[Miss_Underestimated]

1. Why on earth would someone unrec this? I'm trying to help!!

[mike_c]

3. DU apparently has an unrec cadre who unrec EVERYTHING....

I've seen OPs about saving kittens from burning buildings get unrec'd as soon as they appear. At least we're relatively free of the mouth breathing adolescents who routinely respond "your a fag"(sic) to everything posted on YouTube, for example. Mostly.

[FSogol]

7. DU apparently has a drummer cadre who unrecs EVERYTHING that is anti-drumming

:shrug:

[MedicalAdmin]

14. I didn't see that as an attack on drummers.

In fact I saw it as a tenuous connection at best. The studies sited didn't differentiate about sources of sound for the most part, but rather were comparing the overall background miasma of noise that is prevalent in most industrial areas like cities.

As a former pro drummer, however, I find loud repetitive sounds cool (assuming it's done well, which, let's face it, it often isn't).I used to play with the Lions of Batucada back when I lived in PDX. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y16MkHWtaFg - now that is democracy in motion. :)

[FSogol]

17. I was kidding. n/t

[MedicalAdmin]

18. Hangs head.

Doh!

[Mojorabbit]

19. I play frame and african drums

and I love the sound. I however hate the sonic base coming from a club near me which shakes my house.

[bigtree]

4. I remember

. . . many, many days in front of the WH (later in the park across the street) where there was a constant drumbeat from one or two protestors on a small drum or a bucket which was practically ceaseless. You could hear it for miles around the WH.

I don't know how this applies, but I thought it was pretty effective in setting the tone and highlighting the protest vigil.


(I also remember the kind lady with the puffed up hairdo who would come by in the morning with some food or coffee and wake the protestors who spent the night under the big signs they'd propped against the WH gates before the SS rousted them. What a dear.)

[KoKo]

15. Apparently these drumbs are louder and the park is small for so many people.

I remember a drummer with a small drum and another with a bucket when we did our march through our State Capitol to try to stop the Iraq Invasion and both of the drummers were a welcome addition in keeping us together and our spirits up.

But, from what I read today at OWS these drummers all have different equipment from the small drum or the homemade bucket and they are drumming all day and into the night which is drowning out the GA and teach-ins and other speakers. Also the complaints from the folks who live around there who say it's hard to sleep with the constant noise. Remember...babies, little kids, elderly.

So the GA asked them to limit the drumming to certain hours of the day so the whole movement wouldn't get kicked out of the park.

[Warren DeMontague]

10. unrec

sorry, complaints about unrecs bring out an automatic unrec. It's a rule.

Plus, I like drums.

[Fire Walk With Me]

12. They rarely identify themselves either. Telling, isn't it? K&R!

[inna]

20. I did for one, for several reasons I don't care to (and don't have time to) go into.

Yeah, always blame the drummers. Or, even better, anarchists. :eyes:

[enlightenment]

2. Not scientific, but my personal evidence agrees -

repetitive background noise drives me batty - like the neighbors who play their music just loud enough that I hear a continual 'thump thump' from the bass. Or the kid who comes visiting across the street with the boom box on wheels; he leaves the car running while chatting with his friends - turns it down a tad, but it's still the constant 'thump thump' . . .

It actually makes me think violent thoughts, like shoulder mounted rocket launchers aimed at the offending sound. And I'm not a violent person. The end result is that I turn into a cranky bitch, which is very unpleasant for those around me. A nasty cycle.

True white noise, that isn't repetitive, doesn't induce the same irritation, but anything that repeats - ad nauseum - is unbelievably stressful. I understand that some people are more sensitive to this issue than others; I realized a long time ago that I'm one of them. Knowing that doesn't make it any easier.

[JuniperLea]

9. In the office...

People on one end of the suite YELLING at their speaker phone with their door open... whilst talking to someone else IN THE OFFICE who is yelling at their own speaker phone with their door open!

I cannot tell you how annoying the echo effect is. It's a fucking speaker phone! You don't have to yell! Close your fucking door! Better yet, walk down five offices and speak to the other person face to face!!! Jesus GAWD!!! And these same lazy fucks will make excuses for being late because they just HAD TO WORK OUT that morning... but they are too fucking lazy to get off their ass and walk five doors down in the same damn office!

Thank you.

I needed that!

:rofl:

[Fumesucker]

5. So that old movie line about "the jungle drums are driving me mad" is true, eh?

Disco still sucks and now I know why..

:evilgrin:

[Speck Tater]

6. A lot of people like to leave TVs or radios on for background noise. I imagine they would unrec this

for the same reason smokers used to ignore lung cancer evidence. People don't like it when science craps all over their favorite vice.

[gristy]

8. what drummers?

[Miss_Underestimated]

11. I was referring to a post in Late Breaking News. Here's the link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=5037264&mesg_id=5037264

[snooper2]

13. Maybe if they can hold a decent beat it wouldn't be a problem?

:hide:

[guitar man]

16. No!! do not stop the drums....it is very bad when the drums stop!!

because once the drums stop.....























oh no!!1!1!!



















BASS SOLO!!!!


:rofl: :spray: :silly:

[inna]

21. LOL! you get a cookie for the best post in the thread!

:spray:

:headbang:

[Lyric]

22. The opposite is true for me. I can't stand total silence.

I always need SOME kind of gentle background noise to feel comfortable--usually a fan (even a ceiling fan), the low murmur of conversation in another room, etc. However, music does NOT work for this purpose because I can't disconnect my brain from the rhythm. It's distracting.

I can see how drums would be miserable after a while, but not "white noise" that lacks a rhythmic or melodic component.