Etnografia Polska 62 z. 1-2 (2018)

Silence and noise are typically perceived as opposing phenomena. In today’s world noise seems omnipresent, and is described as ‘the plague of our times’. Terms as ‘noise hell’, ‘noise dictatorship’ and ‘times of noise’ are used to describe the current state. It becomes evermore difficult to find silence. Many authors, a.o. these cited by the Author of this article: like Erling Kagge, Robert Sarah, Nicolas Diat and Siergiej J. Rumjancew speak of the quest to find silence, its meaning, influence on health and personal relationships, and dangers associated with life in a world dominated by ever-present, unsilenced noise. Moreover, this article presents findings of Polish (Wrocław) scholars regarding the phenomenon of silence, its understanding and experience. The Author presents data from preliminary research about silence and noise which she has conducted among the inhabitants of the Warsaw district of Mokotów (specifically its part called Garden-City Sadyba and the neighbouring block of flats Bernadyńska). The aim is to provide answers about the meaning of these phenomena for the inhabitants of this area, the influence on their everyday life, neighbour relations, attitudes towards their place of settlement. Another focus of research is to illustrate the changes in this soundscape, pointing to their sources and consequences. Part of the text is devoted to the ‘demise of silence’ in areas where large construction projects (like airport or hydroelectric power plant) are realised. As such it is difficult to determine how to reconcile the needs of a growing city with the demands of advocates of silence, how to resolve conflicts among people who love silence and these who find it dull and futile

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