Visual dominance and devotion to machines, not crowding, create sonic degradation

Evidence

It is important to realize that the lo-fi state is not a natural corollary to higher density living or population increase. A visit to the bazaars and traditional towns of the Middle East will impress one by the quiet, almost furtive manner in which large numbers of people manage to go about their business without disturbing one another. The sound sewer is much more likely to result when a society trades its ears for its eyes, and it is certain to result when this is accompanied by an impassioned devotion to machines. — Schafer, Murray R, The Soundscape- Our Sonic Environment…, 792

Categorization

• XREF: Reverses the common assumption that noise pollution is simply a density problem; ties to the lo-fi/hi-fi distinction established earlier in the book. — connects to: Visual bias consistently outranks sound in public nature exhibits — Gordon Hempton, John Grossmann, One Square Inch of Silence- One Man’s…, 1379; Pervasive low-volume informational chatter constitutes a hostile noise distinct from loud sound — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels: The Quest for Absolute…, 439; A soundscape is composed of audible events rather than visible objects — Schafer, Murray R, The Soundscape- Our Sonic Environment…, 28 (+2 more)
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Schafer, Murray R, The Soundscape- Our Sonic Environment…, 792

Broader Connections

• Pervasive low-volume informational chatter constitutes a hostile noise distinct from loud sound #qualifies (0.55) — George Michelsen Foy, Zero Decibels, 439
• Hi-fi and lo-fi soundscapes differ by whether individual sounds survive masking #qualifies (0.50) — Schafer, Murray R, The Soundscape- Our Sonic Environment…, 151
• A soundscape is composed of audible events rather than visible objects #corroborates (0.40) — Schafer, Murray R, The Soundscape- Our Sonic Environment…, 28