I am getting older, but we all are! At 73 I now find that it is difficult to take part in normal conversation in a crowded indoor public place. I know that this is a normal function of aging, but the situation is made far worse by the incessant "background" music which is now the rule rather than the exception in most places where people meet socially. In local pubs everyone has to shout to be heard above the background piped sound.😡
The following article I found to be very interesting; Mr Scruton is accepted in the UK as being a 'popular' philosopher.
A Point of View: Why it's time to turn the music off - BBC News
The following article I found to be very interesting; Mr Scruton is accepted in the UK as being a 'popular' philosopher.
A Point of View: Why it's time to turn the music off - BBC News
It's been getting worse and worse for decades. I have toured with musicians who where not afraid to demand the background pop cacophony be turned off in restaurants.
Even worse is places that play the radio. It's mostly just shouty adverts. Why? Why?
Make it stop!
Even worse is places that play the radio. It's mostly just shouty adverts. Why? Why?
Make it stop!
Around here it is commercial free satellite radio, but it is ubiquitous in stores, supermarkets, banks, restaurants, and bars. Can't get away from it in most places.
Our local pub has a sound system of the very lowest quality, five large wall hung TV sets set to non-stop football, absolutely full with 35 people of whom 16 are shouting to overcome background. I no longer go there.
Yuck. It seems that every bar in America is turning into a sports bar. Sad to know it's happening to pubs, too. 🙁
Unfortunately a lot of restaurants around here also have TVs in the restaurant and not just bar areas.
One of our favorite pubs (yes we do have them around here) has a bar area which now includes a lot of TVs, but they judged that perhaps the people who habitually gravitated to the other side of the brick wall might not want to watch TV and fortunately didn't install them when they recently renovated. It seems to be paying off, both sides are quite busy, it's a small, cozy place.
One of our favorite pubs (yes we do have them around here) has a bar area which now includes a lot of TVs, but they judged that perhaps the people who habitually gravitated to the other side of the brick wall might not want to watch TV and fortunately didn't install them when they recently renovated. It seems to be paying off, both sides are quite busy, it's a small, cozy place.
What drives me nuts is TVs with the sound off but closed captioning also off! Sound OFF well OK because there is music or something else, but turn on the captions so I can read what is going on.
I hate restaurants where you can't talk, unless it is a particular show place like the flamenco joint here in L.A. We once went to a Cuban place here, small place with a jazz trio...AND a PA system! What the heck for?!? Sigh. We couldn't talk, never went back, place went out of business.
I hate restaurants where you can't talk, unless it is a particular show place like the flamenco joint here in L.A. We once went to a Cuban place here, small place with a jazz trio...AND a PA system! What the heck for?!? Sigh. We couldn't talk, never went back, place went out of business.
It's actually a personal mission of mine to try and get power conditioning implemented in the best of these places, so that our ears don't hurt, we can talk, and the wait staff is annoying because they're annoyed by the music.
don't you old fogies know? - nowadays you don't TALK to anyone, you send them text messages on one a them mobile phone thingys....
dude, that's what the ten thousand imogi's are for - you just need a set of trifocals to read them, and skinny fingers for touch screens
actually, it's the autospell correct that's starting to pith me off
and be careful about BCC vs reply all - been busted on that a couple of times
actually, it's the autospell correct that's starting to pith me off
and be careful about BCC vs reply all - been busted on that a couple of times
Since smoking was virtually banned, pubs are a shell of what they once were. I find myself buying non-alcoholic drinks in contrast to the old unspoken rule. Take away sales are doing well. At least we can hear each other.
So Australia is just the same as here in this regard.
As I am reliant on keeping my driving licence - and a small glass of red wine takes you within 5% of the limit -along with living 2 miles from the closest shop and 3 from a decent supermarket, I too tend to stick to soft drinks/coffee. But if I overdo it there are plenty of Taxis; that means leaving the car in town where it is a matter of luck whether or not it is vandalised.
Being a cigarette smoker means that I choose a pub with an outdoor sheltered area for that purpose....but naturally it is the pub with the most TVs and "Sound" in this small market town! I don't drink at home unless we have guests staying/visiting, and I am limited to red wine by the cardio men so a good malt is a very rare treat.
But I can put up with all of that ............. except the continual noise.
We have here the Tweed - which is named by many as the best salmon river in the UK, and possibly in Europe - and I am a very keen fisherman. We get a large number of returning three or four times a year fishing visitors and it is simply impossible to speak with them in the pub because of the infernal noise levels.
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