In our modern world, we constantly avoid obvious physical threats, we have a clearly focused fear of things that can cause us physical harm. This has been an integral part of our human nature for centuries, and due to the obvious detrimental effects of these physical threats, we remain focused on this area of ​​thinking. But what about things that don't necessarily threaten our lives physically but perhaps our livelihoods without us even realizing it? Things that can directly affect or alter our mental state and emotional health, what have we done to study or analyze these potential threats? When I use the word threats, I am not necessarily talking about damaging, life-altering complications, but an overall reaction or "cause and effect" type response to these events. On the other side of this discussion, how can we use this question that may present potential threats to our advantage? Is it possible for us to understand the connections between something physically intangible and how it can heal or benefit us. In summary, how complicated it is to study or analyze the consequences and benefits of something immaterial like sound and noise. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original EssaySound and noise are a part of our daily lives, no matter what an individual may try to do to escape them. Because of this inability to analyze and control this physically intangible thing, many things have been overlooked. But, as we have learned throughout this term, sound and noise directly alter and affect many aspects of our daily lives, whether intentionally or not. We looked at the soundscapes of cities, the anxiety-provoking idea of ​​silence and the real effects of noise pollution on individuals. These are all results or direct reactions to sound and noise. But why is it important that we discuss all of this? In my article, as my title suggests, I intend to analyze some of the potentially negative consequences, as well as some of the benefits associated with sound and noise. I will do so by first discussing this relatively new area of ​​research and its work. Additionally, I will present some of the analyzes we have learned throughout this course, in addition to specific case studies that help highlight the importance of this academic discipline. Sound and noise are not at the forefront of conversation when discussing the real effects of a person's mood or state. In particular, music as a field of research has been the subject of much more in-depth research and analysis for much longer. Music has always been at the center of any type of sound research, but there was still a lot that was not addressed at that time. Yes, it is recognized that music has an extremely captivating impact on many aspects of culture, economy and even specific individuals, but what about the sounds and noise that we are bombarded with without any consent or real choice? This is where the study of sound or “acoustic ecology” comes in. Prior to the development of this area of ​​study pioneered by "...researcher R. Murray Schafer of Simon Fraser University in the early 1970s." (Droumeva, 2018), no research has been conducted to link or study the relationship between sound and noise with an individual or society as a whole. As Kendall Wrightson describes in her journal article, “An Introduction to Acoustic Ecology.”Soundscape: The journal of Acoustic ecology", Wrightson describes the basic philosophy on which acoustic ecology is based: "Your awareness of sound - in particular your level of awareness of the acoustic environment at any given moment - is a central issue for the interdiscipline of acoustic ecology (also known as ecoacoustics). (Wrightson, 2000, p.10) This specific aspect of consciousness, as I have learned throughout this course, is an integral part of this area of ​​study. It's about trying to bring awareness to not only the sounds or noises themselves, but more importantly, how they affect us, consciously or unconsciously. As mentioned previously, music research is very different from “acoustic ecology” because either it is a very conscious choice or the listener has a distinct level of awareness of the sounds and rhythms they hear. It is this level of consciousness and awareness that is even on display in what Schafer decided to study. As Dr. Milena Droumeva explains, Schafer attempted to examine many aspects of sound to shed light on his work for acoustic ecology, including: Areas of research included auditory perception, listening, and creating sound, community soundscapes, sound physics and acoustics, noise pollution, sound in media, psychology of sound, sound walks, sound and spirituality, and urban soundscape design. (Droumeva, 2018) This is an incredibly long list to analyze given that it is constantly evolving and never stagnates. As the study and academic discipline of “acoustic ecology” grows, we must apply this work to study our functions as a society in relation to sound and noise. Before starting this course, I was actually quite unsure of what would be involved in a course called "Sound Studies 1: Listening, Culture, and Society." I had never heard of this specific goal of academia and even those close to me didn't know exactly what this course could teach me. But as the term comes to an end, different aspects and terms that I learned in this course continue to come up in my daily life. For this reason and many more, Schafer's work in acoustic ecology is an essential aspect of understanding the sounds or noise in our worlds and how we function or respond to them. Throughout learning and developing my own understanding of acoustic ecology and the myriad ways sound directly alters our realities, it was the negative aspects that stood out to me the most. Some of the main questions that this study highlights, such as what I What I was able to relate in my personal life to this course material or this area of ​​study in general was actually a book that I had I read “Lullaby” a few years ago by the ever-famous American author Chuck Palahniuk. It was only about halfway through this course before I made this connection to this specific fiction-based novel. Ultimately, become aware of the negative consequences that sound and noise can have on individuals. But that said, this book really touched me as I read it. The book is based on a basic concept: “What if words or sounds could kill?” ". The basic premise of the novel is that an ancient scenario of a deadly "lullaby" falls into the hands of a simple and unassuming man. The man realizes soon after discovering this seemingly meaningless string of words that anyone who hears it will die. I realize how ridiculous this premise sounds, but after finishing the novel,I urged many of my friends to read this book because I had never thought of sound or noise as such a bad consequence before. While I understand Palahniuk's deeper philosophy of "if words could kill", the basic concept remains: what if sounds could kill? Thinking about the sounds you are also exposed to, which are usually an unconscious choice and which you are exposed to without direct consent, can and do have negative effects on individuals. For example, noise pollution is arguably the most famous term to come from “acoustic ecology”. Droumeva defines “noise pollution” as… “A recent term used to suggest the destructive effects of excessive sound, usually based on the properties of loudness and irritation. » (Droumeva, 2018) Noise pollution actually has quite strong effects which can psychologically harm individuals. These effects include: hearing loss, stress, fatigue and lack of sleep. (Droumeva, 2018) These can cause serious harm to individuals, but at the same time constitute a seemingly uncontrollable reality of life, as Truax describes in his book. “For people living in a technologized society, noise becomes a “fact of life,” something we put up with (i.e., desensitize ourselves to) or complain about in the hope to get a little relief. » (Truax, 2000, p.93) Technological development and quite simply the progress of society are at the origin of noise pollution and are therefore necessary and unmanageable. For me and I feel like many share similar realizations, it is only when you are away from the noise pollution we are accustomed to that you realize the serenity of a peaceful soundscape. As mentioned in many of my peers' writings for our online tutorials, this is something we only recognize when directly immersed in a completely different soundscape. Through my personal experiences diving so deep into the Squamish Forest that we no longer have cell service, it was only then that I was able to realize this "Hi-Fi" environment that I will never be able to experiment in the city. This awareness concept is included in the module on the psychological effects associated with noise pollution. Droumeva describes: “If it is not worse than average, there is nothing wrong with it, it is a rationalization of the high average noise level to which the general population has become very desensitized. .” (Droumeva, 2018) This inability to combat or mitigate the seemingly inevitable “noise pollution” and its psychological effects made me question something. This would have an effect on your conscious mind versus your subconscious mind, how available your conscious mind might be when your subconscious mind is no longer unknowingly occupied by these effects of sound and noise. Since this noise continually causes distress and anxiety unconsciously, what if we relieved ourselves of all this and what could we do with this unconscious part of our mind that is altered or affected? As a case study to support the incredible benefits of this academic discipline, I would like to introduce the term ASMR. ASMR, also known as autonomous sensory meridian response, is a relatively new phenomenon in mainstream culture and even newer in medical research. Many connections have already been made when studying ASMR within the framework of “acoustic ecology”. As mentioned by Diego Garro in his article “Autonomous Meridian Sensory Response – From Internet Subculture to Audio-Visual Therapy,” he claims that ASMR has made.