My unpleasant experiences in today’s libraries (both academic and public) have led me to seek out the supply of what I perceive as a critical issue in modern-day education. The issue is noise, specifically the noise of human vocal interactions in areas as soon as revered as sanctuaries of silence.

It may come as a surprise to some people that modern librarians no longer guarantee commonly quiet atmospheres for introspective finding out. Much more surprising would be the reality that these librarians shun silence, though they actively endorse what they consider livelier, far more engaging mastering environments.

From the perspective of an adult who understands understanding as a deeply individual affair, this relaxed attitude towards noise in libraries is disabling. The reality of excessive noise in once-quiet spaces, thus, raises the question, “What has gone wrong in the minds of educators who now lead the charge in a battle against traditional quiet?”

My Answer

Just as classical values in the visual arts fell out of favor under the forces of popular, nave revolts against perceived authority, so have classical values in education fallen out of favor under forces of similar nave revolts. The process seems to have taken a little longer in education, but the result is the same-a vacuous, relativist philosophy whose proponents denounce all authority by using authoritative arguments against the concept of authority itself.

Several visual artists now realize that this outdated, cyclical contradiction has gotten civilization nowhere, except lost and longing for meaning.

As both an artist and a dedicated library user, I see daily evidence of this civilization lost to itself. I see people desperately lost in their noises, sadly ignorant of their inner selves, and disturbingly inconsiderate of other people around them. I, therefore, suggest with confidence that the ideal of relaxed noise standards … Continue reading >>>