thanks for not being a zombie

Just recently I mused on my inability to imagine what it would be like to be entirely without sight. But to be without sound would be far more isolating.

Maybe the unrelenting quality of sound means that, more than the other senses, our sense of hearing requires that we develop the ability to filter.

Consider "listening" v. "hearing."

We're often much more tolerant of noise or interference in the visual register than the aural. We'll watch a badly tuned channel on TV, but won't tolerate static on the radio.

"We're often much more tolerant of noise or interference in the visual register than the aural."

I never really thought about that. There is really very little in this world, that is visual and can aggrivate, or infuriate me for no good reason.

However, both sound and smell can. For instance, the sound of someone eating, or certain voices. A fork scrapping a plate. can all have a rather negative effect on my immediate mood.

And certain odors make me furious for no good reason.

However, nothing visual really does. I think some of that comes from an inabillity, as stated in the O.P. to escape sound (or smells) a lot of times. If I see something and dont like it, I can look the otherway and it is gone. But sound cannont be removed to easily, nor can odor. I think it is that lack of control to remove myself from these annoyances that raises the intense feelings of distaste.

Assuming anything I typed makes any sense...

"We're often much more tolerant of noise or interference in the visual register than the aural. We'll watch a badly tuned channel on TV, but won't tolerate static on the radio."

Perhaps this is because a TV gives you information in both registers: visual and aural. If one is on the fritz, the other can compensate. And an image does not surround you the way sound does; if you look away, you don't see it anymore. You cannot do the same with sound (or smells).