Music is also EVERYWHERE!... Every store, mall, tv show/commercial, campground, vehicle, gumball machine, etc. It's almost impossible to get away from in urban areas. That leads to taking it for granted and a fairly blase and disposable attitude towards it. A little silence would be nice every now and then.

I was sitting around in a jam session with my Dad and uncle and a few others several years ago and they were reminiscing about the house parties my grandparents use to throw with musicians and fiddler coming over and everybody joined in with their own party pieces, singing along and getting real sociable. I regretted that all that had passed away before I had a chance to experience it firsthand (though I'd seen the home movies--no sound, unfortunately). My uncle pointed to the boombox sitting on the counter nearby. "Things like that killed it," he said.