Noise is all around us
I think of ambient silence as the most valuable sound of all.  Think about what it'd cost you to get freedom from your neighbor's lawnmower, traffic, sirens, construction, dogs barking, and the rest of the mindless noise that involuntarily assaults the average person's brain all day.  You might think you can move out to the country, but most of the homes you might buy still have plenty of it.  Neighbors will have bigger lawns that require even louder diesel tractors to mow, large dog ownership is at a higher ratio, recreational gunfire is more common, or you might hear a chainsaw running all day.  In fact, it might be even more noticeable due to its irregularity.<p>I hope the future is a quieter place.  Electric motors replacing internal combustion engines is a step in the right direction.  I suspect we'll need a full cultural shift and actual noise ordinance enforcement to get there though.  Otherwise, it only takes one guy with $100 buying a leaf blower to ruin everyone's day.