Music helps us transcend time. The best songs speak to our human experiences. Paul Simon wrote The Sound of Silence in 1964.
I recall that in the early 70’s in one of my college art classes, we were asked to draw an image of what this song meant to us. Well, I am dating myself but who knew it would eerily foretell our existing communication dilemmas in the digital age? It remains a reminder of the importance of communication where we still face disconnection from each other.
“Words that are spoken but not heard.” Crazy that this song over sixty years ago speaks to a time that feels current. The chaos in our government is failing to demonstrate any humane or logical way of tackling change. What is our tolerance for this craziness? I happen to like change when I understand why. In DC, this sledgehammer approach creates other problems rather than solves issues with reason let alone some element of human dignity. Is that too much to ask?
People are reflecting and now beginning to react and use words to speak up. I am hopeful that the emphasis on our own community, and rallying support, as we saw for the recent fire victims, is an affirmation of what and how we can act on other issues.
“Hello darkness, my old friend/I’ve come to talk with you again,” sets a somber reflective tone and yet a purposefulness around listening to and asking deeper questions about how to go forward. Small steps matter.
Returning to art and expression is going to be part of our critical thinking journey. We need our artists more than ever to magnify critical issues and foster connection through a language that unites and highlights rather than divides. My son tells me that we are all art makers.
Remember the early days of the pandemic? Things were incredibly quiet and our world as we knew it was silenced by the pandemic. We had been stopped in our tracks. Now, we get a chance to advance our own kind of change, as we define it for ourselves.
The wisdom of the song lies in its call for communication and active listening. It is about stripping away the distractions of daily life, giving room for something deeper. In a world that thrives on constant information overload, it can be difficult to find the space to listen. But when we do, we hear the things that truly matter not just words, but emotions, intentions, and connections that might otherwise be lost.
Listen to "the Sound of Silence." Slow down and give it your full attention. It is a song that reminds us that silence is not an absence. It is a presence, that allows reflection. This is the time to tackle new ideas, create new connections and imagine the wildest of possibilities.
Artizon Museum, Chuo district, Tokyo
Listen to the full song here. Bing Videos
How does it make you feel about where we go from here?
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