Podcasts vs. Silence

My friend Gwen Dittmar recently brought up the question of whether podcasts, while wonderful, can contribute to our feeling overstimulated and oversaturated.  

Podcasts are obviously the best. You can get a free education and feel like you’re having an intimate conversation with the most inspiring thinkers of our day. I love listening to podcasts while I do dishes, fold laundry, and commute. When I pressure my husband to floss his teeth, that one time a month he actually does i, he gets through the 3-minute ordeal by listening to a podcast. It can make monotonous tasks enjoyable. And yet, it has been one more assault on the dwindling stillness and silence we experience as modern humans. 

Start to toggle between the two states: do the dishes while podcasting, and then occasionally do it in silence, mindfully aware of every aching moment. Notice the water and the soap. Notice the silence and the feeling of being alone with yourself and your thoughts. Invite and embrace whatever bubbles up. 

In the comments below, let me know your favorite podcasts, and let me know what pockets of your life (if any) you have carved out for total mindful silence.

Photo: from a silent disco Brooklyn Bridge Park