We are only five years into the 21st Century but already I think there is a candidate for it acoustic signature:

This sound is best heard in public places such as libraries, restaurants, cinemas and theatres. Usually when we are trying to concentrate on a problem, a conversation or a plot of extreme complexity. Even when attempting to be witty on Thaivisa. But almost without exception, at the most inconvenient time imaginable. How we will survive without going nuts is beyond me.

I am, of course, writing about the sound of the mobile (cell) telephone.

Once there was silence, or conversation, or the sound of people eating, even the birds or traffic; now all we hear is the bloody frog or variations on that theme.

And for what? "Did you remember to buy the coffee?" (Of Course) "I'll be home at 6" (just like always) "Did you know Jackie's got a new mobile?" (Oh, my God - NO!).

And people have begun to walk differently too. Once, most when we strolled, we gently swung our arms or held hands with those we loved.

Now, the only way to perambulate, and be hip, is with the right arm extended, eyes fixated and squinting on the hand, as we try to read yet another text message in the blinding sunlight: "Hi, I'm home" (so bloody what?) – whilst stumbling blindly into pleasures of our city’s rush-hour traffic.

Will we ever be free?

I have a Sony Ericsson T610. I like it.

I have a Sony Ericsson T610. I like it.

How much you got it for?

Explorer

The silence of a Scramjet as you fly from London to Sydney in a couple of hours or so.

We are only five years into the 21st Century but already I think there is a candidate for it acoustic signature:

...

I am, of course, writing about the sound of the mobile (cell) telephone.

....And for what? "Did you remember to buy the coffee?" (Of Course) "I'll be home at 6" (just like always) "Did you know Jackie's got a new mobile?" (Oh, my God - NO!).

.....Will we ever be free?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Or, The worlds most frequently asked mobile phone question....

"Where Are You?"

We are only five years into the 21st Century but already I think there is a candidate for it acoustic signature:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it will be the emergence of Spanish and Mandarin, which will join English as the 3 predominant languages of the 1st and 2nd world, probably well within my lifetime.

Spanish is already a predominant language with English in the Americas, as well as a big part of Europe (more so if you consider all the similarly based languages like Italian, Romanian, French, etc.)

Mandarin is already huge in the Pacific Rim and much of the Chinese caligraphy translates well to Japanese and Korean.

More white noise.

The sound of millions of people babbling away as its no longer muffled by the noise of internal combustion engines as they die out and quieter, less toxic electric and fuel cell vehicles take over.

cv

I suppose it would have to come from an alien; " The sound of fifty thousand nuclear devices detonated at the same time." Then the sound of pure silence.

Morbid &lt;deleted&gt; aren't I. But it is the ultimate in suicide bombers.

The sound of the 21st Century will continue to be...

Construction... the sound of construction everywhere you go. It has been ringing in my ears for about 10 years. No matter where I go, it follows me. Even at midnight I can hear electric tools reverberating around my neighbourhood.