I ended up at a club with a few of my younger friends last weekend. I really struggled to enjoy myself – sure there were scantily-clad, attractive women all over the place, but the music was just too loud. Eventually there was a change of DJ and things took a massive turn. He played a set of remixed songs that I knew quite well, and for about an hour and a half I had the time of my life. Unfortunately it all fell in a hole after that. A second change in music was simply a return to the ear-piercing crap that had been on when I’d arrived. Once again I found myself unable to hear my friends over the racket. I sat in the corner and contemplated the situation for a moment. It seemed the music I enjoyed was played at a lower level than that I disliked. I’m sure that wasn’t the case, but it certainly sounded that way. I reflected on all the annoying sounds in the world: radio advertisements, children’s TV shows, Miley Cyrus, teenagers. They’re not pleasing to my auditory system, but perhaps they’re not nearly as loud I once thought.