Are you afraid of the dark?
Or are you really afraid of the silence? The solitude?
“Experience teaches us that silence terrifies people the most.” Bob Dylan.
When individuals find themselves alone—whether they are eating lunch or walking in the park—the initial reaction is to CREATE company. Out come the iPods and the cell phones and the laptop computers. Newspapers and magazines suddenly become charming substitutes for human company. Why is it that we do not allow ourselves to be vulnerable?
The same is true of silence. On the commute home the dials of the radio allow individuals to fill the space of their car. If the apartment becomes too quiet it seems natural to turn on the television or to call up an old friend. Our lives are filled with white noise.
Is it possible that what we truly fear is ourselves?
For when all the noise of the world has gone out and one is left alone with nothing but one's thoughts, one must choose to either embrace one's self in all matters--flaws and suppressed emotions included--or to continue to ignore the depths of one's person.
It is this choice, then, that is the true test of character. In the solitude and silence of the world, are you afraid to look yourself in the mirror?
I think that you really hit the nail on the head when you said that people are afraid of themselves. Within our society today we have so many individuals with low morals that constantly make bad decisions. I think that many times they don't want to have to think about their actions. They dont' think before they act so they certainly don't want to think about it after the fact.
Haha, reading this made me think of well....myself. Lol. I recently moved into an apartment and am living by myself (my husband wont be able to be with me untill may) and I hate the silence. Iv never been by myself before. Iv always had lots and lots of people around me. But O well I guess lol. I turn up the radio to fill the silence. I hate being alone. lol
I actually just started living alone in my own apartment--and spending the time alone is actually what got me thinking. At first it was awful, however, I now cherish the time that I have alone. When I'm alone I can't ignore the painful or difficult experiences of the past (or of the present!). I think so many people bury their problems and "soldier on" because it seems easier than actually going through the grief/pain process. Sadly, there is no running away. The problems tend to haunt us until we confront them.