Noise: The Profile of a Cultural Disorder

In the tradition of great “one idea” books, Jacob Burak’s Noise studies a phenomenon that affects each of us every day – ranging from the internal disturbances caused by the need to belong and the urge to achieve to the external sounds generated on the job or by the media.

According to Burak, noise is not limited to external annoyances, such as street noise and modern technology that we all deal with on a constant basis. It also comprises the often unrecognized but powerful emotional forces that create anxiety and uncertainty in our lives, uniquely personal noises generated by the fear of being alone, of failing, or, ultimately, of dying.

The book is the story of how the author’s personal journey in search of a more balanced life uncovered a universal phenomenon with an impact that touches almost everyone.

Readers will find the day-to-day situations pictured throughout the book very familiar and easy to identify with.