On a quiet 3am Monday morning, I was looking through some videos of Singapore's GE2025 General Elections and I suddenly felt an urge to listen to 'The Sound of Silence' again, tears forming in my eyes as I listen.
Whenever I hear 'The Sound of Silence' sang by my favorite singers Simon & Garfunkel, there's an eerie, haunting quality that settles over me. It's not just the melody — it's the weight of the silence it speaks about.
Somehow, I feel that the sense of loneliness grows deeper when a society develops too fast, we seem to be living in a world full of noise but yet we seem to be more and more devoid of connection. The song somehow profoundly unsettles me. I feel its reminiscent of a society where words are empty, where listening is rare and where meaning gets lost in the noise.
On a quiet 3am Monday morning, I was looking through some videos of Singapore's GE2025 General Elections and I suddenly felt an urge to listen to 'The Sound of Silence' again, tears forming in my eyes as I listen.
Whenever I hear 'The Sound of Silence' sang by my favorite singers Simon & Garfunkel, there's an eerie, haunting quality that settles over me. It's not just the melody — it's the weight of the silence it speaks about.
Somehow, I feel that the sense of loneliness grows deeper when a society develops too fast, we seem to be living in a world full of noise but yet we seem to be more and more devoid of connection. The song somehow profoundly unsettles me. I feel its reminiscent of a society where words are empty, where listening is rare and where meaning gets lost in the noise.
"Hello darkness, my old friend..."
Darkness in my opinion symbolises loneliness, inner turmoil, or maybe even depression. Calling 'silence' an "old friend" suggests that sadness is familiar — almost comforting in its consistency. It's not just literal night — it may be emotional darkness.
"Because a vision softly creeping / Left its seeds while I was sleeping"
Usually in dreams or subconscious moments, truths or realizations reveal itself — often without the person consciously inviting them.
"And the vision that was planted in my brain / Still remains / Within the sound of silence"
Even after waking up, that unsettling vision — of a disconnected, silent world — persists. "The sound of silence" becomes the haunting echo of emptiness — communication fails, people can't, don't or no longer bother to truly connect.
"In restless dreams I walked alone / Narrow streets of cobblestone"
It portrays a person who feel isolated and wandering around aimlessly in a cold and empty cityscape — alone among many others all silently wandering. Cobblestones seem to evoke a cold and probably old, perhaps broken-down world — with traditional values crumbling under modern alienation.
"People talking without speaking / People hearing without listening"
This could be a direct attack on superficial communication: like for example people "talking" and "hearing," but there's no real understanding or emotional connection. Noise without meaning could mean lots of talking, but little real conversation or understanding.
"And the people bowed and prayed / To the neon god they made"
Probably mean satisfying the ego, pursuing materialism, fame, shallow success or maybe flashy and modern consumerism that the world is promoting — and how society worships flashy influencers and wealth.
"The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls / And tenement halls"
Sometimes truth may be found in the places society overlooks.
"Whispered in the sounds of silence"
Warnings are there, but ignored by the mainstream population. There seem to be a silent cry among humanity - lamenting emotional and spiritual alienation in the modern world.
In many ways, society seem to be growing more disconnected — even though we are technically "more connected" than ever through technology.
Here’s how it looks in my point of view:
- Surface-level connection:
Social media lets us interact instantly, but much of it is curated, shallow and performative. People may have hundreds of "friends" but few deep relationships. - Deeper loneliness:
Studies show rising rates of loneliness, anxiety, and depression, especially among young people — despite being digitally "plugged in" constantly. - Polarization:
Instead of dialogue, we often see people retreating into echo chambers, only hearing views that reinforce their own. This breaks down real understanding across communities, societies and even families. - Distraction over meaning:
With endless entertainment, notifications and trends, it's easier to consume than to reflect. Hard, vulnerable conversations — the ones that build real human connection — often get avoided. - Economic pressure:
In many places, the pressure to survive financially leaves little emotional energy for building and maintaining strong relationships. People are tired, stressed and isolated.
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