Why We No Longer Hear Silence: Life in the Rhythm of KPIs

Look at these busy people; they are used to the urgent rush of modern life.

The hiss of the coffee machine and the roar of the cars are the usual sounds they start their day with and never question.

Moreover, they feel weirdly comfortable with these morning soundtracks that prove they are living, they are acting, they are performing with their KPIs.

They rush to their cars, with their mind busy with:

• overloaded schedules,
• charts of performances,
• flashing deadlines,
• presentations — rehearsed at nights,

• at family tables,
• among laughter at friend parties,
• at meetings, and again meetings,

where the sound of ticking seconds on their watches echoes and goes so slowly.

Wait, they still have to work and beat around the clock.

How come now the time runs so fast?

Now, the clock shouts at them:

“Be quick, you will not manage!”

Here is the sound of success — that is the sound of speed;

the speed that equals distance divided by time.

The speed they hear as wind through the car window reflects their identity,

which will be multiplied by their output.

They come home.

They hear their keys opening the doors with the promise of relaxing in their long-desired fortresses of personal space.

Hey, no sound?

No noise?

No way — it is impossible.

The Internet is their savior;

the orchestra of others’ ambitions is roaring now,

and the sound of the success of other people floods their ears.

They feel connected and part of something big —

the endless feed of global noise.

They have already forgotten:

• how the melodic whisper of the morning sounds,
• how the rain tickles on their windows and balcony handrails,
• how the breeze gently murmurs in their ears,
• how life sounds without ambition and the domino of tasks.

Nature taps them on the shoulder, gently reminding to:

feel and to hear,

to see and to listen.