There was a baby shower conducted recently here at The Sentinel-Record. The thing that stood out to me was how many --Awwws- were streaming from that room. Every few minutes another loud chorus of --Awwws- would reverberate around the office. As each new baby item was revealed it was met with a refrain of --Awwws-.
Isn't it odd how we can convey emotions with a simple noise? Take surprise for instance. You can tell simply from the sound that someone was surprised when they gasp. The sound of sucking air into our bodies in that certain way conveys exactly what we are feeling.
Screams are associated with fear. If you hear a real scream, you never forget the sound and instantly know the person is afraid. Horror movies have been using screams to set the mood for us for decades.
-Ohhh- usually accompanies realization. When someone else shows you how you were looking at things incorrectly or solves a problem right before your eyes. You do not have to say any more than that for the person helping you to know you understand the error of your ways.
Wouldn't it be grand if there were a sound we made when we were being honest and sincere?
What if at the end of a true statement we let out a little beep?
I really like your hair cut Johnny, -beep-.
I will be there at 10 a.m. --beep-.
That would make life so much easier. You would never again have to worry about whether or not the technician is going to show up on time or if your child was skipping school.
Political debates would certainly be more interesting. Everyone would be listening for the beep after each statement. It would probably resemble a game show, where after the contestant answers the question they wait for Alex Trebeck to tell them they got it right. The look of relief on the politician's faces, when they heard the beep would be priceless.
The beep would allow us to use another sound emotion. If we did not hear the beep after the politician's answer, we could rain down upon him or her a cascade of boos conveying our dislike of the false statement.
Campaign slogans would drastically change:
Experience you can count on and beeps you can trust.
A proven record of excellence and I have the beeps to prove it.
Character that counts with beeps galore.
Real results, not beepless promises.
You deserve a Congressman who beeps.
Too bad, we do not beep. Sound judgment would begin to take on a completely new meaning.
Editorial on 02/23/2020