Why Is It So Loud?

Understanding the Systems That Drown Out Critical Thinking

TL;DR: “Why Is It So Loud?” explores how modern life’s constant noise—news, social media, entertainment, and outrage culture—isn’t accidental but engineered to distract, divide, and suppress critical thinking. From profit-driven media to politically motivated misinformation, the article shows how powerful systems benefit from keeping people overwhelmed and reactive. But it doesn’t stop at the problem—it offers a path to reclaim focus, clarity, and personal agency through conscious consumption, improved language skills, and critical thought. The ultimate call? Wake up, take your mind back, and choose awareness over manipulation.

The question came up during a recent sermon At Murray Unitartian Universalist Church, and it stuck with me. We all feel it. The noise, the chaos, the relentless flood of information. The volume of modern life is overwhelming, but what if I told you that’s not an accident?

The world isn’t just getting louder on its own. The noise is intentional.

This article will break it down:

• How and why the noise exists – It’s not random; it’s designed.
• Who benefits from keeping us distracted, divided, and overwhelmed – Hint: It’s not us.
• What we can do to take back our attention, our critical thinking, and our peace.

This isn’t a conspiracy theory. It’s an observable, historical pattern. Governments, corporations, and media have long used noise—through propaganda, entertainment, and political theater—to drown out real thought, discussion, and action.

But the real battle isn’t external. It’s internal.

It’s easy to blame corrupt leaders, manipulative media, or greedy corporations. But the only way forward is to recognize how we get caught in the cycle. Outrage, fear, and distraction only work if we let them.

This article isn’t about telling you what to think. It’s about helping you understand how to think in a world that profits from your confusion.

Some of what you read might make you uncomfortable. That’s okay. Growth is uncomfortable. But if you truly want clarity, if you truly want freedom—you have to start by seeing the world as it is, not as it’s presented to you.

“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.” – Stephen Hawking

This is the way. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Part 1: Recognizing the Noise – It’s Not an Accident

What We Mean by “Noise”

When I say noise, I don’t just mean literal sound. I mean the overwhelming flood of information, distractions, and emotional triggers that keep us from thinking clearly.

Modern life is loud—not just in the physical sense, but in the mental and emotional sense. The sheer volume of information we process on a daily basis is unprecedented in human history. In the span of a few minutes, we can go from doomscrolling through a political crisis to watching cat videos to reading about the latest celebrity scandal—all while checking work emails and responding to text messages. This constant flood of information isn’t accidental—it’s designed to keep us distracted and emotionally reactive.

We live in a world where constant stimulation is the norm. The noise is carefully engineered by media companies, social media platforms, and political institutions because it benefits them when we’re overwhelmed and reactive. The more distracted and emotionally charged we are, the easier we are to manipulate and control.

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24-Hour News Cycles → Keeps You Stressed and Reactive

The 24-hour news cycle thrives on crisis after crisis, keeping us in a constant state of stress. Before cable news, the news was limited to morning papers and evening broadcasts. There were natural breaks in the information flow that allowed people to process what they learned and engage with it thoughtfully.

Today, news never stops. There’s always a breaking story, an unfolding crisis, or a developing scandal. News outlets are locked in fierce competition for attention, and the easiest way to capture attention is through fear and outrage. The brain’s amygdala—the part of the brain responsible for processing fear and emotional responses—reacts strongly to negative stimuli. This is why headlines about disasters, scandals, and political conflict get more engagement than positive stories.

News organizations understand this and deliberately lean into it. They know that fear and anger drive viewership, which drives ad revenue. That’s why the language of news is so emotionally charged—”crisis,” “chaos,” “disaster,” “shocking revelation.” When you’re in a constant state of stress, you’re not thinking critically—you’re reacting. And that’s exactly where they want you.

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Social Media → Algorithms Designed to Addict You

Social media algorithms push the most emotionally charged content to keep you engaged, addicted, and reactive.

This isn’t just psychological—it’s neurological. The brain’s reward system, particularly the release of dopamine, reinforces behaviors that provide instant gratification. Every time you see a like, a comment, or a share, your brain releases a hit of dopamine. That creates a feedback loop—your brain starts to crave that reward, so you keep scrolling, keep reacting, keep engaging.

But here’s the dark part: social media companies know this, and they’ve designed their platforms to exploit it. Algorithms are designed to keep you engaged by promoting content that triggers strong emotional responses—especially outrage and fear. Studies have shown that false or sensational content spreads up to six times faster than factual content because it provokes stronger reactions.

Echo chambers form when algorithms show you content that reinforces your existing beliefs. Over time, you stop being exposed to other perspectives, and your worldview becomes more polarized. This isn’t an accident—it’s a business model. Platforms profit from engagement, and nothing drives engagement more than outrage and conflict.

This creates a psychological dependency. Even when you know it’s unhealthy, you keep going back because your brain is hooked on the reward cycle. And the more time you spend on these platforms, the less time you spend engaging with reality in meaningful ways.

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Entertainment as Escapism → Numbing Ourselves Instead of Thinking Critically

Entertainment as escapism has become a full-time industry, making it easier to numb ourselves than to think critically.

This follows the rule of least effort—the idea that humans naturally gravitate toward the path of least resistance. Thinking critically requires effort. It requires analyzing information, questioning assumptions, and challenging your own beliefs. That’s hard. Passive entertainment, on the other hand, is easy. It asks nothing of you except to sit back and consume.

The 2006 film Idiocracy satirizes this concept, depicting a future where society has deteriorated because people consistently chose easy distractions over meaningful thought. In the movie, people sit in front of screens all day, consuming mindless content while society crumbles around them. It’s funny because it’s exaggerated—but the core truth isn’t far off from reality.

Binge-watching Netflix, scrolling through TikTok, or losing yourself in video games aren’t inherently bad. The problem is when they become a replacement for critical thought and meaningful engagement. The entertainment industry thrives when you’re disengaged from reality because it keeps you consuming more content. The easier it is to stay distracted, the harder it becomes to challenge the system that’s keeping you numb.

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Outrage Culture → Weaponizing Anger to Keep Us Divided

Outrage culture keeps us locked in endless debates over surface-level issues while ignoring deeper, systemic problems.

We are living in an era where outrage is currency. Politicians, media companies, and influencers know that the easiest way to capture attention is to make you angry. When you’re angry, you engage more—you comment, you share, you argue. Every time you react, the algorithm reinforces that content, making it more likely that you’ll see similar content in the future.

But outrage isn’t just about engagement—it’s about division. Anger feeds the ego. It makes you feel superior to the other side. It creates a sense of moral righteousness that feels validating, even when it’s destructive. When outrage becomes a habit, it stops being about solving problems and becomes about feeding that emotional high.

The result? We stay locked in conflict over social issues while ignoring the structural issues that affect us all—wealth inequality, corruption, environmental degradation, and political instability. When people are angry at each other, they’re not angry at the system. And that’s exactly how the system survives.

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Even When We Think We’re “Relaxing,” We’re Still Being Manipulated

Even when you think you’re taking a break, the noise follows you.

Scrolling through social media, watching YouTube videos, or browsing the internet might feel like relaxation—but it’s not. Every platform you engage with is designed to capture and monetize your attention. You’re not unwinding—you’re being processed.

Ever feel exhausted after scrolling on your phone for an hour? That’s not a coincidence. It’s by design. Platforms are optimized to keep you scrolling, and the mental load of constant engagement leaves you drained and depleted. The less energy you have, the less likely you are to question what’s happening around you.

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Key Takeaway:

The first step to clarity is recognizing the noise for what it is—a system designed to keep you overwhelmed, distracted, and divided.

24-hour news keeps you stressed.
Social media keeps you addicted.
Outrage culture keeps you angry.

Once you see the pattern, you can’t unsee it. The question is:
What are you going to do about it?

That’s what we’ll cover next. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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Part 2: Who Profits from the Chaos?

Now that we recognize the noise isn’t an accident, we have to ask: Who benefits from keeping us overwhelmed, divided, and distracted?

The short answer: Money and power.

The ruling class—those who control wealth, corporations, and political institutions—benefits from a system that keeps the working class overwhelmed and divided. The working class, which includes the majority of people who labor to sustain society, is kept distracted to prevent organized resistance to systemic inequality. When people are constantly distracted, stressed, and emotionally reactive, they are less likely to notice patterns of exploitation, corporate overreach, or political corruption.

It’s not just about selling ads or driving engagement. It’s about control. The system isn’t simply responding to consumer demand—it’s creating the demand by shaping what we see, what we feel, and how we react. The noise is engineered to keep us divided because divided people are easier to manipulate. The more time we spend fighting each other, the less time we spend questioning the people in power.

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It’s Not Just Capitalism—It’s Control

Many assume that the overwhelming flood of information is simply a byproduct of capitalism—companies competing for our attention to sell ads, subscriptions, and products. That’s part of it, but the bigger truth is more intentional. The chaos we experience isn’t just a side effect of technological progress—it’s part of a deliberate strategy to consolidate power and prevent organized resistance.

Here’s how each major institution benefits from keeping the public overwhelmed and divided:

1. The Corporate Media Machine → Profits from Division
   Media companies are not incentivized to tell the truth—they’re incentivized to keep you watching. Outrage gets more clicks than balanced reporting. Fear and anger drive engagement. The more conflict, the more headlines.

• News cycles are built around a constant stream of manufactured crises.
• “Breaking news” banners and dramatic music are designed to trigger urgency and stress.
• Balanced coverage doesn’t drive viewership—conflict and drama do.

Calm, reasonable governance doesn’t generate headlines. That’s why the media focuses on sensationalism rather than solutions.

2. The Social Media Industry → Profits from Engagement
   Social media companies don’t make money from accuracy—they make money from attention. Algorithms are designed to promote content that triggers emotional responses because outrage and fear increase engagement.

• Misinformation spreads 6x faster than facts because it’s more emotionally charged.
• Echo chambers form when algorithms show you content that reinforces your existing beliefs, creating social and political bubbles.
• The dopamine feedback loop created by likes, shares, and comments keeps you coming back—even when the content is harmful or divisive.

Social media companies claim they’re just providing a platform, but they profit from division and misinformation. They aren’t neutral—they’re active participants in the problem.

3. The Political Industry → Profits from Distraction
   If you’re distracted by culture wars and celebrity scandals, you’re not paying attention to real political decisions. Politicians and political organizations benefit when the public is too overwhelmed to engage critically with policy decisions.

• When people are scared or angry, they’re more likely to accept extreme solutions.
• Manufactured culture wars (over bathrooms, pronouns, and school curriculums) dominate headlines while major policy changes (tax breaks for the wealthy, deregulation of environmental protections) happen quietly in the background.
• Authoritarian leaders have always thrived on fear and division because fearful people are easier to control.

This isn’t new—it’s a pattern. Throughout history, leaders have used distraction and division to consolidate power and prevent resistance.

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Historical Examples of Misinformation

Misinformation as a tool of control is nothing new. History is full of examples where governments and powerful institutions used misinformation, distraction, and division to consolidate power and maintain control.

The Roman Empire – Roman leaders used “bread and circuses” to distract the population from political corruption and societal decay. Gladiator games, chariot races, and public festivals were designed to keep the public entertained and pacified. As long as the people were fed and entertained, they were less likely to question the growing inequality and corruption in the government.

Nazi Germany – Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s propaganda minister, perfected the art of misinformation. Through state-controlled media, he created false narratives about Jewish people, political opponents, and external threats. The Nazi regime weaponized fear and hatred to justify persecution and genocide, while tightly controlling what the public saw, read, and believed.

The Soviet Union – Soviet leaders controlled information through state-run media. Citizens were bombarded with propaganda that glorified the state and demonized external enemies. Independent journalism was banned, and dissenting voices were silenced through censorship or imprisonment. The result was a population that had no access to objective truth and no way to challenge the state’s control.

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Project 2025: The Modern Example

This isn’t ancient history—it’s happening now.

Project 2025 is a modern example of how political institutions use distraction and division to consolidate power. Developed by the Heritage Foundation, Project 2025 is a detailed plan to reshape the U.S. government along far-right authoritarian lines. The plan includes:

• Expanding executive power
• Dismantling federal agencies that regulate industries
• Removing protections for marginalized groups
• Strengthening religious influence over political decisions

But why don’t more people know about it? Because it’s buried under noise.

While media platforms focus on cultural controversies and celebrity scandals, the architects of Project 2025 are quietly laying the groundwork for one of the most extreme political overhauls in American history. They aren’t trying to keep it secret—it’s all publicly available—but they count on people being too distracted to pay attention.

This is how noise works—not by hiding the truth, but by overwhelming the public with so much conflicting information that they stop engaging altogether.

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Key Takeaway:

The noise isn’t random. It’s intentional.

The media profits from clicks and outrage.
Social media profits from engagement and division.
Politicians profit from distraction and confusion.

Once you see the pattern, you can’t unsee it. The question is:
What are you going to do about it?

That’s what we’ll cover next. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

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Part 3: How We Take Back Our MindsPart 3: How We Take Back Our Minds

In Against the Rules, Season 2, Michael Lewis outlines the educational advantages provided to the wealthy — advantages that most people never receive. Wealthy families don’t just provide financial security; they equip their children with the tools to navigate the world effectively. These advantages aren’t just about money — they’re about access to knowledge and strategic thinking:

• Posture and Body Language – Wealthy kids are taught to project confidence through body language, which creates an impression of competence and authority.
• Financial Literacy – They’re educated in investing, managing wealth, and understanding tax structures — knowledge that creates long-term security.
• Language and Communication – Perhaps the most important advantage. Wealthy children are taught how to speak with authority and persuasion. They learn how to present themselves in professional and social settings, giving them an edge in nearly every aspect of life.

The last point — language — is key. Language isn’t just about communication; it’s how we process and understand the world. If you can’t articulate your thoughts clearly, you can’t think critically. And if you can’t think critically, you can’t effectively question or challenge systems of power.

The average American reads at a 6th-grade level. That’s not an accident — it’s a product of underfunded education systems and intentional neglect. If people can’t comprehend complex information, they’re easier to manipulate. Language shapes your thoughts and gives you the tools to engage with the world — and that’s why improving your language skills is a critical first step in reclaiming your mind.

So how do we fight back? We start with three key steps:

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Step 1: Notice How Much You Consume – Evaluate Where You Are

You can’t fix what you don’t measure.

Most people have no idea how much content they consume daily. Between social media, news, TV, and podcasts, the average person takes in over 11 hours of media every day. It’s overwhelming — and intentional. The system is designed to keep you scrolling, consuming, and reacting without ever pausing to reflect.

Take one week to track your media consumption. How much time are you spending on:

• Social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter, TikTok)?
• News (especially outrage-driven or sensational headlines)?
• Entertainment designed to provoke emotional responses (reality TV, political “debates”)?

At the end of the week, evaluate:

• How much of what you consumed was useful or enlightening?
• How much left you angry, anxious, or exhausted?
• Did you feel more informed — or more manipulated?

Recognize patterns. This isn’t about guilt — it’s about awareness. Understanding how the noise is infiltrating your mind is the first step toward taking back control.

Language matters. If you find that you’re struggling to understand certain articles, books, or conversations — that’s not a failure. It’s a signal that you need to build your language skills.

Practical Tip: Start reading more long-form content (books, articles, essays). Look up unfamiliar words. Try audiobooks if reading feels daunting. Improving your language skills will sharpen your thinking and your ability to communicate effectively — which is exactly what systems of power don’t want you to do.

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Step 2: Reduce the Consumption – Learn to See the Noise and Turn It Down Gradually

Once you’ve identified the noise, it’s time to turn it down.

This is where most people struggle. The noise is addictive — it’s designed that way. Social media platforms, news outlets, and entertainment channels use psychological manipulation (dopamine feedback loops, outrage triggers) to keep you hooked.

You don’t have to quit cold turkey — but you do need to create boundaries.

• Unfollow toxic accounts – Anything that provokes constant outrage, fear, or tribalism should go.
• Turn off notifications – Don’t let your phone dictate your attention.
• Reduce algorithm exposure – Use RSS feeds, direct website visits, or curated news digests instead of endless scrolling.
• Limit outrage-driven news – If a headline is designed to make you angry or scared, pause and ask: Who benefits from this emotional response?

The goal isn’t to disconnect from the world — it’s to reclaim your focus. When you stop feeding the algorithm, you weaken its hold on you.

Practical Tip: Set a timer for social media use — no more than 20 minutes per platform. When the timer goes off, stop. Also, designate “media-free” time blocks — for instance, no social media after 8 PM.

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Step 3: Fill the Void with Healthy Consumption

When you remove noise, you create space — and that’s when growth happens.

But you have to be intentional about what you fill that space with. If you don’t replace the noise with meaningful content, the system will pull you back in.

So where do you start?

Develop Critical Thinking Principles

To resist manipulation, you must develop strong critical thinking skills and learn to analyze information objectively.

Start with books and documentaries that teach you how to evaluate systems and incentives:

Freakonomics (Steven Levitt & Stephen Dubner) – The hidden side of everything. Dubner and Levitt teach you how to think critically about incentives, patterns, and human behavior. This book was life-changing for me — it taught me how to see the underlying systems that shape the world.
Thinking, Fast and Slow (Daniel Kahneman) – How our brains process information and why we’re so easily misled.
The Demon-Haunted World (Carl Sagan) – A masterclass in scientific skepticism and how to avoid being manipulated by false narratives.

Watch These Documentaries:

Understanding how the system works is the first step to resisting it. These films will give you the historical and psychological context behind the noise:

Bad Faith (2024) – How bad-faith actors manipulate systems to maintain power (Project 2025, voter suppression, political weaponization).
The Social Dilemma (2020) – How social media platforms manipulate behavior, spread misinformation, and fuel division.
The Brainwashing of My Dad (2016) – How right-wing media radicalized everyday people before social media took over.

Practical Steps for Critical Thinking:

• Follow the money. If a headline makes you angry, ask: Who benefits from this reaction?
• Diversify your sources. Don’t rely on a single news outlet or platform — seek out different perspectives.
• Don’t confuse opinion with fact. Look for evidence. Who is cited? What data supports the claim?

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Recognize That Part 3 is Hard — And That’s Okay

Part 3 is the real work. It’s not easy — and that’s why most people don’t do it. It requires you to unlearn habits that were designed to keep you stuck.

But here’s the truth: You’re not alone.

Every person who breaks free from the noise makes it easier for the next person to do the same. You don’t have to become a media expert overnight — you just have to start.

And you don’t have to figure it out alone — there are experts who have already done the hard work. Listen to them. Trust the researchers, investigative journalists, and social psychologists who have dedicated their lives to understanding how manipulation works.

You can’t change the system overnight. But you can change how you engage with it.

And once you see the patterns — you’ll never unsee them.

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Afterward: The Call to Awareness & Action

A Time for Change

Society is the smartest it’s ever been. Despite the noise and manipulation, humanity has access to more information and tools for understanding than ever before. The rise of AI represents an opportunity to level the playing field.

AI can provide objective analysis, fact-checking, and insight, helping individuals cut through bias and misinformation. If used wisely, AI can empower individuals to reclaim their ability to think critically and challenge systems of control.

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Expanding Into a Book: Body, Brain, Being

This article is just the beginning. I plan to expand these ideas into a book about mastering the self called Body, Brain, Being. It will explore how to reclaim personal agency through better understanding of nueroscience and psychology (Brain), physical presence (Body), and emotional/spiritual balance (Being). If this resonates with you, I would love to devote my time fully to this project. Your support could make that possible.

This is the way. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯