Saturday, February 16, 2008

Buzz Off

I don't like whatI'm about to tell you.  A rule put in effect just for me, sitting innocently at my PC.  Or a rule for you, imagine it.

A law which only pertains to you, no one else.  Yet we have these things and think nothing of them.  It's life.  For instance, a rule for non-handicapped persons - you can't park in a disabled person's zone.  That's reasonable.  Or not going through a stop-sign - that's a rule for drivers only.  Fine.  It's just life.  We accept things all the time without thinking.  But think a moment: 

Imagine a rule for people with brown eyes.  Or long hair.  Or left-handed people.  Wouldn't we protest such a law to the bitter end of it?

There exists a rule which pertains and applies to one group of people, children in fact, meant only to effect them - yet by its very nature this rule effects everyone.

There's such a rule, and though meant to penalize one group of unruly school children, it cannot help but effect anyone who can hear.  It's an aural mechanism invented to keep them in line.  This instrument emits a high-pitched buzzing sound that, though unheard by the function of the human ear, is indeed heard by the brain, and causes the child to become extremely uncomfortable, they're actually in pain.  You might better understand the concept in thinking of a dog's hearing - 10 times sharper than our own - when a dog hears a sound made at a certain decibel they bark and jump, they are actually in pain hearing this noise, which humans cannot.  Instances of bleeding from the ear are not uncommon.  A sound made at a certain high decibel heard only by bats for instance, which navigate by sonar.  Like whales.  Or dolphins.  And many birds.

Imagine a piercing, buzzing noise made to keep children in line.  Is this what we've become?  We're that lazy that we can't bother to involve ourselves with these kids, who might have ADD or just be extremely hyperactive and can't help making trouble? 

In the UK they've invented a machine which emits a piercing sound that cannot be heard, but nonetheless is felt by humans.  As I say, it's meant to corral children who've become unmanageable.  But its fault lies in the very concept of a noise which EVERYONE can hear.  Officials play this noise in the schoolyard to get kids to play nice.  Yet those children behaving well are effected by this torturous sound and are just as vulnerable.  Not fair, says I.  What say you?      

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

OK, we need to hire some serious psychiatric help for whoever developed this God forsaken device.  Or better yet, lets just put them in a sound proof room with their invention turned on till they decide to destroy the thing and the design for any further models!

~Rosemary

Anonymous said...

I say that is ridiculous, How can they even get away with that.
sounds like they are abusing thier rights.
Let them take it to the prisons where they are getting more rights than we are.

Anonymous said...

I think It Is disgraceful and certainly not the answer. We always here "If only the parents....etc. Well I think parents are playing a huge part In the problems we have today with our "unruly" kids. Why do I hear youngster's of 12 and 13yr old outside my home at 11.30pm? Where are the parents? They have to start action at home to curb problems. In street's In all the towns and cities, they have to care. The kids aren't born bad. They are children, they need guidance, support and security through sufficient discipline and rules to know the difference between right and wrong and to have good manners instilled In them. For the ones with attention disorder's aswell. don't wash your hands of them, help them to grow and become confident young adults. If "they" stopped being lazy Cathy, they would probably see their mistake. Love Pam xx

Anonymous said...

I think this is really weird, I cannot believe that something like this could even be legal. That sounds tormentive to me, how could someone even us such a thing? -Missy http://journals.aol.com/ma24179/MISSYZSTUFF

Anonymous said...

In my village the local shop was plagued by teenage children "playing" meeting outside the shop doors in the evening. Many many people stopped shopping there as they were harrassed by the "children" spat at, jeered at, The takings in the shop dropped by over 40%  The shop owner tried many things...talking to the "children" calling the police, nothing worked all were met with the same jeer.There is a Youth run club in the village, scouts, guides, football, tennis,baseball, tennis,...however "nothing, nowwhere for us to go" said the "children"  what to do you ?  the shop owner eventually closed. The result being that now the vilage has one shop less....I am not sure if one of the "buzzers" had been in use it would have helped..but if it were my livlehood I would have tried everything as the shopkeeper did....As has been said  where are the parents ?  when they were approached...did they care ...did they heck...who were the first to shout when the shop closed down ??? why the parents themselves.   I know what I would have done if I had had the choice.(although perhaps I would play classical music which is being tried by our one remaining shop!!)  Sybil.

Anonymous said...

And what about the toddlers and baby's accompanying their Mums on these shopping trips ?   Though I believe the shop keeper can control these ''mosquito '' devices and it is reccomended they are used for about 20 minutes and just to disperse gangs of unruly kids outside shops ,who it has to be said have wreacked havoc in certain areas ...love Jan xx

Anonymous said...

This is insane, I am glad the us don't have anything like that ...
hugs
Sherry

Anonymous said...

Relax, Cathy, the Mosquito is being turned off.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Guido.  As glad as I am to hear that, I wanted to make a larger point about what we allow w/o much thought.  

Anonymous said...

Where can I get one of these? The uses are endless!
http://journals.aol.co.uk/acoward15/andy-the-bastard/

Anonymous said...

Oh, if I had to watch a group of children for long periods of time, I would thow myself on the sword or use this on the kids...........OK, put ME in time out now.  I love my quiet life.  Anne

Anonymous said...

Wow...what will they try next?? DARE I ask??
Pam

Anonymous said...

This is horrible, I cannot believe parents would not be in an uproar over this.  You are so right about the laziness....lets just break their little eardrums rather than extend the effort to actually teach them what they are doing wrong.  Geesh!
Lisa

Anonymous said...

Oh, I don't like it AT ALL, either.  NOPE, not at all!!  WHO CAME UP WITH THIS???  For shame!  xox
http://journals.aol.com/valphish/ThereisaSeason

Anonymous said...

Part 1

If you are talking about the mosquito system that they hope to introduce in the UK to break up unruly crowds of younger people congregating around the shops and frightening customers and passing trade then you are misrepresenting that aspect in this blog.

Parents will be naturally up in arms at wee Johnnie being deprived of his civil liberties but what of the ordinary citizens and shop keepers are they not ones who are having their own liberties violated by these unruly louts?  

You must know and accept that laws are not made for the individual but for the better good for all in society. Where are these parents who cannot recognise their children, are the very ones that are once out of control of them, are these louts who terrorise communities on a nightly basis?

Poor wee Johnnie is having his rights of freedom from pain taken away with a very indiscriminate system, whilst spoiling his peer pressured fun, in disrupting the perfect peace of the night. Some other innocent kids may hear that as well but to maybe a lesser extent. ”If one flies with the crows then they should be shot as a crow” ask any farmer that!   In this day of introduction of civil liberties one thing is usually missed out: What of the victims of crime? Are these liberties not allowed to work for them also?

Anonymous said...

Part 2
Your examples are ill founded and inaccurate; if it is the system to which you refer. As far as interfering with those unfortunates ADDH and such like is taking that concept to extremes and not what is as designed to do.

Parents are the best people to teach their children to play nice but it’s too late if they start later than teenagers. Playing sound in the playground to achieve that is absurd and you know that!

What has fairness got to do with the torment these young kids cause on a nightly basis to each and every neighbour and if individuals stand up to them are beaten stabbed or shot. That is not fair!!
So let’s try some other alternative that keeps these kids from gang warfare against the ordinary citizens on the street!  ED

Anonymous said...

ED, You're WRONG.... this is NOT the answer!!!  I understand your frustation with some undisciplined kids, whose parents should have never had them if they couldn't control them, but we cannot punish innocent kids in the same vicinity who WOULD be affected the same way.... NO WAY AROUND IT!!!  Think about what you're saying.  Would you want your babys to suffer that torture even though they are behaving properly as the precious child you raised them to be???

Joann

Anonymous said...

This is so wrong on so many levels. It's not only cruel and inhumane in my book, but as you said lazy. Some of these children simply need attention and patience to bloom. (Hugs) Indigo

Anonymous said...

Well, Cath, you've certainly up'ed the ante with this entry, eh?  I agree with Ed that rules and laws are put in place for 'the greater good' of society.  BUT.  Sometimes there is no method to the madness.  

Ed talks about the shopkeepers and the unruly kids hanging about ... well, yes, the mosquito thingamabob can be used to disperse them, but hey, what about the police. The enforcers of the laws?  Geesh, let's throw the baby out with the bath water.  Again.

Anonymous said...

what is that machine called?
I would like to look it up
(I am a teacher, but I'm just curious, not planning to buy one, I promise LOL)
Marti

Anonymous said...

    I have two children with ADD. One is hyperactive. Raising them was not a matter of giving them a pills that knock them out or quiets them down. It is never that easy. Dealing with children who suffer from ADD and ADHD is work. Long, hard frustrating work. Turning on a switch that emits and uncomfortable but inaudible sound can not be a solution. Children with ADD and ADHD usually suffer at the hands of other children because they are different. Usually they are smarter and they have a tendency to day dream. They get picked on a lot. Using something like this to calm them down, and exposing others to it, can only make their lives harder as other children punish them for their discomfort.
Jude
http://journals.aol.com/jmorancoyle/MyWay