Ecology of the soundscape

In this paper, the author argues that the key to understanding the condition of our contemporaries lies in how and what we hear. We tend to perceive culture and our social environment visually and, because of this dominant visual perspective, we consider hearing to be of secondary importance. That is why we need to contest such vision-centric hegemony limited to one sense only. The paper situates itself within soundscape studies - the field approaching sound as a significant resource of the environment, the fount of meanings and aesthetic experiences. Special attention has been given to transformations occurring in the soundscape, changing functions of sounds as well as the positive impact of landscape (including its soundscape) on people's mental wellbeing.