Much of this noise, it's true, is a byproduct of the machine age, but a great deal of it is deliberately created for consumption. It has become a drug, and our society is hooked on it. As with some other drugs, the more you get, the more you need. The volume is increasing all the time. Boom cars proliferate.
Nightclubs are so loud that staff have to wear earplugs.
Outdoor concerts can be heard miles away. In the past, loud noises and music were for special occasions. Now we want every moment to be special. Like the drug addict, we want to be high all the time. And like the addict, we no longer really enjoy the stimulus, but without it we feel an intolerable emptiness.