Auditory Evolution

| by samuel bryant | October 25, 2008
During the years of evolving preferences the homosapien has adapted to the sound of water. The reason waterfront property is valued so much more than inland property is because of this preference. One of the reasons for this is our attraction to the auditory melodies of the water from the lake or ocean. Examples of this preference are everywhere. Artificial backyard ponds (www.pondstyle.com) are very popular in all kinds of settings including commercial buildings and storefront entrances. People with waterfront property will even have artificial waterfalls (www.fallingfountain.com)--indoors and outdoors. Many people have pools and never actually use them, which is evidence to me that people just like having pools of water around due to our evolutionary past.

The preference for waterfront property stems from our need to be near sources of water and to be protected from predators on at least one side of our environment. Bodies of water provide excellent vantage points from which to anticipate potential attacks. This proximity to water and our heightened use of water-sensitive electronics is increasing the need for water-proof accessories nautical navigation devices (www.waterdecoy.com). Much of mankind’s time is spent on or near the water. One of the biggest destroyers of personal electronic devices is the mistaken entry of the device into the water.

More evidence for this preference for waterfront property comes from a local example showing the cost of a piece of waterfront property located on Mercer Island, Washington (near Seattle) compared to the same sized house and yard two miles inland. The proper on the water is about five times the price of the identical home away from the water. More evidence can be found in vacation properties where the disparity is even greater.
I had a therapy session once for anxiety-related issues and one of the suggestions was to meditate every day on something pleasant. The subject of the meditation was a garden with running water. If we didn’t evolve to enjoy this sound we would go nuts listening to all the noise. Ever wonder why smoke alarms don’t play sounds of flowing water? We would never replace the battery if the alarm helped us sleep at night.

An island would provide the greatest protection from predators but it would also inhibit a quick escape. This is why the most confident castles in our history were ones that were built on islands or as an island with an artificial body of water around it. They couldn’t escape very easily but, then again, they didn’t have to. This tactical position was the most difficult for potential threats to penetrate.

Civilizations built far from any sources of water would never have survived, which is why almost every historic city is located next to water. These cities were protected by the oceans and lakes and sustained by rivers and wells. These locations provided visual clarity and sustenance. The view prevents people from becoming victims and this is why apartments with views are much more preferred over ones that don’t have a view.

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