"the sound of silence"

[Mortblanc]

Here is a bit of reverse logic for you.

Historically, it has not been silence that drove people insame, but continuious noise. I have studied history of the western frontier in the U.S. intensely and have many references to the sound of the howling wind, the constant lowing of cattle and the crash of waterfalls sending people into insanity.

Not a single mention of silence causing one to go bonkers. Probably due to nature having its own background noise which people in primitive settings expect. We refer to it as "silence" when there is continuious sound we do not consider worth hearing, so we block it out. I can not remember ever being in a soundless woods. Fact is, when things in the forest get silent that is usually a warning of danger.

There are many references to women going insane for lack of contact with other females when in remote areas. We are speaking about months or years without contact. The men in the family do not count, women want other women to converse with for normal function.