Mack Hagood

Mack Hagood, a professor at Miami University and author of Hush, dives deep into the booming white noise industry, now valued at $1.3 billion. He explores why so many people are drawn to synthetic and natural sounds for comfort and concentration. The conversation reveals how white noise has transformed from a niche solution into a mainstream phenomenon, fueled by platforms like Spotify. Additionally, Hagood discusses the historical evolution of sound management and the fascination with auditory experiences, highlighting a modern obsession with masking noise.

For over a century, humans have been using technology to shape our sonic environment. White noise machines, nature recordings, noise canceling headphones and high-tech hearables all allow us to create an auditory safe space we can escape into. But is it possible to have too much control over what you hear? Featuring media studies professor Mack Hagood.Follow Dallas on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn.Join our community on Reddit and follow us on Facebook.Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate.If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at mystery.20k.org.Purchase Hush: Media and Media and Sonic Self-Control, by Mack Hagood.Subscribe to Phantom Power wherever you get your podcasts.Get 10% off your first month of BetterHelp at betterhelp.com/20k.Visit monday.com/podcast for your free two-week trial.Get a 4-week trial, free postage, and a digital scale at Stamps.com. Just click the microphone at the top right corner and type the promo code 20k.Episode transcript, music, and credits can be found here: https://www.20k.org/episodes/sonicbubbles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices