Once upon a time, the sounds of our everyday lives included the hum of the espresso machine, the soft rustle of pages being turned, and the far-off cries from a playground. They were the gentle invitations to step out of our private worlds and into a shared one, a space where fleeting smiles with strangers or impromptu conversations with familiar faces fostered a sense of belonging. Illustration by The Geostrata However, a sea of glowing screens and noise-cancelling headphone