I thought it was interesting that Niki said that accepting her introversion (and her dislike of noise, which I, too, share) made her less defensive. In my case, accepting my introversion has made me more defensive. My husband and I have a couple of really obnoxious relatives. I try to limit my contact with them because I don't need their drama. My husband says he gets along with them because he has accepted that that's "just the way they are". And yet, he thinks there's something wrong with me for being an introvert. Even though it's "just the way I am". So I get really defensive that I don't get the same consideration as a couple of narcissistic know-it-all blowhards.
But yes, noise bothers me, too. I especially hate being held hostage to someone else's music. You know, you take a nice trip to the beach, looking forward to the sound of the waves and the seagulls. But all you can hear is other people's dueling radios. Part of the reason it grates on me so bad is the cluelessness of the people doing it. I try to be considerate, and they don't ever stop to think they may be annoying someone. Part of the reason for the trip is to escape that type of noise, but you can't escape inconsiderate people. I currently have neighbors that play loud music outside, so I can't even enjoy my own yard.
