Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp’s (THSRC) newly introduced “quiet carriage” policy was intended to enhance the quality of travel, allowing passengers to enjoy some peace during long journeys. The new system quickly sparked controversy, as passengers traveling with young children reported being asked to be quiet — even when seated outside the designated quiet carriages — and in some cases were met with staff holding up signs.
What was originally meant to be an innovative service respecting diverse needs has become a symbol of heavy-handed order. When mandated quiet turns into a form of social pressure, it exposes an issue in Taiwan’s public spaces — our tendency to pursue order while overlooking understanding and communication.
The value of public space lies not only in the ease of transportation, but also as a mixing ground for civilized life. When we emphasize quiet, we are defining who gets to speak and who must remain silent. Holding a sign up to a mother because her child is crying is not merely a matter of behavioral norms, but a form of exclusion.
Public spaces bring strength by embracing diverse voices rather than allowing only the “quiet” to exist. A truly mature society should not use low volume as an indicator of civility, but by whether it can tolerate even the smallest imperfections of human sound.
If THSRC wishes to promote a quiet carriage policy, it should also teach people to understand the concept of diverse forms of being quiet, and make regulations a tool for mutual understanding rather than a weapon of indifference and accusations.
In terms of policy design, the controversy reflects a conflict between the right to quiet and the right to public use. The policy’s supporters say that maintaining low noise levels during long journeys is a person’s right, while opponents say that public transportation is an open space by nature — bringing young children, making phone calls or engaging in quiet conversation are all normal behaviors.
The problem lies in how policy implementation in Taiwan often disregards the need for a balancing mechanism between two sides, allowing one to take precedence. If the system emphasizes silence without considering humanity, it would ultimately risk causing new divisions.
Service design should be guided by the principle of flexible spaces — offering options such as family-friendly carriages, quiet zones and general seating areas — so that order and freedom can coexist.
This issue has also revealed a deeper anxiety within Taiwanese society — an increasing intolerance for external disturbances. Similar debates have occurred over issues such as giving up seats on the MRT, noisy children in restaurants and neighborhood noise disputes. These issues reflect public pressures resulting from the rise of individualism — everyone desires respect, while becoming less tolerant.
When public spaces are imagined as extensions of someone’s personal space, any disruption can become an intrusion. If this mental inflexibility is not addressed, no number of regulations would maintain genuine harmony. Perhaps what Taiwanese society needs is not a quiet car, but a more flexible heart.
The high-speed rail’s mission, as one of Taiwan’s most vaunted transportation services, should transcend efficiency — and also reflect society’s capacity for tolerance and inclusivity.
True “quiet” is not about who can remain silent, but about whether people can coexist among sound. Only when every passenger learns to balance between silence and understanding would Taiwan’s public spaces truly evolve from institutionalized order to a culture of empathy.
Roger Lo is a freelancer.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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