“Cacophony consists of harsh often discordant sounds. These sounds are often meaningless and jumbled together. A Discordant series of harsh, unpleasant sound helps to convey disorder”.

Barnum's piece examines a linear juxtaposition of discordant sounds.

Then:
The works of the French composer Iannis Xenakis and American born John Cage were both innovative and avant-garde. They both profoundly influenced 20th century music.

Now:
Our current cacophony consists of the barrage of talking heads, arguing, competing to be heard over the din. The sounds are exhausting often “meaningless and jumbled together”.