The AirPods Effect • Hacker News Board

Re: The AirPods Effect

#161

Post by basisword » Fri, Jun 19, 2026, 9:24 AM UTC

parodysbird wrote: post #153

try_the_bass wrote: post #94

The thought of intentionally deafening myself to the outside world, even partially, is unnerving, because I can't stand the thought of nerfing my own situational awareness to that degree. Especially in fast-paced environments, like city streets, where sounds can carry such important signal. Even watching someone else walk around a city with headphones/earbuds in is something that makes me uncomfortable by proxy. It's…

I live in cities, and I usually walk around 15-20k steps every day for the last decade in cities. I listen to music or podcasts in my earbuds, and often I read stuff on chat on my phone as I walk. I have never run into anything, and never had any issue bumping into people or cyclists. It's perfectly possible for some people to navigate just fine in their environment while dealing with multiple stimuli, and in fact th…

You think you do. You're just not aware of how many people are dodging you to prevent collisions :)

Re: The AirPods Effect

#162

Post by TiredOfLife » Fri, Jun 19, 2026, 9:25 AM UTC

MBlume wrote: post #2

I'd much rather be surrounded by people wearing earbuds than have people watching tiktoks through their phone speakers on the subway

There is an even worse thing. Using speakerphone while on street, while holding the phone near ear anyway.

Re: The AirPods Effect

#163

Post by elAhmo » Fri, Jun 19, 2026, 9:29 AM UTC

jorisw wrote: post #133

Hoodedcrow wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> > They keep them in while ordering and paying for things in stores and supermarkets. > As a GenYer I find this rude and I'll take them out any time I interact with someone. I don't take my headphones off while paying for things in a supermarket - because you aren't really expected to talk or listen in this scenario, and the cashier doesn't want to interact with you either. But for anything more involved, like order…

> aren't really expected to talk This is an assumption that I would interpret as rude if I were the cashier

Agree, it definitely is rude. Saying hello, good afternoon, responding to a question about cash/card also involves communication, and with earbuds it is simply rude to the other person.

If you don't want to talk to anyone, go to self-checkout or a vending machine, but cashiers are humans and not just robots scanning items.

Re: The AirPods Effect

#164

Post by tacker2000 » Fri, Jun 19, 2026, 9:33 AM UTC

The author is a "Firm believer that humankind took a wrong turn with the invention of the smartphone." and has a new book coming out, so naturally he is trying to push some anti-tech narrative.

No, headphones don't make people antisocial. If someone is wearing headphones, respect their privacy and just leave them alone. Some people just don't like to chat to random people on the subway or at the supermarket. Some people just don't see the value of mundane conversations with strangers.

It depends on the culture and personality. Some people like it, some don't. In the US, people are more inclined to chat to strangers, and in Germany for example they aren't. These differences are actually what make us "human", so it's not a binary decision of: talking to strangers == good, and headphones == bad.

Re: The AirPods Effect

#165

Post by ro_bit » Fri, Jun 19, 2026, 9:36 AM UTC

The author's going to be floored when he hears about video games

Re: The AirPods Effect

#166

Post by pjc50 » Fri, Jun 19, 2026, 9:42 AM UTC

exmadscientist wrote: post #45

tptacek wrote: post #5

I don't remember any time in my life where it ever felt normal to me to randomly talk to strangers. I went to London when I was a teenager and was made uncomfortable by how chatty the cab drivers were. Later, I worked at a startup and my boss was preternaturally gifted at chatting up strangers, which he did habitually in every setting we were in when we traveled; on the plane, on the bus from the airport, &c. I remem…

Talking to strangers is a skill. You can practice it! I've made a point of trying to practice, albeit halfheartedly, and even though it's difficult for me, because I like it when other people try to talk to me . Earbuds stop this practice dead in its tracks. You can't deny that.

> I like it when other people try to talk to me.

Probably an unpopular point on HN, but this is very gendered. There's a lot of women who don't want to be chatted up who wear headphones, and therefore a lot of men who are annoyed at this visible signal that the woman doesn't want to listen to them.

We can leave room for "not wearing headphones is a signal that you're open to talk" without having to pressure people who aren't.

Re: The AirPods Effect

#167

Post by skywhopper » Fri, Jun 19, 2026, 9:43 AM UTC

brailsafe wrote: post #97

saghm wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, but when the only reason I had those random moments with strangers were because they wanted them, and refusing to engage is considered "rude", I'd argue that it already was just someone else's "my" experience before, just "shared" because of societal peer pressure. What changed is that now I have a way to actually assert my boundaries without being the rude one.

I think it's a mistake to conflate passive signaling with asserting oneself, and whether you like the interaction you might have otherwise had or not (as long as it's not clearly harassment or something) it would be rude to ignore people in public whether that rudeness is delegated to technology or not. It's just another way of turning up one's nose, and it's a gross way to operate imo. If you don't like the people y…

Wow, it’s wild that you think you have a right to the attention of strangers with whom you have no business. How is it rude to wish to go about one’s day unbothered?

Re: The AirPods Effect

#168

Post by skywhopper » Fri, Jun 19, 2026, 9:44 AM UTC

garrickvanburen wrote: post #61

dav43 wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My take, is that this effect has removed a lot of the micro communications we make - not necessarily random conversations. It’s taken away random moments that may trigger a short small conversation with strangers. In part it’s taking away the shared experience in public and making it “my” experience.

Whether grocery shopping or an endurance running event (5K+) those with any kind of headphones in are simply less aware of the people trying to get around them.

The folks without earbuds who park their grocery carts diagonally across the aisle while standing in the remaining empty space disagree with you.

Re: The AirPods Effect

#169

Post by wolvoleo » Fri, Jun 19, 2026, 9:47 AM UTC

Meh. When I was young the old people complained that everyone was wearing walkmans (with those metal band orange foam headphones lol). It's just old man shouting at cloud. And no, I don't want to talk to everyone. Piss off and leave me alone.

I also hate noise and I really love wearing my earbuds (I don't use Apple) with no audio but just the noise cancelling on when I'm on public transport or walking. Sometimes with nature sounds like rain if the coverage is not strong enough.

I never listen to podcasts by the way, I truly hate them. Same with youtube videos, I just don't have patience to consume content at someone else's pace.

Re: The AirPods Effect

#170

Post by wolvoleo » Fri, Jun 19, 2026, 9:49 AM UTC

Brajeshwar wrote: post #142

tptacek wrote: post #5

I don't remember any time in my life where it ever felt normal to me to randomly talk to strangers. I went to London when I was a teenager and was made uncomfortable by how chatty the cab drivers were. Later, I worked at a startup and my boss was preternaturally gifted at chatting up strangers, which he did habitually in every setting we were in when we traveled; on the plane, on the bus from the airport, &c. I remem…

I’ve strange news from the business world. That ability to talk to strangers and be conversational with various topics is actually making him a rather successful boss/business-person. Remember, not just talking, but the far better one is the ability to listen, and take genuine curiosity in the other person’s stories. I learned, and am still learning, to start with very subtle conversations in contextual proximity to…

I'm sure that's true but not everyone is cut out to be a "business-person". I certainly am not. Same with boss, I'm not a team player at all.

I don't mind small talk sometimes but there has to be some kind of common ground. For example with conservative family-first suit types I have nothing to talk about and it feels awkward to make conversation, but with the leather/mesh/blue hair alt/goth types I can talk for hors.