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The AirPods Effect

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Re: The AirPods Effect

#151

Post by gspr »

> They keep them in while ordering and paying for things in stores and supermarkets.

This hit me. I often use headphones during chores, including going grocery shopping. I love human interaction, but not while pickings things into my shopping basket. For years I'd also leave them in when paying (audio paused, of course). It took a cashier tell me I was being rude before I realized. She was absolutely right, of course. I do make an effort to visibly remove my headphones when expecting human interaction now. A big thanks to that cashier, and my apologies!

Re: The AirPods Effect

#152

Post by GJim »

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.

> Talking to strangers is a skill. You can practice it!

This is HN mate!

You need to design an app so people can practice it. (Alternately, rant something about "pick up artists").

Re: The AirPods Effect

#153

Post by parodysbird »

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 that's exactly why I love walking so much more than sitting. Having earbuds or using my phone at the same time for me is certainly nothing like being intoxicated while walking. It's important to not project one's experience as how it must also be for everyone else.

Re: The AirPods Effect

#154

Post by GJim »

steve1977 wrote: post #140
norome wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just pretend I haven't noticed they have earbuds in and start talking to them. Virtually everyone seems happy to have an interaction, I get the feeling people are a bit starved for random friendly contact.

I would get very irritated by such behavior. One reason I wear earbuds is to signal that I don't want to get talked to.

Have you tried simply telling people you don't want to talk?

"Sorry mate, I'm reading" is hardly difficult.

Re: The AirPods Effect

#155

Post by microtonal »

alberth wrote: post #96
yesitcan wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You forgot to mention the part where this happened recently. You’ll habituate soon and forget about it. Source: got bad tinnitus from motorcycling, became depressed with suicidal ideation and then got over it.

Happened 4-years ago. I still notice it every night at bed. Or anytime it’s quiet. I try not to think about it, because I feel like it gets amplified when I do. But it’s daily for the last 4-years :( Hope you’re ok now. Please see someone if you’re not.

I know that these things can be bad, but it gets better. I have had some form of tinnitus since I was a kid. I never realized this until I talked to my wife one day and she says that no, she doesn't have a persistent beep that she can tune into.

It may have been caught be ear infections when I was a kid. I also had eardrum tubes as a kid, twice.

I don't notice it during the day or at night, though I can tune into it (like, when typing this I hear it). It's only more noticeable when I'm very tired or have a fever.

I think the brain learns to ignore/block the signal, similar to how you can be aware of breathing or hearing your heart beat, but you don't hear it all day because your brain will just not attend to it.

Re: The AirPods Effect

#156

Post by steve1977 »

GJim wrote: post #154
steve1977 wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would get very irritated by such behavior. One reason I wear earbuds is to signal that I don't want to get talked to.

Have you tried simply telling people you don't want to talk? "Sorry mate, I'm reading" is hardly difficult.

Why would you initiate talk with me in the first place, when we're in a situation where I have not explicitly chosen contact with you? (say on a train)

Also reading something would be a clear signal (also to me) that a person doesn't want to get disturbed.

When I have to tell you that I don't want to talk, you have already disturbed me. So, taking the cues here clearly is on you, not on me, at least in my opinion.

Edit: To clarify a bit, I'm talking about places with involuntary social contact, like for example a train or a grocery store. I go on a train because I have to get somewhere, not because I want to interact with people. It would be a different scenario say in a bar.

Re: The AirPods Effect

#158

Post by microtonal »

alberth wrote: post #69

Tinnitus I swear my tinnitus is a result of use of AirPods. I never wore any type of earphones ever. Then started using AirPods for calls, during workouts or on a plane. A year later I developed tinnitus and the only thing that changed in my life was wearing AirPods. I’m no doctor, and who knows what caused my tinnitus. But it’s irreversible. I constantly hear a humming ring now and it’s super distracting, especially…

I swear my tinnitus is a result of use of AirPods.

This comes up every now and then, similarly people say it is caused by noise cancellation. I have looked into this once out of interest, but there doesn't seem to be much scientific evidence for this. Unless you put them at a far too loud volume of course (or presumably block your ear canal all the time and it causes infections).

A high percentage of the western population switched to noise cancelling headphones and earbuds the last ten years or so. There is also a base rate of developing tinnitus in the population. So, it is more likely to just be a coincidence.

Re: The AirPods Effect

#159

Post by basisword »

shevis wrote: post #8

> Heavy headphone use makes people feel lonelier, the survey found. Correlation for sure, I’m less sure about causation though. It seems equally likely to me that other factors are driving increased social anxiety/isolation which in turn drives people to wear headphones to avoid social interactions.

>> It seems equally likely to me that other factors are driving increased social anxiety

Social anxiety thrives on avoidance. It's a feedback loop. So likely it's correlation + causation. Your anxious so you wear the headphones to block out the world which only breeds more anxiety.

Re: The AirPods Effect

#160

Post by saagarjha »

HDBaseT wrote: post #80
inigyou wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

because it has other people on it? personally I find that sitting down and getting passively carried near to my destination is way less stressful than paying attention to the road that whole time - not to mention finding parking. You don't end up exactly at your destination, but a little bit of walking is good for you. Assuming you live in a locale with a reasonably efficient system. I've heard some horror stories ab…

I've never caught a train nor a bus in my life and intend to never do so. I value my privacy and don't want to get stabbed or sit on a chair where someone has pissed all over.

Don't knock it until you've tried it.
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