Why you should ditch your headphones
Headphones are such a modern disguise and method of dissociation - good and bad. Lets discuss
I have never owned a pair of bluetooth headphones, I’ve always been part of the team apple wired headphones. The beauty of this, in my opinion, is that I lose them often so I go through month-long stints without headphones. I’m currently in one of those stints which has lasted about two months.
My mum accidentally left my dad’s overhead bluetooth headphones at my place so I decided to give them a go, and understand why everyone at the gym wears these things over their heads.
I couldn’t believe how detached I felt from the world. You can’t hear a single thing besides the music! I wore them to the gym twice and realised that both times, my interactions in the gym were 0. I know many of you will be thinking, “Well I don’t go to the gym to talk to anyone.”
However, I’m speaking about those micro-interactions: the hi to the receptionist, asking someone if they’re using a machine, and actually being able to hear whether someone is talking to you. I can guarantee you no one will be approaching you whilst you are wearing those things.
You’re automatically decreasing your opportunity for interaction, which, whether you believe it or not, is part of the reason you are going to the gym. The gym mimics a central community space that our ancestors previously would have gathered in.
However, I noticed something different when I went to Lidl and waited in the queue for 15 minutes. I realised how nice it was that I couldn’t hear the loud chaos of rush hour Lidl. I realised that they do provide relief from the sensory overload of city life. All of us have different tolerance levels to busyness in town, but for any human, it becomes unbearable at a point.
Despite this, I believe that using these headphones constantly pulls us out of life. You are not experiencing the noises, the people, the world in the same way. You becomre more open to spontaneous conversations because you will begin to seek creating entertainment in different ways, ways that are more beneficial to you.
How much do we think dating culture would change if everyone sitting in a cafe didn’t have headphones on? It would be so much easier to speak to the girl/guy you think is cute! By wearing headphones, we are literally signalling: I’M UNAVAILABLE.
We must practice the skill of being comfortable listening to the chatter in our brain. The reason so many people are addicted to headphones is because they are avoiding this.
I totally understand - sometimes we need alone time, or want to dissociate a bit from the craziness. Or we just wanna jam to some good music or a great podcast. I also love doing this, but I think it’s something we’re all too good at.
I dare you to go to the gym/on a walk around town without headphones! See how different the experience is, and how much more integrated into the environment you are.
Would love to hear your opinions in the comments section below!
"The quieter you become, the more you can hear." — Ram Dass