Headphones decrease human interaction
02/20/2009
Uncategorized
Wearing headphones prevents one from enjoying the company of others. (See end of article for photo credit.)
All across campus you see them: students walking from class to class with headphones firmly stuck in their ears, oblivious to the world and entranced in the music they are listening to.
I love listening to music as much as the next person, but what are the repercussions of constantly having headphones on?
I have noticed that this headphone-wearing dramatically reduces human interaction. People just do not meet new people any more. When you are cut off from the world with music blaring in your ears, you don’t notice others that might be interested in having a conversation or just making small talk.
I wonder what it was like before iPods and other MP3 players. Did people in those days still walk around fearing to even make eye contact with one another?
So I issue readers a challenge: try for just one day to not put your headphones on as you walk between classes or to your cars.
Instead of music in your ears, use your other senses to interact with those around you; even if it is just a casual hello. You may be quite surprised when you meet new people and have interesting conversations with them. Even if it is just receiving a smile and a hello back from someone who is having a bad day and really needed some human kindness.
Photo credit: m00by c/o Flickr.com. CC-BY license.