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jorisw 8 hours ago

> Where I live, in southwest Germany, AirPods are far less common.

FWIW I live in Amsterdam (also western Europe) and anyone in the streets under 50 is wearing them, myself included.

> 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.

My point being that their ubiquity doesn't have to mean people being rude or indifferent to eachother.

I think people have the right to choose comfort and focus, anywhere outside of a conversation with another person.

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wolvoleo 6 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Yeah I take them out too. The only exception is ear protectors (loops) which I wear in discoteques/parties. When I talk to people I don't usually take them out because I wear them for protection. If they notice I will explain and they don't mind.

In fact it's easier to hear them with those in anyway. I'm just very sensitive to sound and I have already damaged my hearing a bit when I was young.

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Hoodedcrow 8 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> > 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 ordering something in a coffeeshop - yeah, absolutely.

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jorisw 8 hours ago | parent [-]

> aren't really expected to talk

This is an assumption that I would interpret as rude if I were the cashier

	▲	elAhmo 7 hours ago \| parent [-]
		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.

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titanomachy 7 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

> I think people have the right to comfort and focus

Focus on what?

	▲	jorisw 7 hours ago \| parent [-]
		Kind of expected this question. For me, on my own thoughts, rather than other peoples' conversations.

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camillomiller 8 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

>> As a GenYer I find this rude and I'll take them out any time I interact with someone.

Interesting point. Airpods actually work great as hearing aids and I personally use that in loud environments, but I find myself cringing when I do because exactly of what you say. So maybe normalizing their use even when interacting is fine? Still, I can't shake off the idea that I'm not fully connected with you if I'm talking to you and I'm wearing something in my ears...

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jorisw 8 hours ago | parent [-]

Yeah, to me personally it just seems like treating the other person (e.g. a cashier or waiter) like a tool or utility rather than a human being. Even if your music is paused (which they can't know)

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danielbln 6 hours ago | parent [-]

Have you asked an actual cashier what they think? They handle hundreds of people every day, do you really think they consider it rude if people don't chat them up? You can smile and say hello and thank you with or without headphones. This once again seems like a cultural divide, as a German I'm happy if noone talks to me outside of smiles and hello/goodbye, this might be different in the anglosphere.

	▲	jorisw 6 hours ago \| parent [-]
		> chat them up You’re conflating intent to chat with the possibility to converse if needed