Subway Beats: Turn Down That Racket!
There was quite a bit of drama on my subway ride this morning between a young businesswoman and an older lady. The two got into a tiff regarding the volume of the young woman's iPod, which was distracting the older lady from her book.
At first, the older lady asked the young woman to turn her music down. The young woman graciously complied, but this wasn't enough for the older lady. She used the opportunity to launch into a lecture.
Bookworm: You really shouldn't advertise your music like that, it's rude and distracting.
iPod Abuser: Listen, I turned it off, I don't know what else I can do for you.
Bookworm: They outlawed boomboxes for a reason.
iPod Abuser: This ain't a library, bitch!
As absurd as the older lady's actions were, her claim raises an important question. Should people be able to listen to their music at whatever volume they want?
Comments
it's all about the headphones! the standard white ipod headphones suck make it easier for others to hear what you're listening to, since you generally have to bump it higher to cancel out other subway sounds. get some real in-ears and have music seem super loud (to you, not others) while still remaining at a comfortable level!
I gotta side with the bookworm lady on this end. I'm all for freedom of hearing damage, but there is also the issue of courtesy in public spaces. The worst is when there are multiple offenders in the same car and you get a collision of salsa, hip hop and rock mashing it a single sound of Mess. Granted, the subway is never going to be quiet and I'm not expecting the library (that whole exchange would be an excellent overheard!), but it's annoying. Especially when I listen to my tunes at a sensible level and can still overhear someone else's music above mine.
And, there is always that tinnitus issue. I have it from years of band practice and show attending (why I listen to my tunes at lower levels). I worry that a lot of folks are doing serious damage to their ears and will very much regret it later in life when they also have constant ringing or hearing loss.