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The freaking ear buds!!!!!

two fingers

two fingers

Opinionated blowhard. But not mad about it.
Inactive
Feb 7, 2005
33,959
116,685
55
Eastern NC USA
#1
OK, so I can't go into much of what I do. But I work around a lot of people. These people have to go into and out of a bunch of large buildings. They enter and exit from lots of doors and have to walk between buildings outside. There are lots of people who run the gamut of demographics. Old, young, short, tall, rich, poor, fat, thin, all races and genders.

And, almost to a person, they wander around with their heads down listening to ear buds! They even hide them in their clothing because they aren't supposed to be listening to anything at work. What in the crap are you people listening to that HAS to be listened to ALL the time?????

Fortunately, I don't have to park a mile away and ride a bus in like most employees. But for the first few days here I did (until I got my parking spot). Those first few days when I was riding the bus from the parking lot EVERY SINGLE PERSON (between 18 and 27 people...... I counted) was wearing ear buds and staring at their phones. NOBODY spoke. Some were in their 50s!

If you think technology is bring us together, you are sadly mistaken.

What brought this to a head was that I almost got plowed into by a (gorgeous) woman this morning. She walked in through an exterior door and never so much as looked up from her phone. She was listening to her ear buds and staring down while walking. After she said "Excuse me" and went around, she put her head right back down.

Then..... I looked up at the group of people who walked in right behind her. SEVEN people...... who were walking "together"..... were ALL listening to ear buds. Nobody was talking. Most were looking down.

Then....... I went outside to drive back here to my building. About 50 people were walking down the alley between buildings heading for the bus. All but SIX of them (I counted) were listening to EAR BUDS and had their heads down. (All six were older African American women...... don't know what that means but I found it interesting that they all fell into the same demographic.) Some people were even walking in pairs, but not speaking...... just listening to ear buds.

It was like I was on Candid Camera. I was standing there with the most perplexed look on my face gawking at these people.

Short version.

WHAT IN THE CRAP ARE YOU PEOPLE LISTENING TO THAT HAS TO BE LISTENED TO WHILE YOU ARE SURROUNDED BY CO-WORKERS?????? What do you have against human contact???? Why don't you TALK to people?????


(takes a breath)

Sorry. Rant over.
Woooooooosaaaaaah...... Woooooooooooosaaaaaaaaah........
wooooosah.gif





Seriously, take those things out and say "Good morning" to people. Smile at people. Hold doors for people. It would change the world.... I think.
 
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#3
Immigrant said:
Sheesh. That's a lot of writing just to express the hottie you bumped into is still on your mind.


But I agree with you. Did I say that outloud?
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Yeah, she was cute, albeit not relevant to the overall point. But you busted me on that part. :cool:

OK, I have started the day with a topic that @Immigrant and I agree on. It's gonna be a good day! Woohoo! :hyper:
 
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#6
Darth Handsome said:
Lol. Yeah. If I smile at someone its going to stop them from being a selfish arse.
Youd get about as much change in the world by punching them in the face.
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Soooooooooooooooo keep your head down, tune out the people around you and stay in your own little world. That's gonna help?

I totally disagree. If you were to exchange formalities, like we used to, and hold doors for each other, and actually start conversations with people, it would be a friendlier world. Now, I can totally see you are the kind of person who would answer "Hey bud, how's it going'?" with "Back up off me douchebag." But most of us would respond in kind.

:thumbsup:
 
#9
two fingers said:
Soooooooooooooooo keep your head down, tune out the people around you and stay in your own little world. That's gonna help?

I totally disagree. If you were to exchange formalities, like we used to, and hold doors for each other, and actually start conversations with people, it would be a friendlier world. Now, I can totally see you are the kind of person who would answer "Hey bud, how's it going'?" with "Back up off me douchebag." But most of us would respond in kind.

:thumbsup:
Click to expand...



You dont see as much as you think you do, bud.
For instance, youre no better than these people you're criticizing. But you think you are, which is but one of many flaws of this awesome species we belong to.
 
#12
Meh, people are mostly jerks anyway! Though they're all most likely listening to crap. I'm just a ray of freakin' sunshine today! :roflmao:
 
#14
Darth Handsome said:
You dont see as much as you think you do, bud.
For instance, youre no better than these people you're criticizing. But you think you are, which is but one of many flaws of this awesome species we belong to.
Click to expand...


I expressed confusion with regard to the habits of people around me. I never even implied that I am "better" than they are. I didn't even "criticize" them. I ASKED QUESTIONS as to what they are listening to that is so important. I did, however, imply that the whole mood around here might be friendlier if they were to pick their collective heads up and speak to each other.

Just how did you manage to add 2+2 and come up with 75? At what point did I put anyone down? I just reread my post. At no point did I imply any lack of intelligence, lack of decency, lack of character or anything even someone like you could misinterpret as degrading.

Please quote for me the line from my post that you were able to twist into something that implies my feelings of superiority. Thanks. :thumbsup:

And, while we're at it, please explain what you are able to see that I am unable to see. I never even drew any conclusions. I asked questions. I made observations. I so much as admitted that I am "unable to see" what drives people to behave in this manner. But, clearly, you are able to see it. Please, enlighten us.
 
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#16
two fingers said:
I expressed confusion with regard to the habits of people around me. I never even implied that I am "better" than they are. I didn't even "criticize" them. I ASKED QUESTIONS as to what they are listening to that is so important. I did, however, imply that the whole mood around here might be friendlier if they were to pick their collective heads up and speak to each other.

Just how did you manage to add 2+2 and come up with 75? At what point did I put anyone down? I just reread my post. At no point did I imply any lack of intelligence, lack of decency, lack of character or anything even someone like you could misinterpret as degrading.

Please quote for me the line from my post that you were able to twist into something that implies my feelings of superiority. Thanks. :thumbsup:

And, while we're at it, please explain what you are able to see that I am unable to see. I never even drew any conclusions. I asked questions. I made observations. I so much as admitted that I am "unable to see" what drives people to behave in this manner. But, clearly, you are able to see it. Please, enlighten us.
Click to expand...

I can't read all this because i have zero attention span & I just saw something shiny, but I assume you're pleading your case, to which I'll just say if a man doesn't know his own shortcomings, what does he know?
 

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