I’m going to have to wear my AirPods more in the coming weeks, and I’m worried about it, to be honest.
I’m going to be testing out the Hearing Aid feature on the AirPods Pro 2 – partly because I’m interested in whether it will work, but also to make sure we’ve got a good baseline ahead of the impending AirPods Pro 3 launch, which could well be in September with the unveil of the new iPhone 17 (and the far more exciting iPhone 17 Air).
The reason I’m nervous is I feel like wearing headphones when interacting with real people just feels… rude.
Now, I appreciate that this is clearly me entering my ‘Old Man Yells At Cloud’ phase, where I denigrate all the youngsters with their incessant use of wireless earbuds.
But at Apple’s WWDC event earlier this month, one of the things announced was a new ability for AirPods to be used for ‘studio quality’ voice recording for content creators, using algorithms to improve the sound going into the microphones to such an extent that they could replace ‘proper’ microphones.
The thing I couldn’t shake is the notion of someone wanting to appear on video wearing these.
For me, I felt like it felt like they weren’t ‘present’, that there was something blocking our connection, even a virtual one. I’ve had to use AirPods on video in a pinch, and the more overt nature of their presence, the little white nuggets protruding from my ears, made me feel like I was drawing focus from my (obviously excellent) words.
I feel self conscious wearing headphones around the house when my family are in, even if I’m doing chores and not speaking to anyone (and I only wear one, so I can hear if someone needs me – even still, it feels wrong).
And the other day I wore them when ordering a coffee – even with transparency mode on, so I could hear the outside world fully (and Apple’s mode is brilliant for this), I still felt self conscious.
So how am I going to wear them for extended periods of time without feeling the daggers of a thousand eyes for my rudeness?
A change in perception
One thing I really want to make clear: we should not vilify people for wearing headphones, as there are multiple health and wellness reasons that someone might choose to wear a set of wireless headphones (which is part of the reason for my upcoming test).
Some people need to diminish sensory overload, to protect their hearing by using the inbuilt microphones or using their AirPods as a hearing aid.
The kindest thing we can all do, if we don’t know the person, is assume that there’s a reason for their presence.
Also, while there might be societal disapproval over people wearing headphones throughout the day, there are benefits of regular use.
A recent study of medical students in India showed that those that used Bluetooth earbuds daily were less prone to auditory problems than those that use them less frequently – potentially due to blocking out ambient noise that may otherwise cause damage.
(The same study also found that those that didn’t clean their headphones regularly are more at risk of developing hearing problems – a good reminder to us all that a regular wipe is a great idea…)
However, wireless earbuds have crossed the tipping point and are often used as a signifier of cultural status as much as anything else (and AirPods are the poster child for this, as this incredible listing for a faux headphone ear piece should remind us).
Does that mean my worries over how I’ll be perceived should be lessened, given the legitimacy to be used in more situations?
Are you connected?
It’s not just AirPods that create this issue – although they’re by far the most popular wireless earbuds around – but all noise cancelling in-ear headphones.
Their presence can signify a ‘do not disturb’ message to the rest of the world, and I find it incredible that people now find it acceptable to wear them in offices where regular face-to-face communication is needed.
I remember receiving a reprimand for wearing headphones in the office 20 years ago, even though it was a noisy environment and I needed to concentrate to get some articles done. While I’m glad noise-cancelling headphones have become acceptable, and even promoted as wellness tools, I do understand the resistance that I met that day.
To my mind, someone wearing earbuds when walking around a working environment gives the impression the person isn’t bothered about the people they’re with.
A few years ago, psychologist Jim Taylor wrote a powerful piece where he highlighted how “earbuds prevent us from being mindful of our internal experiences” – and that’s equally true today.
He spoke about the loss of boredom, where we cram every moment with stimulus because, well, we now can – and that really resonated with me. Life as a parent is a juggle, so sneaking in a few minutes of a podcast while making dinner or walking to the bus feels like a smart use of time… but actually, it stops us from looking up.
It’s not like younger generations aren’t aware of this – in a recent survey at Algonquin Regional High School, 58% of respondents agreed that wearing wireless earbuds made them less socially connected, using the wireless technology to listen to music or drown out hallway noise – but 26% did it to avoid having to talk to people.
The buzzphrases of ‘digital mindfulness’ or ‘digital detox’ may have been bandied around so much at the moment that they don’t necessarily hold as much weight as they once did.
But there is plenty of evidence to show that even just using one’s smartphone when in the presence of others dramatically affects the chances of an emotional connection – adding a headphone into the mix will only further that divide.
Listening to myself
Ahead of this upcoming test, I already feel like I’m wearing my headphones too much.
Not from a hearing loss point of view (I’ve been using sound limiters for years for this very reason, although I still am conscious that I’m piping music right into my head, and that feels a little risky somehow) but just from a sense of being disconnected.
I get so scared of losing them (I’m terrible for stuffing them in pockets and forgetting where) so they just sit in.
But what am I missing? Little conversations around me that might spark ideas? Am I becoming too used to being insular that I’ll become more easily aggrieved by noise?
Will that be improved by having sound piped through into my ears so I can have conversations using the AirPods as hearing aids, or will I just be tempted by the chance to cancel the world out and go full noise cancellation more regularly?
Even writing this piece, I was wearing a pair of AirPods Pro 2 as I enjoyed the peace the noise cancelling gave me – so I removed them to feel what the sounds were like, suddenly aware of the variety of music, conversations and ambient noise that rolled around me.
I’m not advocating for not owning a pair of high-quality headphones. Precisely the opposite, as leaning back and listening to lossless music or a riveting podcast on a run is a real treat, and the noise cancelling in the AirPods Pro 2 is so good I’ve advocated them to many iPhone users. They’re a real upgrade.
But I don’t want to wear them too much – both from a psychological standpoint, but also the societal impact. I can already tell that I’m going to be declaring up front that I’m wearing them to help with my hearing, but equally that might lead to more conversations…
I guess I’m just going to have to practice saying ‘Hello, these are for hearing loss, how are you? Yes, I’d like a double frappuccino please…’
