Situational

 

For some odd reason, poorly understood even by me, I prefer my music listening either on speakers or on a single ear bud with stereo into monoaural.   I do listen on headphones or stereo earbuds when I am in the apartment and the door is closed, but if there is any interaction at all with the outside world needed, I want my hearing available as an input.

I think that it primarily has to do with situational awareness.  Paranoia might be a better word for it by those of you feeling less charitable.  I especially don't like the standard fare among folk of, while in public or in a public transport, of putting on earbuds and staring at the tiny screen of a cell phone.  

I guess that what one is trying to do in these moments is the creation of a bubble where the irritating, uncontrollable world out there is reduced and replaced with a similacrum.  Watching a TV show with the headphones on might be our reality's version of the "Matrix".

It's too bad.  Even travelling on the streetcar there are infinitely more interesting things out there outside of the LED screen and the headphones.  They don't fit the hackneyed, pre-processed and simplified story lines of mass media.  But ain't that the point?  Having the information world at you fingertips is a potential entry into a dreamland.  I guess that I am content with this dirty, noisy, and complex world.