People that have an earbud in one ear while in conversation with someone, what are you listening to?

r/

People that have an earbud in one ear while in conversation with someone, what are you listening to?

Comments

  1. Sad-Opening-6531 Avatar

    Nothing just want to show I don’t really care what the person says. If I actually want to talk to you both earbuds come out.

  2. SirStuckey Avatar

    This only happens to me when I am at work. I listen to music, podcasts, youtube while on my job. I also take calls. I mostly work alone but sometimes people approach me to talk or I have to make very minor conversation with a person.

    If I leave it in I am either on the phone with someone at the same time or I have turned the music/podcast off. I usually take the bud out but sometimes I just leave it in.

  3. sylveeeonnn Avatar

    Sleep Token or K-pop

  4. becomingShay Avatar

    Sometimes music, if it’s a conversation I can have without giving 100% of myself to. I’ll let the music carry on and split my attention.

    Sometimes nothing, especially if 100% of my attention is needed. But from a sensory perspective having both ears taking in noise while a conversation needs my attention is going to be incredibly difficult. So the earphone stays to block noise out.

    Sometimes thunderstorms. Because they make me feel calm in my soul and an anxious mind isn’t helpful to anyone. So if I’m calm through the thunderstorm in my ear. I’m less likely to leak the anxiety of the storm in my mind.

    I’m never leaving one in to be rude.

  5. RadioMouse2 Avatar

    Anything but the person talking to me. 

  6. messageinthebox Avatar

    Anything but the person whom I’m having the conversation with.

  7. brokenmessiah Avatar

    Nothing and I’m probably annoyed someone is talking to me while I have a earbud in and was trying to listen to something.

  8. CommanderQball Avatar

    More than likely an audio drama

  9. Major_Ad9391 Avatar

    I always shut off the music im listening to if im having a conversation.

    Cant focus if theres a lot of noise around.

  10. UltimateFartingChamp Avatar

    “Goosfraba” on loop.

  11. Old_Afternoon6587 Avatar

    Enter Sandman by Metallica 24/7

  12. lastt_peckerr Avatar

    It’s usually that the person talking to me met me with my ear buds in

  13. Eiffel-Tower777 Avatar

    The person I’m conversing with

  14. lunarmothtarot Avatar

    The Weeknd probably

  15. aurora_ethereallight Avatar

    Personally I wouldn’t be listening to anything else. If someone is talking to me, that is my priority, so any music will be on pause. I’d usually take the earbud out as additional sign of respect.

  16. Katolu Avatar

    Tinnitus simulator vol.3.

  17. JayLFRodger Avatar

    Google translation coz I’m a nosy fucker

  18. Basic-Service4973 Avatar

    honestly, i would remove the earbud if i’m having a conversation, that’s a bit rude

  19. Ill-Confidence-5252 Avatar

    Music

    Its the only thing keeps my senses calm

  20. ElderberryMaster4694 Avatar

    Ambient chill music cuz yer stressing me out

  21. KathyWithAK Avatar

    Usually talk radio. It’s background noise while I do IT work, nothing more.

  22. OneDifferent1020 Avatar

    Heavy metal and I am not paying attention to the person speaking

  23. daddysgirl09_12 Avatar

    Finally, nothing 🤣

  24. BBMcBeadle Avatar

    Anything that will keep the overworked and stressed side of my brain occupied so the other part of my brain can get work done.

  25. tinyaches Avatar

    i guess mostly because we have so much calls in a day that pick up the call without earbuds would be wasting time cause we can’t work only with 1 hand, instead if we standby the earbuds we can do the work and do the email, do the call and do the email/ texting back the work related.

  26. squarebe Avatar

    noise cancelling.

  27. Top5607 Avatar

    Murder podcasts

  28. WoodpeckerGloomy8159 Avatar

    Usually a podcast or music.

  29. ColorsOfTheCurrents Avatar

    Audiobook. Litrpg , maybe some creepypasta. Possibly end of the world zombie survival stuff.

  30. Birdy8588 Avatar

    Mostly I’m not listening to anything tbh.

    I’ve been listening to something before and I’m going to listen to something afterwards and can’t be bothered to take both out is all.

  31. _stayhydrated Avatar

    I do this when I pause what I’m listening to for a short conversation, with the intention to go back to listening soon. 

  32. Azula-the-firelord Avatar

    “Entry Of The Gladiators, duh, if I’m listening to YOU.”

  33. Naejakire Avatar

    Nothing lol.. Do people not pause when someome talks to them? I wouldn’t be able to hear

  34. Rumple_Frumpkins Avatar

    Nothing. I pretty much have a earbud in 50% of the day but usually it’s because I was listening to something earlier, finished listening, and forgot I had it in my ear.

  35. Attaraxxxia Avatar

    Digitized 1970’s stag tapes, usually.

  36. DiezDedos Avatar

    Music or a podcast. That gets paused during the conversation, then resumes after

  37. _The_Cracken_ Avatar

    I’m listening to the music I was listening to before you started talking to me.

  38. WhoopsyDasieyBaby Avatar

    Depends. If I care about you, nothing. I always pause whatever I’m listening to.

    If I don’t like you/ care about you, music or audio books.

  39. Sea_Appointment8408 Avatar

    I’m pretending to be FBI Director Gordon Cole.

  40. Zergazoid Avatar

    People who cross the street with earbuds in and never look up at traffic, why? Do you have a death wish or something?

  41. and_you_were_there Avatar

    I do it at work – this is only if I’m listening to a training session and making sure I don’t miss a polling question

  42. DaleTechHomeSecurity Avatar

    Person in a van parked around the block analyzing everything you say and relaying talking points back to me.

  43. sheik- Avatar

    nothing, I literally forget it’s there

  44. daleg77 Avatar

    I need music to focus, including on socialization and conversation. Helps keep me calmer too. It’s either I choose what I listen to or my head will pick something at random.

  45. keshiagonzalez Avatar

    I stop my book to listen to the person talking… so a book. Usually Always a book!

  46. StepCornBrother Avatar

    Usually nothing unless I’m scrolling reels on my phone. No one has to hear about my goth dommy mommy obsession

  47. YordleJay Avatar

    Music, podcasts, old YouTube videos. Just noise, it helps drown out my tinnitus.

  48. Gungirlyuna Avatar

    Nothing – sometimes I just walk out without my AirPods case so there’s no place else to put it except for my ear

  49. Open-Background-1764 Avatar

    I mean, I listen to audiobooks. But I always pause if someone’s talking to me.

  50. bonafidehustlerr Avatar

    Nothing is playing. I always have one AirPod in because I’m usually driving/on a phone call

  51. blurryintent Avatar

    i used to do this, it was youtube playlist of things i want to learn or memorize

  52. cocainecirce Avatar

    I often have one earbud in my ear at a time, listening to audiobooks or a podcast. I wear one at a time to save on battery life. If I’m talking to somebody, I have pressed the button to turn off the earbud, and I am listening to the person with whom I am speaking.

  53. Drake_Cloans Avatar

    Whatever music I was in the mood for. I keep it at a low-medium volume so I can hear what’s going on around me.

  54. CaliforniaPotato Avatar

    When having a conversation i’ll just turn off the earbuds or pause what im listening to. Like one time i forgot my earbud case in the car so i just kept them in my ears cuz i didn’t have pockets lmfao

  55. Jerking_From_Home Avatar

    Unfortunately, the other person.

  56. Mammoth-Talk1531 Avatar

    Brazilian fart porn.

  57. Dreaming_of_u_2257 Avatar

    I wear a toque that has speakers in it ..most don’t know it has that ..I listen to music or podcasts

  58. F1eshWound Avatar

    Honestly I can’t stand it when people wear earphones in the lab..

  59. Linvaderdespace Avatar

    I’m probably waiting for a call.

  60. wtfisurmalfunction Avatar

    My boyfriend has really bad ADD and he does this. He will be playing a video game, listening to something you YouTube and then when I talk to him it’s “huh?” Drives me insane

  61. itschrishansen69 Avatar

    I enjoy the noise cancellation while listening to nothing.

  62. Informal_Holiday_145 Avatar

    10 hours of silence occasionally broken by metal pipe sfx

  63. juschillingchick Avatar

    I don’t take mine out if it was already in, and I don’t plan on a long conversation but I do pause whatever I am listening too if needed. That let’s someone know I am paying attention.

  64. Ambitious-Two-253 Avatar

    I work in security and wear an ear piece all the time so a lot of the time I’m listening to conversations over the radio.

  65. a-tisket_a-tasket Avatar

    Music. I get overstimulated easily, and it’s easier for me to be in a large group if one ear has something drowning out some of the noise. I’m still fully there, listening, and partaking. I started using an earbud at work in 2020 and realized how much easier doing things and interacting was.

  66. dogshatethunder Avatar

    I paused whatever I’m listening to by tapping the bud I removed. If it’s a proper conversation, I’ll remove both. If it’s a colleague asking a question or saying hi, I’ll leave in. I’m not listening to anything while I’m talking to you.

  67. Rich-Contribution-84 Avatar

    There are two situations when I do this:

    1. I’m in a zoom meeting but need some type of situational awareness. Prime example: yesterday I had a 3:00 zoom meeting and a 4:00 flight. The flight boarded about the time the zoom call ended so I wanted to listen for when the gate agent started calling people to board so that I could tell the other folks in the meeting that I’d need to end the call soon. I do this as little as possible though. I’m not a fan of having meetings in public. But sometimes I just can’t do anything about it.

    2. I usually use one earbud when I run. I like listening to music on a run but I also want to hear of a car is coming or if someone is trying to yell something at me as I pass by, etc.

    I’m sure the answer varies across the entire world of people who sometimes have in one ear bud though,

  68. slingbladde Avatar

    Qotsa..tool..soad..rage..no i don’t have a smoke..pantera…megadeth..fucking dog shit everywhere

  69. Rxckless92 Avatar

    To them. I pause whatever it is I’m listening to.

  70. NickBerlin Avatar

    Working a stocking job, usually comedy podcasts to keep my spirits up from retail or just music on shuffle.

  71. Ella_D08 Avatar

    I usually pause music when I meet someone bc I want to speak to them. But I only ever have 1 in.

  72. at1991 Avatar

    sirius xm all day everyday podcast. radio Andy Monday through Friday

  73. HiddenHolding Avatar

    I take giant over-the-ear headphones to the bar with me when I want to just be out but also watch some TV. Sometimes people get really angry about it.

  74. PastaMakerFullOfBean Avatar

    Usually my music is paused if I’m talking to someone. I get sensory overload really easily in public and music helps so 95% of the time I’m out of the house I have an earbud in. Only reason I don’t take it out when talking is it’s an over-the-ear Bluetooth one so it’s kind of a pain in the ass for me to take out every time I need to stop and talk to someone. Easier to just press pause.

  75. BloodhoundGang_Sucks Avatar

    Steve Martin is talking to me telling me what to say

  76. leonprimrose Avatar

    at work i often have earbuds in both ears at all times. I can turn on or off active noose canceling and it helps me hear a bit when I turn it off. When I’m working I’m either listening to youtube or an audiobook but not always. Sometimes, I’m not listening to anything and just keep them in in case i want to listen to something and to make it not always entirely clearly when I can hear the people around me. Or if i dont want to hear people, when i have noise canceling on. But when I’m talking to someone with them in I’m not listening to anything

  77. criscrunk Avatar

    Pull one earbud out, it stops whatever is playing. If conversation is going to be long I take both out.

  78. rotatingmonster Avatar

    Instructions on what to say next

  79. sootpuffzy Avatar

    It’s an AirPod set to noise cancel so I can actually hear what the person talking to me is saying over the sounds of the environment

  80. WhiskyAndWitchcraft Avatar

    Nothing while I’m talking to you. I have one in so that I can listen to stuff, but also have a free ear to hear if someone is trying to get my attention. If someone does, I turn it off so that we can talk.

  81. Ileokei Avatar

    Mine are always in. I don’t even feel them anymore so I don’t think to remove them

  82. DaRealMcQueen Avatar

    Listening for NOTIFICATIONS.

    Even if you have your phone volume turned up all the way(which I never do) it can sometimes be hard to hear your phone. I don’t take out my AirPods for conversations ever unless I’m wearing my noise cancelling ones.

    Also depending on the fit/your ear shape you forget they’re in.

  83. moving0target Avatar

    If it’s an i tended conversation, my earbuds are already out. If I’m in the grocery store, I’m not going out of my way to engage with fellow consumers. I want out. NOW. Hopefully, an earbud is a sign that I’m not interested in shooting the breeze. I still take it out when I interact with store staff. I’m introverted and in a hurry, but I’m not going to be rude to someone else stuck in the grind.

  84. Fine-Artichoke-7485 Avatar

    Usually Podcasts. Love that Candace Owens

  85. roger_mayne Avatar

    My right ear don’t work too well so I always leave a bud in just because I can’t hear anyways. So: beats me!

  86. Moosholanut Avatar

    Guilty as charged! I routinely put one in when shopping so I’ll hear any text messages as well as calls. If I happen to see someone I know I can have a conversation with them and ignore any incoming messages or calls until later.

  87. No_Nectarine6942 Avatar

    My fbi agent reminding me what not to say.

  88. Richard_Nachos Avatar

    World Record Podcast or The Corndown with Dragonmere.

  89. gaybatman75-6 Avatar

    The meeting I’m on that someone is interrupting

  90. regnarbensin_ Avatar

    The only time I ever have earbuds in around someone I know is usually in the airport at the end of a long international trip with my best friend when we’re exhausted and fed up with each other’s shit.

    I don’t get why this is a regular thing amongst friends and couples nowadays in the mall, on the street, in restaurants, etc. You just look like you don’t like each other and it’s kind of sad.

    Hell, I was flying somewhere a few years ago and smiled at a cute girl at the gate when out of nowhere, some guy who’d been standing off to the side wearing AirPods for the last half hour quickly came over and put his arm around her. They continued to not speak or even acknowledge each other until boarding.

  91. emsnu1995 Avatar

    Nothing I’m autistic it’s for noise canceling.

  92. Stegles Avatar

    Nothing, when I talk to someone face to face I pause what ever I have on, otherwise it’s rude to both the person in front of you and the person on the call if there is one.

    Usually I have one ear bud in so I can hear notifications on my phone and that’s all, I’m not talking Facebook updates I mean messages from my family, colleagues, reminders etc (I use my calendars heavily)

  93. nocolon Avatar

    Dogs barking jingle bells.

  94. Spitdecision-548 Avatar

    Joe Rogan experience

  95. 2JDestroBot Avatar

    Probably nothing because I’m holding the other one and paused the music

  96. shebabbleslikeaidiot Avatar

    Always music. If someone starts talking to me while I have one in, I take it out because I know I won’t be paying attention to what ever they have to say.

  97. Snickle_fritz86 Avatar

    Nothing. Whatever I’m listening to auto pauses as soon as one earbud is removed.

    This only ever happens to me at the gym though, so I was listening to music before they interrupted me.

  98. StinkyBalloon Avatar

    Classical music. But even then my earbuds have talk through so I can hear everything going on around me

  99. Remote_Bumblebee2240 Avatar

    Usually nothing. Sometimes the world is too noisy and the ear buds muffle it just a little.

    If it IS actually playing something, it’s probably music at a really low volume. Unless it’s in public and then I’m just trying to ignore people.

  100. Morningtide99 Avatar

    Anything and everything. Music. Podcast. Audiobook. I don’t specifically put an earbud in for conversations (what a power move that would be though lol), so it’s just whatever was going before the person approached me to talk

  101. Mrbrewski99 Avatar

    As someone who works daily with one or both in; i pause anything I’m listening to. I haven’t been diagnosed with ADHD but let me tell you…i’ll get sidetracked VERY easily if i didn’t.

  102. QuestionablePanda22 Avatar

    Chumbawamba – tubthumping probably

  103. Charming-Elk-6139 Avatar

    nothing, i pause what im playing but if the earbuds in a comfortable spot i’m not gonna take it out and try to find it again

  104. ohyeahwell Avatar

    Nothing, or NPR. I mostly leave my AirPod in so I can get siri to remind me to/set an alarm/text so and so, etc

  105. Timmyg14 Avatar

    The sound of their own self importance? I mean fuck you can’t be bothered to give someone talking to you your full attention? It’s so inconsiderate but I shouldn’t be surprised the lack of consideration for others in society is at an all time high.

    People literally care about themselves and themselves only. Example we’ve all seen; driver in the right lane realizes they need to make a left turn. Rather than drive one block down the road and back track let me just go ahead and throw my blinker on and hold up several lanes of traffic so we can all wait for my mistake.

  106. Pink-nPeachy Avatar

    Probably just something calming as background noise, maybe even a YouTube video🙂

  107. TallEnoughJones Avatar

    His name is Cyrano, you wouldn’t know him. He goes to another school.

  108. IAm5toned Avatar

    Sal, Murr, and Q

  109. TheKozmikSkwid Avatar

    Having ADHD weirdly I’m able to follow conversations easier if I have an earbud in…mainly due to constantly asking people to repeat themselves. It really helps 😂

  110. AccomplishedTie4703 Avatar

    Trash talking podcasts

  111. QueasyKaleidoscope99 Avatar

    Maybe so they don’t miss a phone call?

  112. ducksauz Avatar
  113. SgtMcMuffin0 Avatar

    Nothing because I paused it when the conversation started but I don’t want to take the earbud out every time someone walks over to my desk

  114. HalfPriceFrogs Avatar

    The aliens on the mothership telling me what to say so I don’t blow my cover

  115. SeedCollectorGrower Avatar

    Usually a podcast and i just tune it out until its unbearable to talk and listen same time

  116. Quack_Candle Avatar

    I’ve seen Primer so assume they recorded the conversation in a time loop and are trying to manipulate me into not resetting the timeline

  117. ThatGuyOverThere2013 Avatar

    Back when I used to do it, I was typically listening to a podcast but I wanted to keep one ear open so I could be aware of my environment. Since switching to a bone conduction headset I can listen with both ears to a podcast and my surroundings. If I’m in a conversation with someone, I can either switch my attention to them or pause the podcast to give my full attention. I’ve had complete conversations while my podcast continued to play in the background, then rewound my podcast after the conversation ended.

  118. k_dilluh Avatar

    Everyone where i work has them in, I do only one at a time, usually a podcast on murder, the occult. Or a cult (99% of the time its Last Podcast on the Left, My Favorite Murder, or Red Handed).

  119. Igottapoopnow Avatar

    Im a supervisor at my shop. I intentionally wear them to try to deter my employees from the inevitable dumb questions about things they already know how to do.

  120. maniacreturns Avatar

    People with earbuds in are already telling you how much they want to listen to other people. Stop being so annoying!

  121. Pac_Eddy Avatar

    People who talk at me while I’m wearing noise cancelling over the ear headphones as I’m typing on my computer, do you think I know you’re there?

  122. Ditsumoao96 Avatar

    It’s probably paused so I can hear.

  123. disenfranchisedchild Avatar

    I’ve got a book paused until we finish the conversation.

  124. i_stealursnackz Avatar

    Either a playlist, one specific song on loop, or my favorite part of a song that I’ve specifically cut from a song to listen to by itself which the pitch possibly altered in some way.

    I’ll still hold the conversation with whoever’s talking to me, I just don’t feel like turning off the music.

  125. oexto Avatar

    Waiting for the “go” order to be given.

  126. baywchrome Avatar

    With airpods your music/podcast will pause if you take one bud out. So if people approach me to talk to me while I am listening to something I will take one out to talk to them rather than fumble for my phone to pause it myself.

  127. PhantomPainWalker Avatar

    Either music or the baseball game.

  128. DisplayFamiliar5023 Avatar

    Anyone do this to numb their anxiety that comes up in every move you make?

  129. Conscious-Exit-2836 Avatar

    I usually only have one in so I can hear my surroundings (if my names being called, overhearing conversations (i pause it)). If I’m conversing with someone I take it out because for whatever reason it’s like I can’t hear them properly even if they’re talking to my open ear. My hearing on its own is fine btw

    Usually it when ppl wanted to converse with me while I had a headphone in it was at my old job and I would be listening to either a true crime podcast or “my dad wrote a porno” 😂

  130. Deathed_Potato Avatar

    When you walk up on a job site and here “hey siri pause” before you get to the guy your about to talk to.

  131. nigelofthornton Avatar

    None of your business , that’s why it’s one my earbud

  132. Ok_Ad_9188 Avatar

    My buddy in the bushes telling me what to say to appear like a regular person able to make normal conversation

  133. Ok_Ad_9188 Avatar

    My buddy in the bushes telling me what to say to appear like a regular person able to make normal conversation

  134. TrumpLovesEpstein4ev Avatar

    Nothing. I paused my podcast and just have one bud in because I don’t wanna put them in my pocket.

    My buds are connected to each other btw.

  135. lldumbcloudsll Avatar

    Mines in transparency mode so. If you start talking it stops so I can listen to you.

  136. Perfect11Bunny Avatar

    Nothing actually. I keep it in because I work at a coffee shop and we’re required to be ready for drive thru headset calls. Kind of forgot it was there while on my break to be honest.

  137. hegzurtop Avatar

    Usually nothing because Airpods will automatically pause my music whenever I take one out to listen to someone