An Argument for the Earbud Generation

The blanched wires protruding from the ears of the 90s generation perforate the sidewalks, classrooms and dinner tables across the country. Until recently, I have found the earbuds and their agent Mp3 players to be used excessively in public arenas. It has been brought to my sudden and alarming attention that the earbuds and the music they transfer may in fact be brining more humanity into the user than the dull social environments they are intruding into.

This is not to say that listening to your iPod during a family get together or in the middle of class is okay; it is rather a defense of why one might want to do so. It seems that the emotional response to one's music selection is far more enlivening than the superficial conversations on sidewalks everywhere. When walking across campus, I usually pick up on last nights debauchery and sexual explorations, or the chatter of who dissed who on whatever town is being featured in the wealthy annoying housewives genre. Yet, while walking across campus with my earbuds inserted, I was far less annoyed, excited by the tones ringing in my ears (an actual emotional response!!!), and was more keen to the wind and sun and how they enhanced my listening experience. Yes, I had a very hippie moment.

So when we encounter those who we feel are anti-social, perhaps they are instead anti-our societal dullness and are instead searching for real emotions, real connection, real humanity. Give the earbud generation a break.