alt Hacker NewsI just pretend I haven't noticed they have earbuds in and start talking to them. Virtually everyone seems happy to have an interaction, I get the feeling people are a bit starved for random friendly contact.
Replies
jnovek • today at 12:03 PM
> Virtually everyone seems happy to have an interaction
If a stranger bothers me while I have my headphones on I may act friendly and polite, but I am actually very irritated.
steve1977 • today at 8:55 AM
I would get very irritated by such behavior. One reason I wear earbuds is to signal that I don't want to get talked to.
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rimliu • today at 10:07 AM
So you are bad at reading signs. And that "seems happy" may be just "are too polite to punch you".
I don't wear AirPods/headphones of any sort in public but I don't like talking to strangers while out and about and get very uncomfortable since it's almost always someone trying to get something from me.
But every time someone does randomly talk to me, I smile and laugh and I'm very cordial. Because people who approach strangers generally get quite angry when they're outright shot down. That doesn't at all mean I'm happy to talk. A smile is often just a defensive response.