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Is it rude to keep your earbuds in while talking to someone if you can hear them just fine?

Is it rude to keep your earbuds in while having a conversation?

  • Yes

    Votes: 423 77.2%

  • No

    Votes: 125 22.8%
  • Total voters
    548
Orb

Orb

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
9,465
USA
With earbuds that don't seal your ear canal and with newer earbuds that have microphone-powered audio passthrough modes, it's entirely possible to hold a conversation with someone while keeping your earbuds in both ears. You can hear the other person just fine and you can respond just fine without talking too loud. But is it rude? Even if your earbuds allow you to hear the other person okay, should you take them out just out of common courtesy or respect?

Obviously there will be a lot here that depends on the situation, but I'm talking generally. Like if you work in an office and someone comes up to your desk to ask you a question, would you take your earbuds out?

EDIT: Sorry about the poll question being opposite at first. A mod has changed it. Thanks, mod!
 
Last edited:
vestan

vestan

#REFANTAZIO SWEEP
Member
Dec 28, 2017
24,635
I always go out of my way to make sure I remove my earphones when talking to someone face to face. I don't know if it's rude to talk to someone with them on but I don't really like keeping 'em in myself, if I'm making sense. I want the person I'm talking to to know they have my full attention and it's little things like that that go a long way.
 
Masoyama

Masoyama

Attempted to circumvent a ban with an alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
5,648
Yes, obviously. Unless its a 30 second conversation
 
Arjen

Arjen

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
2,033
Keeping your erabuds in, basicly says, please don't talk with me, it's pretty rude.
 
Whitemex

Whitemex

Member
Oct 27, 2017
15,462
Chicago
If it's an informal conversation that is only gonna last a short period with someone you're well aquatinted with then no it's not really rude.
 

BAD

Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,565
USA
People really need to learn not to make their poll answers opposite of their title answers. Yes it is rude, but now I have to answer No to your poll which asks the question in opposite framing. Orb

your poll is going to be worthless because half the people Will answer based on how the title is worded and not how the poll is worded
 
HeySeuss

HeySeuss

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
8,858
Ohio
Having basic empathy for another human being would dictate that you take out at least 1 ear bud to have a conversation longer than saying hello to someone in passing. How is this even a question.
 
JJDubz

JJDubz

The Fallen
Oct 27, 2017
1,223
Feels like common courtesy to pull them out. Just pulling one out seems fine, but I pull both out whenever I speak to someone or someone starts speaking to me.
 

Deleted member 8468

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 26, 2017
9,109
Seriously, can we stop having opposite thread titles to poll questions? This should be a lockable offense, everyone does it here it seems. It's almost like some sort of reverse clickbait, it's maddening. Much more rude than leaving an earbud in.

And unless your hands are otherwise occupied, take one out. It's just polite.
 
EloKa

EloKa

GSP
Verified
Oct 25, 2017
1,906
Yes it's rude and you should at least take one out. It's also rude to reverse your poll options from the title.
 
MechaX

MechaX

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,044
Pause the music/vid/whatever

Take out one earbud. Taking out the one in the direction of whoever is talking is enough
 
Hyun Sai

Hyun Sai

Member
Oct 27, 2017
14,562
Yes it is rude. And no don't keep them (poll).

Well, at least you didn't make a thread because you were angry someone called you for it ah ah ah.
 
Goldenroad

Goldenroad

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Nov 2, 2017
9,475
I think the only time it's okay is if you're in the middle of exercising (at the gym, or just running or whatever) and someone comes up to you and starts talking. Even still, you can do the "pop one out" thing if you've got a hand free. If you're the one initiating the conversation though, 100% of the time it is rude to still have the ear buds in.
 
OP
OP
Orb

Orb

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
9,465
USA
HeySeuss said:
Having basic empathy for another human being would dictate that you take out at least 1 ear bud to have a conversation longer than saying hello to someone in passing. How is this even a question.
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The reason I ask is because this just happened to me for the first time. I just got my new Echo Buds which are true wireless in-ear headphones that seal, but have an audio passthrough mode so you can still hear what's going on around you. Someone at work walked up to my desk to ask me a quick question. I paused my music but left the earbuds in. We had a conversation just fine and the other person didn't seem to think it was too odd.

In this case it would have been fairly easy for me to take one earbud out, but in a situation where I might be in public walking around without the charging case I might not want to just take my earbud out and hold onto it or stick it in a pocket.

(Also sorry for the poll wording, everyone. Didn't realize people would feel so strongly about it lol. I would change it if I could but there doesn't seem to be a way for me to do that after the fact.)
 
GrapeApes

GrapeApes

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
4,492
I'll take off my bluetooth earbuds if they have wires cause I can rest them on my neck. If it's my truly wireless earbuds going to keep them on cause I don't want to hold it or put in my pockets.
 
herbchamberz

herbchamberz

Member
Oct 27, 2017
238
Kinda similar to wearing sunglasses while you're talking to someone, right? Interested in what people's thoughts on that are.
 
HeySeuss

HeySeuss

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
8,858
Ohio
Orb said:
The reason I ask is because this just happened to me for the first time. I just got my new Echo Buds which are true wireless in-ear headphones that seal, but have an audio passthrough mode so you can still hear what's going on around you. Someone at work walked up to my desk to ask me a quick question. I paused my music but left the earbuds in. We had a conversation just fine and the other person didn't seem to think it was too odd.

In this case it would have been fairly easy for me to take one earbud out, but in a situation where I might be in public walking around without the charging case I might not want to just take my earbud out and hold onto it or stick it in a pocket.

(Also sorry for the poll wording, everyone. Didn't realize people would feel so strongly about it lol. I would change it if I could but there doesn't seem to be a way for me to do that after the fact.)
Click to expand...
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Just because the person didn't say anything doesn't mean they thought it was fine. That person has no idea that they are fancy earbuds like you described. All they see is that they weren't important enough to you to take one out to listen to them.
 
Enduin

Enduin

You look 40
Member
Oct 25, 2017
11,488
New York
Yes, people get confused all the time at work if I don't take them out even if I only ever have one in. They always think I'm listening to something or on a call even if I'm giving them my undivided attention and talking to them. They feel awkward and don't realize I'm barely ever listening to anything in the first place.

If you have both in and just remove one you can still come across as rude and providing divided attention. Just removing one can give off the impression you're not really interested in what they have to say and are more interested in wrapping up the conversation and getting back to whatever you were listening to. Only time I think that's really acceptable is in public when you're on the street and someone stops to ask you something. But if you're in the office or somewhere not traveling you should take both out.
 
Shiloh

Shiloh

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,710
You take one bud out to show the other person you can hear them. This isn't a complicated social norm lol
 
saenima

saenima

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
11,892
Are we talking actual conversations or simple interactions like at the supermarket or simply paying at the grocery store? I wear buds all the time and for the latter i just remove one. For actual conversations i always take both, unless it's someone annoying i don't want to have a conversation with.
 
Easy_D

Easy_D

Member
Oct 28, 2017
2,275
Not really, but I try to make it clear I'm listening by actually taking headphones off lol. Otherwise I might come off as weird
 

Deleted member 5129

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,263
Ehh. Most wireless earbuds these days have an option to let ambient sound through so I usually don't take them out. but I also have long hair and people can't see I have any in to begin with so.. no problem lol
 
Fatoy

Fatoy

Member
Mar 13, 2019
7,228
I would never speak to anyone with earbuds in - even a tiny interaction with a cashier, for instance - and I would expect the same courtesy of everyone else.
 
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