Turn Down Your Freaking Headphones

I'm twenty-five years old, so by no means old. I still like to listen to my music at a fairly high decibal level depending on the circumstances. I would listen to music loud in my car before the radio was stolen, and currently in my house as long as it is early enough so I can avoid my landlords bitching, and concerts of course. On campus recently I've been seeing people with thier I-pods and yes, discmans with the volume so loud that it was clearly audible to everyone within 30 feet of them.

I couldn't stand to have that loud of music blaring directly in my ear. It is incredibly painful. And aside from that, it is really irritating to people around them trying to read, or study, or not listen to Rascal Flats. This guy yesterday was blaring country music through his Discman right next to me and it was loud enough to disrupt a conversation I was having for several minutes. Perhaps I sound like an old man now complaining about punk kids and their loud music, but that is not the case. Even in my youngest days I wouldn't have wanted to stick my head in a speaker and turn the volume all the way up.

This is way different than a house system, car stereo or concert. This is a disruption in a place that is generally preferred to be peaceful. I may be older and with it I've gained some common sense and respect for my environment. I'll blast music in my car (if I had a stereo) because I'm outside and their are airplanes and obnoxious motorcyles and whatever else making a lot of noise. But in a lecture hall when their are people studying and reading, it's way out of line.