Don’t people talk anymore? When I go for a walk and try to exchange pleasantries like “cold day” or “nice dog” with another walker, they often point to earbuds, look annoyed, and say “What?”
I recently was at the airport waiting for my plane to arrive, and almost everyone was wearing earbuds or earphones (and often staring at their phone); each in their own little world. I have vague memories of chatting with folks at the gate years ago about the weather, or fussy children, or whatever, but that now seems so quaint.
I tend to think this is a new problem, but then I came across a cartoon in a hundred-year-old issue of Farm Journal about a hired hand who never hears people talking to him because he’s wearing radio earphones — except when there is a call for dinner. Dang, that new technology!
Both in 1926 and in 2026, earphones can interfere with communication. Thank goodness food can bring us together a hundred years ago, as well as now.
I didn’t know there were earphones that far back. I remember hearing aids that were attached to a small box by a wire and transistor radios in the ’60s.
I know what you mean. Last week, I was waiting at the dentist’s and there were about five others in the room. Every one of them were sitting there engaged in their little phones. I was thinking about very pleasant conversations I’ve had in the past just chatting in waiting rooms, and I was determined not to take out my phone. Did you see the northern lights last night, I asked. two people looked up, said no and went right back to their hand-held devices.
This cartoon was a surprise. I also didn’t know there were earphones that far back except in radio control rooms, and those were big!
One of my daughters and I were just talking about this a few days ago. In spite of some radio ear phones 100 years ago, I’m sure it wasn’t wide spread like it is now.