Respect the Anti-Social Signs

Everyones seen them: the girl or guy, walking down the street with the headphone cord snaking out of the pocket or the backpack and plugging into the almost irregularly large headphones. Good chance this persons also wearing sunglasses -- regardless of whether the sun is out -- too. Sometimes if you're lucky you can even see this same person rocking out to their music: singing, gesturing, and on the best of days you'll even catch them playing air guitar!

No, this isn't me. I do wear my headphones a majority of the time that i'm out of the house and walking around the town, but i stick to the small in-ear headphones. But even if i'm wearing the small in-ear buds, doesn't that imply that i'm not too interested in talking to people? I always thought it did, but i'm starting to wonder if i'm alone on that.

The big headphones definitely scream out something like, "I'm in my own musically centered world -- and you don't exist!" Awesome: you go buddy.

But recently it has started seeming like every stranger and their daughter wants to talk to me on the street or on the bus. Isn't the annoyed expression on my face as i pull out one of my ear-buds to listen to you obvious? Or how about the fact that you have to repeat what you said three times AND wave to get my attention away from the window which i was aggressively staring out? These people are either really dumb -- which i don't doubt -- or me and my ear-buds are giving out the wrong message.

Somehow, i doubt that the anti-social genius with 5" diameter headphones -- air guitar and all -- ever runs into this problem. I myself, a fellow anti-social headphone enthusiast, has to sit back and respect the wonderful and direct message that this person is broadcasting: Yes, i am listening to music that i thoroughly enjoy, and no i do not want to talk to you.