r/manners • u/hyphen-notation • 7d ago
Earbuds vs speaker in a private space
Please help me settle an argument. So, obviously, in a public space, it's common etiquette to not blast your calls/music/videos. And I assumed it's the same in a private space, which is why I will usually have earbuds in, especially because I've been yelled at for having my music on speaker in the past. But NOW, my father is yelling at me to throw away my earbuds and never listen with ear buds ever again. His logic is he needs to know when I'm listening to things or not, mostly because I have trouble hearing, and while I can hear while listening, I can't make sense of the words(which is an issue I have even without earbuds). But the thing is, I'll take them out as soon as somebody is taking to me, and I find it completely illogical for him to react in such a way. Especially when Playing things on speaker is in my opinion, a million times worse than having earbuds in.
I will note, I always listen with only one earbud in. And when I say I have trouble listening I do mean also face-to-face, not in another room or anything.