Is it normal to wear headphones in public?

I met a chick last night at the grocery store through commenting on our mutual disdain for the God awful Christmas music. There is a risk of missing out on positive interactions if you shut yourself out from the world.

Thats weird because I do the same thing but its so I can listen to christmas music all year round

To be less conspicuous, you might just put in some earplugs or maybe even some noise cancelling earbuds.

I've actually considered doing this before, but I don't because, as others have noted, I wouldn't be able to hear everything else going on around me. What about deaf people though? They always have to be alert, and I seem to remember reading an article or two that said deaf people are on average better drivers too. So maybe it would be fine, you'd just have to make sure to be more focused on paying attention to your surroundings.

On another note, this made me think of noise cancelling technology. Wouldn't it be great if it could be programmed to ONLY tune out music? I would buy into that so quick it's not even funny. So many places such as restaurants, grocery stores, hardware stores, shopping malls, doctors offices, etc. have music that I absolutely abhor. It bothers me more than anyone else that I know in real life and often causes me fatigue. I can't stand that so many people are ok with it. There's probably something wrong with me.

I keep one in , stay alert! Head in a swivel,. Let cars and bikes go, and jog across turn lanes... otherwise. Rock out

Earbuds are crap. Full-size headphones are the best for accurately reproducing the sound. Tiny earbuds can't produce, or produce poorly, certain frequencies and the sound suffers as a result. I'd wear massive headphones too, the bigger speakers are just better.

To block out that awful Christmas music? It'd be normal to not clean your ears for weeks in preparation to be deaf and save your ear canals from the vibrations of that shit!

Seriously though, I hate when people use those big headphones, because it's like they are closed off from the world and I can't approach them without having to waive in their face like a flippin monkey :/

Stay alert, stay alive.

Covering your ears could make you an easier target.

It is becoming popular, but it looks ridiculous.

Normal, whenever I'm alone, I always wear my earbud headphones. I like music and dislike city noise.

I hate when people wear headphones in public cause you never know if they can hear you. That being said, everyone does it so it's normal. I wouldn't worry about it.

Have you been out in public in last 5 years? Everyone has something covering or jammed in their ears.

Why should you care what others think? Your head and your headphones.

As it happens, I think people who wear earbuds or headphones in public spaces are incredibly stupid, since it shuts out an important channel of information about what's going on around you - particularly behind you - and, whatever you may believe, listening to music is distracting. But if you don't mind getting blind-sided by some idiot teen racing a shopping cart down the aisle, you don't really care if some cretin has decided to shoot the place up, and you never worry about hearing fire alarms, then that's cool. What does it matter what I think, as long as you can enjoy your music?