The speakerphone paradox

[u/NeighborhoodJust1197]

I was at the pool today when a woman started having a conversation on her phone using the speaker.

I politely asked her if she could not use the speaker and pointed to my headphones.
She said, “I don’t have headphones.”
So I said, “You can just hold the phone next to your ear.”

She looked at me with a completely blank expression and said, “I’m on speakerphone.”
I said, “Well… that’s the problem.”

Apparently, we had reached the limits of modern technology.

[u/Mediocre_Airport_576]

Pull up a chair and join in on the conversation.

[u/VelvetMafia → u/Mediocre_Airport_576]

Yeah, since she's basically inviting her surroundings into her conversation

[u/SmartAlec105 → u/VelvetMafia]

I see people saying this a lot on reddit but isn't it hardly different from if two people were talking, in person, slightly louder than normal?

[u/VelvetMafia → u/SmartAlec105]

Hmmm...

No. Public speakerphone is objectively terrible,. Talking loud is just drunk people things

[u/SmartAlec105 → u/VelvetMafia]

What makes it so much worse to you?

[u/VelvetMafia → u/SmartAlec105]

How unnecessary it is. Unless it's actually necessary, because your hands are full or you are grilling or something. Also, the sound qualities are obnoxious because of speaker quality and acoustic considerations.

Plus, people talking too loudly are also inviting public participation, just in a more organic way

[u/Professional-Lock691 → u/SmartAlec105]

First of all the sound is different and much more irritating to the ear. Second to make sure they hear each other well each speaker seems to make the effort to speak loudly. Third I do get irritated by people speaking really loud in the train or other enclosed area from which I cannot escape.

[u/Consultant511 → u/SmartAlec105]

For me it’s how it sounds. The quality of a speaker phone sounds terrible. A conversation held in a normal tone blends in. Also volume. Don’t shout and don’t disturb.

[u/0SaltBlue → u/Consultant511]

See i use this reasoning for why I don't ever want to hear Brummies or Scousers talk but that just makes me "an arsehole" apparently.

[u/Consultant511 → u/0SaltBlue]

What a brummie thing to say about you

[u/GornoUmaethiVrurzu → u/VelvetMafia]

This is ridiculous. What's the difference between her talking to someone in person and someone on a phone. You'd hear it either way. Reddit is full of anti social loonies though. 

[u/DiscoBanane → u/GornoUmaethiVrurzu]

The difference is you can make less noise in one case.

The correct behavior is to make the least noise possible while retaining functionality and comfort.

[u/Mediocre_Airport_576 → u/DiscoBanane]

Especially in a world where we have so many cheap headphones options, or you can just hold the phone to your ear.

Choosing to do speakerphone is choosing to be annoying.

[u/fuettli → u/Mediocre_Airport_576]

Found the teenager who wasn't alive when mobile phones started to become popular. Guess what, people were just as upset when others were talking on the phone in public. How is it being a boomer?

[u/Mediocre_Airport_576 → u/fuettli]

Found the teenager
How is it being a boomer?

https://giphy.com/gifs/tu54GM19sqJOw

[u/fuettli → u/Mediocre_Airport_576]

should've been "becoming the boomer"

[u/VelvetMafia → u/GornoUmaethiVrurzu]

Found the public speakerphone talker

[u/surveysaysno → u/Mediocre_Airport_576]

"Girl, why you flashing those guys over there? You trying to cheat on your man?"

[u/Change_is_a_verb → u/Mediocre_Airport_576]

https://giphy.com/gifs/P8FDI9Izj0ALcDqBdo

[u/Logical-Pair-89 → u/Mediocre_Airport_576]

This is the way. 

[u/haoqide → u/Mediocre_Airport_576]

Yes!!! We all need to do this. Speakerphone = everybody is invited. I have one friend who occasionally does this and wish other people would join in to let me know when my conversation is being broadcast to the general public.

[u/Handle-Proof → u/Mediocre_Airport_576]

In this case be ready when the woman with a speakerphone will join your conversation next timeS

[u/0202_tihssitidder → u/Mediocre_Airport_576]

Yup. Just sit down next to her and start commenting and talking as if you are part of it.

[u/Iasc123 → u/Mediocre_Airport_576]

Yeah because this is not the normal consensus when someone is having a conversation face to face. Why is talking on the phone any different?

[u/broly78210 → u/Mediocre_Airport_576]

That's rude, just play WAP male cover versions on speaker phone next to them.

[u/ganbramor → u/Mediocre_Airport_576]

Yes, and make your injected topics extremely embarrassing for her.