When students tune in to music in public spaces, they tune out social connections.
Walking around campus, some things are constant: lecture halls, trees, a field or two, and most notably, a steady stream of students wearing headphones. When students are sealed off in their own sonic worlds, their interaction with others is limited to sight. By listening to music publicly, the musical experience is also degraded. If people were to listen to less music at the margin, it could strengthen communal spirit on campus while promoting a more deliberate and meaningful engagement with art.
To begin, consider a future of more intentional music enjoyment. Constant repetition of any activity can cross the line from engagement to consumption. Excess turns appreciation into dependency. When people overindulge in music, art may be consumed rather than considered. Most often, art drifts by unnoticed, lowering expectations for future creative works.
A deliberate approach to listening requires selectivity. Choosing specific moments to engage with sound transforms listening from distraction into active participation. This process can reveal genuine musical preferences and refine taste. In the age of “playlistification” this is a virtue, not a vice. Such critical engagement promotes richer aesthetic experiences and a deeper appreciation for art.
Another benefit of reduced headphone use is the regained clarity of thought. Starting the morning with emotionally charged music carves out the day’s mood. However, time spent in silence offers something more valuable: an opportunity for internal reflection. Clarity of mind is essential for self-discovery and genuine understanding. Moments of quiet, such as walking between classes without distraction, open space for creativity and awareness of surroundings.
Headphone culture also reflects a larger sociological shift.
Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation describes how smartphones have transformed childhood from a play-based to a screen-based existence, contributing to mental health challenges in adolescents. The issue extends beyond screen time—it represents the erosion of spontaneous, real-world engagement. Students who traverse campus immersed in their own worlds intensify their own isolation. The growth of social connections and resilience to loneliness is hindered.
Ultimately, the goal isn’t complete abstinence from music or elitist detachment. Rather, small reductions in habitual listening may create better conditions for engaging with art and nurturing community life. One of the advantages of attending a university in a small town is the sense of connectedness it fosters.
When collective behaviour shifts toward self-isolation, that connection fades. Listening less paradoxically allows more to be heard, more of the art itself, more internal reflection, and most importantly, more of one another.
Tags
Art, Culture, headphones, Music, Student life
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s) in Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.
Lucy
so true!!!!