#sponsored Episode 466: We should not be bringing back wired headphones. @googlepixel
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Summary
Wired headphones are embarrassing, and a straphanger isn't having it. Kareem meets someone with strong opinions about the supposed "return" of tangled cords, comparing the trend to bringing back manual windows or rotary phones. The rider argues that when headphones stopped being free, society should've stopped using them entirely. "This looks dumb," they insist, demonstrating how wired buds get tangled while praising their own Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 that answer calls with a simple head gesture. The conversation touches on big fashion's lies about what's cool, the loneliness of being underground, and why vintage cars are acceptable nostalgia but flip phones aren't. Their daughter better not even think about wearing wires.
Full Transcript
So, what's your take? We should not be bringing back wired headphones. 100% agree. They don't look good. They look, dare I say, sloppy. When they stop being free, we should have stopped having them.
Oh, yes. They that that is when we should have stopped using them. Now going out and seeking them.
Yeah. Like that's your only option.
Yeah. The fashion industry is lying and trying to bring things back that aren't cool. It's big fashion. Let's bring manual windows back.
Yeah, might as well. If we're bringing wires back, bring bring manual windows back. Bring them back. This looks dumb. This does look not cool. Like a record player is cool. Vintage car cool. Flip flops not cool. Rotary phone not cool. They do it every couple years. They say something's back. Now they're like, "You know what? Wired headphones are it." They don't do anything you want them to do. The only thing they do is get tangled.
Yeah. They get tangled and now you look stupid. This is my impression of someone with wired headphones. It's not even an impression. That's what it is. This is method acting. Look at that. Hello. Oh my god. Hi. They are embarrassing. Like if my daughter started wearing wired headphones, I'd be like, she's punished. I'm going to kick you out of the house until you get some buds in.
We got to get her some buds, though. I'm going to get her buds. See, like these I love these.
Oo, nice color. And they fit perfectly in my ear. I can answer my phone without even touching my phone.
How? I just go like this.
You just go like this. Like this? All you have to do is go like just this. There's no way you do this.
Just this. This answers your phone. This is it. That's it. I like going like that. That's good. It's fun. And I can talk to them and get things done. That's helpful.
Have you ever like needed a recipe or if you're on your bike, you need to know which way you're going or sometimes you need someone to talk to and you can talk to these buds and they'll be your friend. Sometimes I need a friend. It's lonely underground.
All right, this is my stop. Oh, okay. Bye. Have a good one. I will. Bring it back.