Yes, the world is actually too loud

by Daniel Fink, MD, Chair, The Quiet Coalition

Photo credit: Hồng Quang Official

The New York Times re-ran an episode of “The Wirecutter Show” podcast from last year. The hosts discuss noise in New York, and the use of headphones and earplugs. Wirecutter senior writer Lauren Dragan, who covers headphones and audio equipment, is a guest.

I’m glad the Times is covering noise and its dangers, but I disagree with some of what was said. I think that looking for safe headphones or earbuds is like looking for a safe cigarette. You won’t find one! And the 60/60 rule is cited — listen to your personal listening device at 60% of maximum output for 60 minutes — but I’m not sure that’s really protective, and most people listen to their devices a lot longer than one hour each day.

That being said, the discussion is an interesting one, and if you have a spare 45 minutes, this is a worthwhile podcast to listen to. Or, you can just read the transcript like I did.