There are two types of people who listen to music in public: those who wear headphones and those who … are a word I probably can’t use here. “Loudcasting” – playing audio, watching videos or talking on speakerphone in public spaces – is a form of antisocial behaviour that drives eight in 10 of people in the UK crazy, and I’m glad Andy Burnham is one of those eight. But while I welcome his policy to fine “headphone dodgers”, I’m not convinced it will solve the problem.
This behaviour isn’t only a nuisance, but a grave indicator of a deeper societal issue: the erosion of empathy. You can’t legislate civic pride into an individualistic culture where feelings of social disconnection are widespread.
