this could've been prevented

[BlaqueKatt]

this is why I wear earplugs at every concert I go to, it's not like they're expensive, and by no means to they "ruin the experience", actually I feel they enhance it, as with the sheer volume it overwhelms your hearing and you can't really hear the music, yet people STILL make fun of me for protecting my hearing. Newsflash-once your hearing is damaged you can't get it back-ask my sister who is almost deaf(she's only 5 years older-so she's 40), how great it is to not be able to hear someone speaking in a normal tone of voice. Or one of my coworkers who has the same issue at age 27. I can still hear someone talking in a whisper from 15 feet away. Heck I've actually noticed the performers wearing hearing protection more and more as of late, yet every concert I attend I have to leave my earplugs in until I'm well out of range because the "concertgoers" have to have shouted conversations when they leave because they can't hear anything. Damn stop yelling in my ear, I can hear you just fine!

[Andara Bledin]

I have tinnitus from too many overloud concerts.

I'm very, very fortunate that for whatever reason, my tinnitus doesn't actually interfere with my hearing at all, and while I notice it, it doesn't bother me. The only time it's ever actually an issue is when I'm trying to find a noise that is too similar to be easily separated.

If I'd known as a teen what I know now, I'd have worn earplugs to concerts earlier. The boyfriend and I plan on getting some good concert-level ones for when we go and see Nightwish in January.

^-.-^

[Greenday]

Most professional artists wear earplugs. One of the best drummers I know destroyed his ears so he can't even go out and listen to bands really anymore, even with earplugs.

People are stupid when it comes to safety. If it's not "cool", they don't do it. You know what's not cool? Losing your hearing because you knew of an option to protect yourself and refused to do it because it's not fashionable.

[jackfaire]

I was the teenager that was "lame" because I refused to even go into stores where the music was playing too loud.

Now I can be talking to a customer and identify the song their coworker is listneing to whom is sitting 3 cubicles away.

My very livelihood is dependent on my hearing if I lose my hearing I can't do my job.

So I am very glad that I always protected it. I never thought music needed to be loud for me to enjoy it. I can still enjoy Skater Boi at a respectable volume that doesn't make my ears bleed.

[bara]

its kinda like wearing safety glasses. Who gives a shit if it looks cool or not. The point is to protect your senses. My bro once had an electric panel blow up in his face. The reason it did so is a prior maint tech wired it up wrong. My bro turned the power off to it, at least by all the registered diagrams he had. Had he not been wearing safety glasses he would be blind now.

Hearing is just as important I think though in different ways.

[Boozy]

What? Did somebody say something?

[jackfaire]

Hearing is just as important I think though in different ways.

*nods* I have categorized my senses I need my sight, sound and my abiltiy to speak to make a living doing a job I love for the rest of my life and if anyone threatens those I will go off on them like a bagged skunk on boy scouts.

[tabbyblack13]

I would do exactly the same thing. I love music and if I ever had to go without it on a daily basis I doubt I would be the same person. Loud noises are actually painful to me and can really piss me off if it was done to me on purpose.

I use my hearing everyday I am at work in an open pit mine to keep me safe. When I am walking around my hearing is as important as sight. I may not see the rockfall but I will hear it. Also all of the equipment I walk and work around have warning alarms for movement. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard equipment moving but I cannot see it.

[blas87]

I have a hard time at work remembering to grab ear plugs if I have to head into the drilling areas, even for a quick minute.

[AdminAssistant]

I just wish bands wouldn't over-amplify to begin with. Even live music or crappy karaoke at the bar...it's too damn loud!