What to Say When Asked: Why Do You Wear Earplugs?
So, really, why do you wear earplugs? I am going to assume you wear them mainly to protect your ears from damage.
Explaining that to the person who asked you might only get him to argue back that it is not necessary or you look stupid wearing them or something else.
Truly explaining yourself to another person, when asked in way that puts you under pressure to answer, puts you into a weak position. You are then dependent on the other person giving his approval of your explanation. If the other person withholds his approval, you are at their mercy. They can simple continue to question or argue and you feel obliged to answer almost like in a job interview.
And let's be straight about it, the other person knows that earplugs are being worn for hearing protection. If a child asks you about it, then the situation is different. By all means explain it to the child. The child can learn something important for his or her life.
But I assume this is not the situation, because then you would not have started reading this article. Rather, the other person asks to mock you or put you under a little pressure. Maybe the other person is testing you because they are unsure whether you are as cool as the others, because the others do not wear earplugs.
The best answer is simply to make a statement that gives no way to argue back and does not lead into explaining yourself.
Statements about what you like or do not like give little room to argue. Some people might still try to argue, but it is not too difficult to shut them up. A simple, "No, I don't like it" said in a confident, unemotional, and monotonous way is all that is required.
The best way to answer is:
- short statement that gives no room to argue
- short statement that does not lead into explaining
- the shorter the better
- give your short statement and then do not continue talking about it, just be silent
- if there is silence, be okay with it. Do not continue talking about your earplugs and do not try changing the subject immediately. Wait for 5 seconds. Afterwards, you may casually ask the other person a question about some other topic
- if re-asked the same question, then give the exact same words as an answer in a monotonous voice. If asked for a third time, then give again the exact same words in a monotonous voice
Examples:
Question: You are wearing ear plugs?
Answer: Yes.
And that is the full answer, no follow up elaboration or anything. That might already be the end of the conversation about earplugs. Or the other person might continue:
Question: Why do you wear earplugs?
Answer: So I have no high pitch noise in my ears when I leave.
This answer contains some explaining, but makes it difficult to argue back and does not require the other person giving his approval. It is simply a statement of fact and does not require an answer. The idea is to give a reason that, if the other person insists, you could follow up with, "I like", or "I don't like". In contrast, reasons that you had to follow up with, "I want", or "I don't want" give much more room for the other person to argue. If the other person continues:
Question: But that noise doesn't harm you.
Answer: But I don't like it.
Question: Do you always get that high pitch noise afterwards?
Answer: No, only sometimes.
Question: But it's not so loud, you can take them out.
Answer: I don't want to, I like it that way.
Question: You can trust me, it's not loud.
Answer: I don't want to, I like it that way. [same words, monotonous voice]
Another answer:
Question: Why do you wear earplugs?
Answer: Because I enjoy the music more when it is not so loud.
Question: But it is much more fun without earplugs.
Answer: I enjoy the music more when it is not so loud.
"I enjoy more" is similar to "I like better", it can simply be repeated as a statement of fact and does not require any further explanation.
Question: It is really not loud.
Answer: I like it better that way.
Another answer:
Question: Why do you wear ear plugs?
Answer: Because I can understand people better with ear plugs.
Question: But it is easier to understand them without earplugs, why don't you try it?
Answer: I tried it and I like it better that way.
Question: But it is really not that loud?
Answer: I like it better that way.
If the earplugs are less visible, then you will also be asked less about them. For further information, please read the article on invisible ear plugs.
Do you have any other good answers? Please share them below and help all of us reading this article.
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