Entries in How Did This Get Made? (1)
Headphones in Movie Theaters
Rob Dean On Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 3:30PM This is not my idea, nor is it my Immodest Proposal. It was created and presented by Joe Reid of the brilliant podcast Extra Hot Great. I am merely trying to encourage the conversation and spreading the idea around the internet so more people hear it and endorse it. I will refer to this episode throughout this post.
Nerds are a very particular bunch rife with contradictions. We like things in a specific and unique way, and yet we tend to be too meek or passive aggressive to effectively bring about change. Another group that suffers similar fate is the proper & polite: they are quiet and polite and refuse to cause a fuss or bother others - but are therefore held captive by their own passivity by rude people who crap all over decent etiquette in the smug confidence that no one will do anything. These two groups, though not mutually exclusive, have one common foe: Movie Theater Audiences.
On the cell phone, speaking loudly (or, worse yet, stage whispering) to whomever they please, Movie Theater Audiences have forgotten the simple social compact that says: "This is not your room. There are others here who are more interested in the film than your hilarious commentary consisting of 'Damn!' and 'Get some, Hulk!'"* Ironically, as our society's technology improves, making it easier to transform homes into theaters with Blu-Rays and stereo systems providing the same quality of sound and picture, our society's manners have taken a harsh nose dive - if my living room is more like a movie theater, then why shouldn't the movie theater be more like my living room? It's an awful premise that seems to be ingrained in our culture.
So what's the solution? As Joe Reid of Extra Hot Great podcast proposed: "Movie theaters should have headphone jacks just like airplanes have headphone jacks." (the clip starts at 29:30)
Co-sign on this. I co-sign on this SO HARD.
As the hosts of Extra Hot Great go on to discuss, there is no downside to this. Not only does it solve the awkward First World Problem of chatty theatergoers, shielding the sensitive, polite and/or meek cinephile from having to confront the braying jackasses - but it also creates interesting possibilities for theaters to provide unique services and develop new revenue streams.
