Eavesdropping

[PureChaos]

I get the train to work every day and it can be fairly busy so i can hear a few conversations and i try not to join in as i shouldn't be eavesdropping but, as they are sat within 2 feet and sometimes speak so loudly, it's hard NOT to hear them.

so, if people are talking in a public place, particularly if they are talking quite loudly, is it still eavesdropping? should you join/correct them if they say something you know is incorrect (not that they don't like a game/film/book etc you like, but that they get an actual fact wrong) or should you let them get on with it?

 

[dyre]

Yeah, I know the feeling. I generally let people go on with their incorrect statements (though I suppose I could make an exception if it's something egregious like genocide-denial), since people mostly don't like strangers butting into their conversations.

And it's not really eavesdropping. Kind of like seeing a nudist running around in the street isn't voyeurism (sorry, it was the first analogy I could come up with >_>)

 

[McMullen]

I did a rather blatant eavesdrop-and-break-into-the-conversation the other day, but it was in response to someone saying "I really wish there was a way to do x" and I knew of a way to do x. I felt like I was being rude while doing it, but at the same time I wanted to help them. They thanked me for it in a way that suggested they were truly glad to know, so hopefully it wasn't too weird.

But yeah, I pick conversations out of crowds all the time. Can't help it really. My mind just wants to understand the words being said. It's why I can't sleep easily if someone's watching tv and I can just barely hear it. My brain keeps trying to make out the dialog instead of going to sleep.

If you can see me, I'm probably listening to you. But I don't judge unless you say something incredibly stupid, and I don't gossip.

 

[Valagetti]

I have the solution, listen to your MP3 player, if you don't have one, buy one, problem solved.

OT: If you can't help listening in no its not your fault and it doesn't really matter cause I'm betting you don't even know these people

 

[Mylinkay Asdara]

Meh, if people are talking in public and aren't making any obvious signs that they are trying to discuss something privately despite being in public (leaning close to speak, speaking in hushed tones, etc.) then I don't consider it rude to pipe up with something - usually prefaced with a "I couldn't help but overhear you just now..." - if I have something to contribute in terms of help (directions usually) or corrections (again, lots of times related to directions on campus and/or where someone can be found).

Occasionally people take offense, but usually they don't - and they're never confrontational about if, but if they were I would apologize and point out that they were talking in a public while people are clearly around who are obviously going to hear them.

 

[Ariyura]

I once was working at a booth and a woman standing right beside the stand I was at starting crying hysterically and screaming into the phone, "Baby! Baby, how could you call me that, don't you know how much I love you. I do everything or you. See how you treat me!" And she started repeating it over and over through her tears.

At that point you really can't help but eavesdrop and I really wanted to walk over, hang up the phone and ask her if a man was really worth all that. In the end I didn't have to say anything to her because the security guard came over to talk to her and she moved on crying through the crowds.

 

[KefkaCultist]

I eavesdrop all the time, but I prefer to refer to it as "being perceptive of my surroundings". I can't really help overhearing you tell your best friend about your crabs when I'm right next to you. Fortunately, my shyness level is nearly equal to Katawa Shoujo's Hanako, so I usually just keep comments to myself.

 

[Lionsfan]

I think anything in public is fair game so to say, I mean if you're just sitting there and you hear what people are saying, well that's their fault if something slips. I've heard some pretty silly stuff like that before. Once when I was sitting in a coffee shop, this couple started having a heated discussion before the girl get's up, yells "I Don't Care! I'm glad you fucked her!", then throws her drink in the guys face before storming out

 

[Phlakes]

I like listening to people talk. It's like live podcasts from people you've never heard of.

 

[2fish]

If I can hear you through my headphones it if public knowledge.

If they are damn loud then they are not trying to keep people from listening in.

If you have to struggle to hear them, then you can worry about dropping eves.


Just study the humans and report to me on your findings.

 

[Yopaz]

It's not eavesdropping. It's a public conversation and as long as they're not whispering and you don't need to strain to listen then well, it's not eavesdropping.

I always listen to music when I'm on the bus to avoid listening to some of the more stupid conversations out there... Such as a guy complaining about how he had almost reached the maximum days he could be away from school because he had skipped too many times and said there was nothing he could do about it. I wanted to bang my head to a wall as I listened to that stupid conversation progress.

 

[FamoFunk]

I wouldn't dream of walking up to random people who're talking and correct or just butt in their conversations.

If I'm on public transport I'll over-hear conversation a lot, but I soon switch off, unless the conversation is stupidly hilarious or random.

 

[hazabaza1]

I like listening to people talk. It's like live podcasts from people you've never heard of.

That's kinda creepy, bro.
OT: I just listen to my MP3 whenever I go out.

 

[RanD00M]

I think there is a marginal difference between eavesdropping and over-hearing. Eavesdropping is more like delibaretly trying to listen into a conversation, while over-hearing is just what is sounds like, hearing something that someone is talking about while just minding your own business.

You should just let people go on if they are making a stupid point in anyway, it's not getting in your way and I doubt you butting in and correcting them would make them change their point on the subject matter, and it could lead to some boring and uneeded arguements, when all you want to do is relax on your way to work.

 

[mental_looney]

Shrug if people want to talk about private stuff really loud fine but they can't looked shocked when people are seen listening.

I won't correct people though they can be stupid but not getting into fights over it.

 

[MammothBlade]

Can't help but eavesdrop when people are talking loud enough for me to hear. I can't tune out of listening to conversations. But I won't correct inane uninformed prolespeak (it is), far too shy and reserved for that.

 

[Carl The Manicorn]

Hell I eavesdrop all the time. If people are talking loud and I hear, I'll join in the conversation. Fuck em.

 

[Surpheal]

The moment that they vocalize the thoughts in their heads for all to hear, that is the moment that they surrender any and all forms of privacy towards what they say. If you can hear it from where you are sitting and you chime in with your two cents, if they tell you to stop eavesdropping then just tell them to speak quietly next time.

 

[Necroid_Neko]

I'd quite like it if a random stranger joined my conversation on a bus/train so long as they weren't being rude about it
But I always travel alone so I don't really have conversations anyway...

 

[C F]

I have an MP3, but I don't listen to it. I always keep my TV and computer at the lowest possible audible volume. Because of this, I have a pretty good sense of hearing.

If people talk in public near me, I am listening to it. I don't usually join in other conversations, but I'll correct people if they got a pretty important fact wrong. It must be a fact, they must have gotten it wrong, and it must irk me to some extent, or I likely won't intervene. That's my rule. Alas, I let bigotry and horribly biased opinions slide.