The iPod (and earphones) As A Tool of Image Formation

An approving audience is incredibly powerful and this goes for any situation. In the case of iPods, I really think its safe to say that iPods are an instrument that can be used to portray a certain image and this image portrayed is further brought to life with the use of earphones. It's funny that we know the extent to which earphones have the potential to damage our hearing, but those warnings don't seem to make enough of an impact to actually have people adhere to the warnings. But I guess when you are bombarded daily with warnings of potential death through use of other things, a slight scare of potential deafness doesn't quite rate as high on the scale of 1-10. The more harm we stand to inflict on ourselves, the louder the volume goes and the better designed the earphones become just so they can better fit the ear. Earphones nowadays have been specifically designed to fit snugly INSIDE your ear. I mean some designs are just pure invention on their own. So basically the earphone is sitting in or at least close enough to your ear canal and not to mention a whole lot closer to your endangered eardrum- talk about increasing danger. But at least one thing is guaranteed; you don't have to worry about your image and having these earphones fall out of ear because your ear is too small while walking in public and looking the part. Another reason why I say earphones are all about the image is because all too often you find people who simply put earphones on just for the sake of it even when there is no music. This just further emphasises that it's alla bout looking the part really. This does however lead to the point (which is bound to arise) of when does this become rude or inconsiderate? Personally when I'm trying to talk to you and you have your earphones in your ear yet still insist that you are listening to what I'm saying, while repeatedly going huh...huh after every word you've lip read- now that is just being plain rude. You might as well say; "I don't really want to talk to you right now." I can almost guarantee you it will make your life a whole lot easier and your listening will be a whole lot more enjoyable without unnecessary distractions that you can obviously do without. Apart from a personal level, I find it harder to understand why a person decides to go to a lecture for example and better yet sits throughout the whole lecture with their earphones in their ear and then spend even more energy to pretend to be listening and trynig to hide their earphone use from the lecturer.
Personally though, on a more lighter note, I have absolutely nothing against earphones. In fact I love them, they are great. They are the perfect way to block out the world when you absolutely have to. My only thing is that people must just know the place and time for the use of earphones as goes for everything else.