In the last years there has been an abundance of radio formats where listeners call the station and comment on the topic of the program. These comments are very rarely worth listening, most of the time boring and sometimes just unbearable.
I often dreamed of a coded signal similar to the traffic news signal which would allow me to mute those speakers. But this is not gonna happen.
Alternatively I'd like to have a radio with a fast voice recognition algorithm. Within a few seconds it learns to recognize a voice (not to understand it, though) - as fast as I need to decide that I do not want to listen to this person. I press the mute button, and the radio stays silent until their rant has been delivered. The radio keeps track of my choices so that I will never ever have to listen to this person again. - The mechanism could also apply to certain celebrities, politicians and maybe even the sound of U2.-- Toto Anders, Dec 15 2014 does what it says on the blueprint.. Chihuahua_20poo_20powered_20space_20plane [not_morrison_rm, Dec 15 2014] ....certain contributors to hb..of course no one would want to cut me o-- not_morrison_rm, Dec 15 2014 I said no on-- not_morrison_rm, Dec 15 2014 I-- not_morrison_rm, Dec 15 2014 Because what we need is anything that increases the echo chamber effect.-- MechE, Dec 15 2014 The root of the problem is the habit of tuning in on a daily basis to find out what you're supposed to think and how you're supposed to feel.
Once you cease doing that, the other problem you describe is taken care of.-- normzone, Dec 15 2014 Wonderful idea, yes, you don;t have to listen or watch someone you dislike. You have won the game. But they might make revolutions if you are not watching.-- rcarty, Dec 15 2014 The same voice recognition algorithm and mute button is connected to a hat-mounted machine gun for use when you are out in public.-- pocmloc, Dec 15 2014 //spoked spaceship that ejects unruly crew
Throwing the crew out is inadvisable, as you never know when one of them might come in handy. A simple variant of the chihuahua poo powered spacecraft...-- not_morrison_rm, Dec 15 2014 /But they might make revolutions if you are not watching./
They might revolve?-- bungston, Dec 15 2014 It's an old joke for you to enjoy today.-- rcarty, Dec 15 2014 How will you ever learn anything if you don't listen to the other side? Also, most radios have an on / off button. Press it.-- xandram, Dec 15 2014 Good points. As a rule I don't listen to talk radio due to it's " Here's what you believe today " format, but occasionally I'll dial in and listen to contrary points for just the reason you cite, [xandram].
I also like to listen occasionally to the religious stations (nominally religious, not the political variants) solely to analyze how the tale gets told, and identify the point at which it steps from tale telling / structured logic to " and here is where you experience the endorphins from the meme that you let past your anti-viral defenses " .
And the off button is your friend.
If you are in the habit of listening to this noise on a regular basis, then you have deeper problems. You need a new hobby. Just pick one - it really doesn't matter which one, you'll be better off regardless of your choice.-- normzone, Dec 15 2014 I'm glad that the subtitle of my idea has found enough opponents to make listening to the halfbakery worthwile.
// And the off button is your friend. // As for the off button: I listen to the radio only on those long boring car drives when I forgot to load my phone with some more interesting literature. Now tell me: who of you all does not use their car radio when driving alone?
// You need a new hobby. Just pick one // Like contributing to HB? Its nearly as devastating...-- Toto Anders, Dec 15 2014 I listen to the radio on a regular basis. Some of what I listen to are call in talk shows. Generally the opinions that dissent from my are either well reasoned, or picked apart by the hosts if poorly reasoned. The occasional softball interview of a politician being the (annoying) exception, but it doesn't harm me to hear even those.
NPR is your friend.-- MechE, Dec 15 2014 Opponents? This is commentary. And we're asking you, the Halfbakery posters and annotaters, to reach into your keyboards and donate an annotation, or even an idea, if you have one to share. We are a non profit organization, and...-- normzone, Dec 15 2014 // The occasional softball interview of a politician being the (annoying) exception, but it doesn't harm me to hear even those. //
I seem to be the only one who finds some people talking just unbearable. Over here we have the word "fremdschämen" for which I know of no appropriate translation. It's not that their opinions are contrary to mine, but that they are not able to express themselves in a non-embarassing way. They use false metaphors, irrelevant examples, cannot focus on the topic, have not understood the prior discussion etc. etc. Without the mute button I'm doomed to listen to their droning on or switching the program off altogether. Any alternative solutions to the problem are welcome.-- Toto Anders, Dec 16 2014 I can think of two responses to this problem. One is morally heroic, the other is widely known to work.
The morally heroic one is to learn to suffer fools gladly. For example, when you hear someone else being wrong, you could reflect on times in the past when you've been wrong (or embarrassing, or inarticulate) yourself. It's the Right Thing to Do, but it can be painful, and it can be hard to do consistently.
The other response is to find ways to patronise, inwardly, the person whose view annoys you, and to take pleasure in your supposed superiority to them. Many fine examples of this response can be found on this very website. It works better if you never actually meet them.
Anyway, be reassured that you're not the only one to feel this way.-- pertinax, Dec 16 2014 I wish I could bun MechE's annos.-- RayfordSteele, Dec 16 2014 random, halfbakery