An Open Letter to Whoever is Removing Headphone Jacks
From a concerned customer
Dear Whoever is Removing Headphone Jacks,
I don’t know who you are or why you’re doing this, but please kindly stop. I first noticed that the headphone jack quietly disappeared about five phone models ago (’tis a tragic day).
Yes, this letter is late. My hope was that you would do the right thing on your own. Sadly, that’s not the case.
And I get it. Wired anything is a sort of archaic at this point. Telephones no longer need wires. Laptops rarely have wires. Everything everywhere is getting smaller, thinner and smarter all the time. Why should earbuds be any different? Perhaps I’m the only one shaking my curmudgeonly fist in protest.
But I’m not alone. Even in the 19th century, Thoreau’s remarks on illusionary ‘modern improvements’ were already cautious of accepting the latest technology without a healthy degree of skepticism.
Let’s consider the assumption that people find tangled wires a hassle. Personally, I find it soothing to untangle things. The satisfaction of neatly wrapping wires right before they’re tangled up again in 3 milliseconds is a calming, modern-day Sisyphean task.
Feeling proud of yourself in small increments helps…
