External Environment

[EricJones]

I often overhear background sounds and other people's conversations. I haven't found a way to ignore these stimuli because i am afraid people will find out, so this keeps me worried and going back to focusing on them. Do you think this is a big deal when it comes to whether people will like me or not?

[Midori]

Hi Eric,

When you are in a group situation it is hard Not to hear other folk's conversations, but you can train yourself not to listen. As I think I have said to you before, most folks are so immersed in their own activities they have no time to take notice of anyone else, except in the most fleeting way.

If folk want to talk about stuff they wouldn't want anyone else to hear, they would most likely talk in private. The world isn't a private place however, and it's rather like photographs.

It's hard if you are in public to avoid being in a photo, and there is no law which protects a person in a public place from appearing in somebody else's snap. If they didn't want to be photographed they wouldn't go out when folk are around.

You find a lot of people shouting about their 'rights' not to be photographed, but unless they are a celebrity with a large entourage of security, and the police closing the streets for them, then it's too bad. The average person has no 'right' to privacy when out in public.

Hope this helps a little.

Cheers, Midori

[EricJones in reply to Midori]

Thank you, Midori. That was really helpful. So it's not a big deal to people if I hear their conversations?

[Midori in reply to EricJones]

Nope. if they don't want to be overheard they should take it someplace private.

Don't fret about it, if you can, ignore it., or take yourself out of earshot. Most folk live 'in the moment' and don't remember in a very short time.

Cheers, Midori

[EricJones in reply to Midori]

Thanks, for the clarification.

[Alpakka123]

First of all, I really like Midori's photograph analogy. I had never heard of that before!

Second of all, maybe others are just as worried about this. I have a hard time tuning out others' conversations when out as well, but then I think about how maybe I'm not the only one. You never know; if you're worried about someone knowing that you are listening, might that person be worried about the same thing (worried that you know they're listening to your conversations)? If that makes sense?