A (welder) world without music

[loCAtek]

Recently, my company decided that in order to better serve present and future customers; they had to take our radios and music away ~wah~
...this included headphones and ipods.

Something about: it lowered productivity. [?] Now, I would disagree, as I'm happier with music in the background, and a happy Loca is a productive Loca.
Maybe I'm odd? (Don't answer that) ...but for as long as I can recall in history, laborers liked to hear lyrics. Chain gangs are known for singing choruses to keep themselves entertained and motivated.
As it is, it's happening in the shop already, folks are singing or whistling aloud to accompany themselves as they work.

Shoot, in the Hardware department of Home Depot, a common TOOL we sold for the job site was a SHOP RADIO.




So, I disagree, but am I wrong? Is this going to boost output, or drive me us all bonkers?

[The Hen]

Music has never had a place in my life. Much to the annoyance of my husband.

[Andrew D]

That's a shame. Music instantiates the fundamental structure of everything. It is not an accident, I think, that the ancients referred to cosmological realities (to the extent to which they understood them) as "the music of the spheres" ....

[Sean]

Can't really have music on while I'm working. The 'audio' part of my job title kind of rules it out...

[Daisy]

if I need to immerse myself in work then I plug in my earphones and ignore the office around me.

Right now got the new Elbow album on, going watching them a week on Friday, next I'll be on Patrick Wolf's new album as I'm going to see him a week on Saturday.

Music is so important to me - I cannot imagine life without it. But weirdly I can't be doing with it when I'm driving, I have BBC Radio 4 (spoken-word programming) on in the car.

[Jay Tea]

I love music but have seldom benefited from it at work. I work in an academic environment and even though I wouldn't mind some tunes on a friday afternoon whilst processing dull tasks, it would be out of the question, though I have a private office and 'do' listen to TMS when the cricket's on.

When I was a student I worked all sorts of jobs for travel money. HMV, ironically, were the worst music abusers, playing the same chart single in seemingly endless rotation, and I thought I was going to be driven mad over the Xmas season. Also, the radio in places like factories and warehouses - chewing gum for the brain is all well and good, but the monotony of daytime radio is in no way preferable to sweet, sweet silence.

[MajGenl.Meade]

It is not an accident, I think, that the ancients referred to cosmological realities (to the extent to which they understood them) as "the music of the spheres" ....

Them was smart, them old ancients!

[dgs49]

I enjoy listening to music - many different genres - but I cannot listen to music and do much of anything else concurrently (e.g., work). In fact, I have to mentally tune the music out in order to get anything done, unless it is something totally mindless like cutting the grass or washing a car.

As I think about it, though, I really enjoy listening to the radio while I'm riding my bicycle - even though I know it is stupid and dangerous to do so.

I find it a little bit odd that so many people don't seem to be able to function without those little wires coming out of their ears. In some cases I wonder if it is a form of pathological misanthropy.

[Gob]

Nothing I'd like more than to listen to music at work, preferably on an i-pod turned up loud.

I think the punters may object though

[loCAtek]

The shop owners still hasn't been able to explain their reasons for this;

OSHA is only concerned with the decibel levels of equipment that may require hearing protection.

Music does not drown out other important audio alerts like warning bells and alarms.

The content of the music stations is neither inappropriate nor offensive (no one is using a CD or mp3 that plays personally selected audio of questionable content; it's all from public airwaves.)

There have been no reported injuries or losses due to the presence of music.

There have been no workers complaints about radio usage (we all considerately keep the volumes down; turn our speakers to face only our area and as stated don't select obnoxious output to others.)

Why did they do this to us!?