Forgot my earphones at home today for the first time in years (first time in months for sure).
I had forgotten what it's like to be human and be in the present.

Earphones are an unnecessary addiction these daya

I can zone out without earphones.

I actually find that headphones all the time has drastically improved my life when it comes to other humans. Noise cancelling on all the time and music sometimes. My brain is relatively less strained and when I actually talk to people I feel like I’m more in the moment than I was before extensive headphone use.

YMMV.