People who talk on speakerphone in public, what’s your deal? – 17 possible explanations for the anti-social annoyance

Few things in life are as universally loathed as people having conversations in public over speakerphone. And yet plenty of people seem to have not got the memo that they’re infuriating.

To get to the bottom of why people have speakerphone conversations in a world where earbuds exist, im_super_into_that decided to go to the source by posing the following question to the opinionated folks over at r/AskReddit:

‘People who talk on speakerphone in public, what’s your deal?’

Here are the top answers to read quietly to yourself…

1.

‘I’ve never been hit in the face and really want it to happen’
-im_super_into_that

2.

‘At the airport after a long travel day, some rich looking asshole was doing this and I literally texted my buddy and told him what was happening and told him I want to talk about the Lions intensely. the Detroit Lions. So I did speakerphone next to this asshole and just was so obnoxious. HE ASKED ME WHY I WAS BEING RUDE and I said LOOK IN THE MIRROR PAL.’
-boogi-boogi-shoes

3.

‘They consider the conversation open and are inviting you to participate.’
-Majik_Sheff

4.

‘It started on reality TV, reality stars would speak on speakerphones so the audience could hear the conversation. Monkey see, monkey do.’
-_ThatProtOverThere

5.

‘Phone makers should have continued including ear buds for free and charged $150 for speaker access instead.’
-burner46

6.

‘Disability, and I try to do it only when necessary.’
-SummerRamp3

7.

‘I believe this comes from people who watch reality TV and certain dramas.

‘A one-sided phone call is horrible television: so showing a speakerphone convo is preferred for TV.
If you Google ‘Kardashian + phone’ you’ll get images of the family yelling into their speakerphones very publicly. It becomes associated with something ‘rich’ people do and therefore the watchers take it as a normal thing.’
-Paelmisto

8.

‘I was this person!! 😩 my earpiece was broken, so I could not hear anything unless it was speakerphone. The phone was under warranty, but it took forever to get it scheduled since they needed to order something?? Anytime I would have to talk on the speakerphone in public, I would try to loudly say “I’m so sorry. My phone is broke and you’re on speakerphone!” And just try to keep the conversation short. I wanted to apologize to any person within earshot of me individually, lol.’
-Conscious_Garlic600

9.

‘As a nurse, I’ve found some of my patients can’t hear through the phone. For whatever reason, it’s easier for them to understand through speaker phone 🤷🏻‍♀️. A specific group of mostly elderly folk.’
-No-Business9779