Just one more poster here chiming in to say the "mic/mouth sludge’ noise is one of the most disgusting sounds on the planet. Seriously. Barf.
Nothing happened. Management spoke to him, HR spoke to him, then nothing happened.
Heh- many years ago one of the older ladies in the office had body odour. (I was very junior then). One of the older guys suggested to another female that she would like to mention it to her as it would be easier as she was female. She went off her trolley asking (correctly) how it would be easier just because she was of the same sex?
I think that the people responsible for sound recording are so used to it that they just don’t hear what it sounds like or they think it adds intimacy. I once heard a tea expert demonstrating how you slurp while sipping the tea to really get all the fragrances of it. Disgusting.
What gets me is when you can hear the air whistling past their nose hairs when they inhale. There was a local public-radio guy who would ALWAYS have that going on and it would drive me crazy. Trim those puppies or back away from the microphone!
About 15 years ago I saw David Lindley perform at McCabe’s Guitar in Santa Monica. Small, intimate theater in the basement. Between songs, Mr. Dave told us how much he likes performing there, being so close to the audience… “I can hear your noses whistling.”
Hilarity ensued.
*Ibanez
You likely have a syndrome known as Misophonia, also sometimes referred to as Selective Sound Sensitivity Syndrome (or 4S); a condition in which a person reacts irrationally to certain sounds that most people take little or no notice of. There is also something similar but different called Hyperacusis, which is an over-sensitivity to the volume of sounds. Misophonia can immediately or very quickly cause emotional and physiological responses. This sensitivity to certain sounds can have a negative effect on a person’s life causing problems with activities of daily living.
Most common “Triggers” they are referred to include lip smacking, sniffling, clicking of pens, clanking of glass or metal, rustling of potato chip bags, etc. The list of triggers is extremely long.
If you think this might sound like you, please KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE. This is something that so many people have, most aren’t aware. I did not know for the first 20 - 25+ years of my life that this was an “actual thing.” I thought I was the only person in the world insanely bothered by certain sounds, the biggest trigger being lip smacking while eating, chewing gum etc. All my life until just a few months ago I thought I literally was crazy and a screwed up psychopath that belonged in a strait jacket in a padded room at a Mental Hospital. The rage, anxiety and horrible thoughts I would have scared me so much I slowly stopped being around people more and more, even family. Not a lot of Doctors are aware of this, a lot of people think it’s made up and tell you to just get over it…but don’t worry, awareness is starting to rise up about this. It’s even been on the washingtonpost.com, doctor shows, etc.
You can try seeing an Audiologist that specializes in or is very familiar with Misophonia and see if they might have a treatment plan to help you. There are websites, groups, facebook groups etc for Misophonia you can research or join to learn more, get support, suggestions, have a place to vent etc.
I very rarely ever cry, but a few months ago when I freaked out at my dad’s house from everyone crunching chips around me I FINALLY decided to google search “Why do I hate the sound of people smacking their lips” or something like that and boom…Misophonia. ALLLLLL my life, all these years, thousands of days thinking I was crazy and psycho and found out there’s an actual reason behind my madness, a “diagnosis”, others like me, help, support groups etc. After reading all about it, I typed out a long FB note to only my close family and some friends. In the middle of doing it, knowing I’m not a lone and crazy, finally for the FIRST time in my life being able to talk about it…I completely broke down crying. I tear up every time I think about like I am right now. I mean a complete break down, hardly any noise…just that deep from the pit of your stomach, mouth open, tears in your eyes break down. Never experience that before. Had to get a Kleenex right now just thinking about it again. No one with out this can understand what I felt that day finding out I’m not alone. Word for word I experienced exactly what you have, literally. They call it “Fight or Flight” where you either want to freak out, trash everything around you and/or punch someone in the face (I remember at age 12 I imagined stabbing my dad in the head with a fork because I was freaking out so much from his chewing…a little personal, but if anyone else has had thoughts like that, that’s what I’m talking about when I said scared of the thoughts I’ve had). And/or you just want to run as fast out of the room to get away from the trigger before you do freak out.
I hope at least one person found this info and a tiny small piece of my personal story helpful.
The biggest thing I try to remember and tell people now…there are over 6 BILLION people in the world. If you are going through something bad, feel like you have something wrong with you or some kind of mental health problem…ask for help. Do research, google it. Ask your Primary Dr, close friends and family, even the Suicide Hotline if needed. It is VERY likely that You are not alone.
Mental Health is a very huge issue and very misunderstood issue throughout the world. But doing some research you may be able to find out what’s wrong, find others, support groups etc. Take care everyone.
~Brandon
Brandon, this is very interesting. Would this apply to specific things, such as certain human voice traits? For instance, American dialects that veer far away from, I guess what we call “Standard”, or “Newscaster” irritate to an unreasonable degree. Other qualities like overly sibilant or “vocal fry” make me borderline homicidal. I just thought I was antisocial. Could it be possible that I’m just sensitive to these variations?
I definitely get annoyed by sounds… back when Buffy and Angel were a Thing on the show they would kiss and I’d have to hit mute because the sounds they were making were just disgusting. I don’t think it was the sound people’s fault, I think it was those 2 actors since other actors who kissed on the show were fine. I hate hearing people eat, and I also cannot stand two sound sources at once (like a tv and a radio on at the same time). Multiple sounds are somehow ok though, it’s like they all blend into one huge background hum. I also can hear my husband’s cell phone ring when its in his pocket and set to vibrate only, even with the TV on.
I don’t think my hearing is all that much sharper than normal, I think it’s just that for some reason I’m more aware of sound than other people seem to be.
Zombies smack a lot when eating your brains…
Thread is almost 3 years old.
OK. I have a confession to make.
I chew with my mouth open.
Not when I’m around people, mind you. But chewing with my mouth closed takes almost constant focus and awareness. When I’m alone, and thinking about other things while eating . . . smack, smack, smack.
(Also, other people’s smacking and gurgling makes me want to stab them. So I’m a total hypocrite, too. ;))
ETA: BRAAAIINS!
Oh, tell me about it!
My younger brother, who had had a particularly hard life, would do it every now and then.
Once, I took him to a high end restaurant, and, “Smack, smack, smack”. I wanted to smack the shit out of him. I told him that he was smacking, and it might not be overly appropriate, given the environment. He said “It helps me to enjoy the food.” What can one say, with this for an answer?
I wanted to smack the shit out of him even more, but, well, I just shut up.
My sister-in-law is an obnoxious open mouth smacker. She tends to smacksmacksmack her food while getting sentences out. I give her a pass because she has 4 kids, and I imagine this is a condition from which it was the only way to feed herself while barking instructions to her 4 brats.
Im sorry.
You were saying?
Bold mine
I disagree with this, you should not do it to help the next person, you should do it to help him. People may treat him differently due to this habit, particularly not wanting to eat with him, co-workers may take behind his back, finding it less enjoyable to eat with him and he may not understand why.
It is hard, and you may or may not be the person to do it, but for his own good he should be made aware of it, he may not realize it and thank you for it, that is what really friends do for each other. He may get upset or angry but easy to back off on it and let it be - at least you give him the ability to attempt to change or stay with it.
I personally often appreciate constructive criticizem from friends and welcome it.
Yup, except this one, which my mom (metaphorically) beat out of my brother and me. (He may be the only redneck in America who can navigate a formal place setting and knows what a finger bowl is for).
I work with someone who is a smacker. She ate breakfast in staff meeting. And of course she was sitting next to me. smacksmacksmack I wondered if it was a cultural difference, as she’s not American.
Ah damn it, schooled again.
My friend smacks and it drives me crazy. when i was sitting in the break room eating my lunch my friend came in and sat down next to me, pulled out a sandwich and started smacking away. i told him he was smacking and he told me he knew and that it was just the way he ate and could not eat with his mouth closed.
This pissed me off because when i was little my big brother hated any sort of little mouth sounds and often screamed at me to stop when we were at the table eating. he sometimes kicked me under the table and this made me stop.
Now when i eat i am the quietest person ever and dont make a sound.
Sorry for my bad gramar.
I have a friend who smacks really loudly and constantly. I am convinced this is at least part of why she doesn’t get more than three dates. The guys probably take her to dinner, get grossed out, and head for the exit.
I wish I could tell her but she’d go ballistic and get all defensive and it wouldn’t be worth it.
Yep. 
But it’s not smacking my food, at least. My grandmother does it, and though I adore her, I’ve envisioned her death in gory detail on many a Thanksgiving.
My stepdad once literally stabbed my brother with a fork because my brother allowed his fork to tap against his teeth while eating.