distinctions, shmershminctons!

Ah yes, hearing loss. So cool.

Just wear earplugs at gigs mate. You can get fancy ones that only filter out the painful high frequencies.
- I disagree. Hearing loss is not something to take lightly. Stay safe. Hearing protection is cool.

Hearing damage is permanent, stay safe and use earplugs. You will regret it later in life if you don't.

It's even worse than people act like it is.

Hearing loss is progressive. You won't even notice it at first. You'll just be sitting around one day and suddenly you're half deaf in one ear and have roaring tinnitus in the other.

And it doesn't even take overly loud sounds to cause irreparable damage. A typical motorcycle engine is loud enough. Music turned up slightly too loud. Hell simply clapping your hands can do it.

Our ears are just as shittily built as our knees.
- Yep. Agreed on all aspects of your post.
  
  I started too late (undergrad) wearing earplugs all the time at shows/other loud things. I don't think I have much hearing loss (thankfully) but I do get the buzzing every so often (I know it could be worse, and am grateful it isn't).
  
  Hearing protection is not something to take lightly (I know you know, but just to reiterate for others reading).
  
  Ffs, don't get me started on knees haha.

Wear hearing protection to concerts, kids.

And then this guy took off his denim jacket And his shirt said "Bark At the Moon"
He was a headbanger
He whipped his head around so fast
He gave himself a concussion

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https://piped.video/50qJGs3iE5s

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Wtf is shoe gazing?

Pretty much what it sounds like, where people who listen to a certain type/sound of music tend to enjoy it at live events by just low key looking down and slowly shuffling or bobbing their head to show their appreciation (rather than headbanging, moshing, etc.) there is a genre called 'shoegaze' which pretty much encompasses this kinda scene.
- Wow that’s a new one to me, never really noticed people doing that at a show. I guess I’m not really paying much attention to the crowd anyway though. Thanks for the explanation!
- Shoegaze is actually called that because the bands all have a ton of effects pedals, and they’re constantly changing settings and moving from pedal to pedal. So it looks like they’re staring at their shoes. I’ve never heard of it referring to spectators, though in hindsight I’ve done that a couple of times at shows, so...maybe?
  
  Remember kids: you can buy musicians ear-plugs that mean you can keep listening to it your whole life without crippling phantom noise all the time.