Despite the ruthless ridicule of my peers, I stand proud to don my AirPods. People may tell me, “I can’t afford wires,” and that they “don’t speak rich,” but I persist to enjoy my music how I please.

From the moment I wake up to the moment I fall asleep, my AirPods allow me to embellish every second of my day with the joy of music. I can get dressed without a cord getting in the way, I can leave my phone somewhere without interrupting my music and I can strut with a newfound confidence that my music brings me.

You’d think my life is perfect with such a luxurious device, right? Sadly, my experience is not as  pleasant as it should be.

Friends, peers and even some family members ostracize me for owning AirPods. Among many jokes, they criticize them as a waste of money and told me there are better, cheaper options. To those of you who agree with them, I shall make the grandest effort to prove the worth of my cherished AirPods.

If you are looking to feel like a time traveler from the future, look no further. With a sleek and simple all-white design, the charging case and the pods can transport your look hundreds of years ahead of time and truly make you feel like flying cars exist. This sensation alone blows its competitors out of the water, but the perks of the new Apple device don’t stop there.

They easily connect to any device, especially other Apple products that are staples of many Algonquin students’ existence. The case and pods weigh under two ounces, and the case is a miniscule 1.74 by .84 by 2.11 inches, allowing users to fit it in almost any pocket.  Now this is slightly larger than a rolled up pair of earbuds, but there is no mess or time wasted when putting it away or taking it out.

Best of all, you can double tap the headphones while they’re in your ear to perform a number of functions that you are able to easily program.

Now if we are being honest here, they aren’t cheap. Paying $159.00 is a hefty purchase to make, but in all seriousness I believe they are a worthwhile product. Purchasing your own pair is a no-brainer, and if you disagree, I don’t want to hear it while I luxuriously enjoy my wire-free songs.

As J. Jonah Jameson once said of Spider-Man, AirPods, Apple’s flashy audio accessory, are “a menace.”

Since the 2019 holiday season, AirPods have gone mainstream. Yet, the reasons for their popularity are incomprehensible to me. With many drawbacks to the devices, why is everybody buying them?

One of the problems with AirPods is that they foster antisocial behavior by isolating their users in their own small world of sound. Sure, regular earbuds arguably have this effect, but those with wires don’t try to hide it and wear a clear “Do Not Disturb” sign. AirPods, on the other hand, are often hidden by the user’s hair. Trying to grab the attention of the AirPoders without avail can seem like they brushed you off rudely since they have no physical indication of not being able to hear you.

Ray Bradbury, author of “Fahrenheit 451,” must be turning in his grave. He warned us of the potential for similar devices, dubbed “Seashells” in the story, to take over and ruin society through auditory isolation. But we didn’t listen.

Along with the social isolation, they also drive economic tensions within our school’s community. Banter between students with AirPods and those staying strong with their wires is incessant with some AirPoders dropping entitled statements such as “Sorry, I don’t speak broke,” and taunting those of us with wires calling them “chains of poverty.”

On the other side, wire bearers constantly inquire about the vast amounts of wealth AirPod owners must have. This is annoying for the wireless user who is trying to enjoy their music. Who knew earbuds could be so divisive?

So now that you know the social impacts of AirPods you must be wondering, “besides the social consequences, is the actual product worth the money?” Absolutely not.

Not only will you have no friends, but you’ll be broke too. The steep price comes in at $159.00 on Apple’s website. Even with all their features, that’s simply absurd. Measuring in at a measly inch and a half AirPods appear to be delicate, if an AirPoder drops one of them and someone steps on it, that’s a big investment thrown away. Apple’s already overpriced wired earbuds cost $29.00. For the price of Airpods, you could buy five pairs of regular Apple earbuds with enough cash left over to buy some avocado underwear from American Eagle. That’s money well spent.

A solution to the AirPod epidemic exists, however, in the form of a relatively inexpensive device that is connected to your phone when in use and is even powered by your phone instead of needing to charge! Normal, wired earbuds. What’s wrong with them? High-quality earbuds have the same, if not better audio quality than AirPods at a fraction of the price. Consider this next time the AirPods’ flashy advertising tempts you to throw your money away on such useless devices.