Shinji Ikari is one of the most iconic and well-realized protagonists in anime (and in everything else). Even though he has garnered a lot of controversies or even hate over the years for being let’s say, less than brave when he has to. I feel like that is what enhances his character. Surely if you had to battle aliens in a giant mech that causes you great pain both physically, but also psychologically you would properly feel similar to him.
His youth is also a factor. I simply love how Eva is a story of youth and adolescence. Childhood is an often-overlooked aspect of Eva´s story, but one that I feel creates great value. One of the things Shinji does that speaks to me in particular, is when he listens to music. In scenes of isolation like when he runs away from his responsibilities he always listens to music.
He tries to block out the world. It can be hard to face your responsibilities, especially when you at the same time feel like everyone hates you. His age also makes it difficult for him to understand others. He lacks perspective and understanding of others. Eva is a show where no one is psychologically healthy. That aside, I still think him trying to block out everyone is very powerful.
Shinji listening to music, so he does not have to confront others or who he really is, is something that always resonated with me, it is something I still do from time to time. However, I would argue that you should not.
FINALLY! With that long-winded intro about Shinji out of the way, I can finally talk about what I really wanted all along.
So many people have headphones on these days. In my opinion, it is mostly young people, I too tend to do the same. At this point, it is not to block out the world. At least that is not the goal, but an aftereffect. I walk with either music, a podcast, or an audiobook.
When I wait in line I listen to something. When I walk from A to B, I listen to something. When I work out, I listen to something. I always have something in my ear, and I think most people do the same.
What is lost by doing this is silence. Peace and quiet. It is no secret that nature has a tranquil effect on us humans. It is well documented that spending time in nature is good for us. When you walk in nature taking in all its beauty it becomes a meditative experience. Nature brings inner calmness. This calmness is easy to miss if you have too much noise in your life. In order to achieve peace and quiet in your mind, you must first remove noise, and take in the world as it is.
It is also very difficult to approach someone with headphones on. This might sound like an arbitrary problem, but humans are social creatures, with a need for socializing. We have a need to make connections with other people. Having headphones in might hinder that process ever so slightly.
We have grown cynical as a society. One of the reasons for this is because we are so set in our own way. We become incentivest to only notice ourselves, by constantly having something playing in our ears. We create these bobbles. We become more likely to notice other people by removing our headphones. When you do not have something constantly playing you start to notice other people and what they might be struggling with.
The question is do you listen to music because you want to or because you can’t stand silence?