I'm just trying to point out an inconsistency, namely that I have been told when not sitting in an exit row to remove the headphones even if not turned on because the FA "needs to make sure I can hear instructions clearly in case of an emergency" and on another flight the FAs carry out the policy I wrote of above.

This, IMHO, is one of the greatest problems with the U.S. legacy carriers. It is not that the service is all that bad, but it just irks people when there are gross inconsistencies because normal expectations are shattered by a FA on a power trip or that is having a bad day and takes it out on the pax.