What's possible is that while you were essentially forced to learn to concentrate (and therefore developed the skill), many don't know they have to learn. They're semi-interested in the events around them, don't know it's a problem and don't know the solution is to develop the necessary skills.

Chitchat in an open room filled with developers and their challenges is different to the drone of a loud machine, or chatter of factory workers whose interests might not overlap with yours. It's a bit like having the internet at your fingers - far too easy to be distracted by interesting chatter.