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Is the iPod eating your soul?

June 4, 2007 | Author: Joel Falconer | Filed under:

“Dude, you should put that down once in a while. iPods eat your soul, you know.”

I was listening to some new Midnight.Haulkerton studio tracks on my iPod, when a friend yelled this at me through the headphones. Of course, I flipped him off, but it got me thinking… where do these people get these ideas from?


Argument #1: iPods make you antisocial.

“I see those white headphones everywhere, and I wonder if they still have friends.”

One argument that has been put forth a million times is that, by way of having earbuds stuck in your ears, the iPod makes you antisocial. Certainly in my example at the start of this post, that’s the case (the guy talks to much, so looking for possible improvements in my song seems like a better use of time!). But usually the iPod is playing when you’re in the car, or riding the train. It might come in handy to fill in time during the 2-hour break between lectures. When friends are around, most people take the buds out. Psychopaths and people who were already antisocial excluded.

Argument #2: iPods are homogenizing society.

“I listen to radio to hear new music and keep up to date. People listening to iPods must be listening to the same stuff they’ve always listened to!”

I could just clean this argument by stating that all the crap on radio is homogenous, and not just the selection: each damn pop or hip hop tune is just a superficial rehash of the garbage that came ten minutes before it.

But I won’t–I’ll argue the benefits of iPod use for expanding one’s cultural inclinations. It’s true that iPod users are more likely to seek out new music than their old-fashioned radio counterparts, and often use illegal means to do it such as torrents (why not download some free, legal music while you’re here?). But on top of this, the major iPod practice that gives a person more options is in podcasting. There are a finite number of radio programs running at times constricted by when other programs are running, but online and with the iPod, it’s a different story.

A whole breadth of different podcasts–essentially radio shows–can be chosen from all over the web, covering every topic imaginable, and done to varying degrees of professionalism. Not only can listeners find exactly what they want, they’re even more likely to try out new programs because of their easy accessibility. Plus, listening to radio shows is largely a matter of convenience and chance–are you in the car at that time? Podcasts can be listened to at anyone’s convenience, and by choice, so they tend to build a greater audience loyalty.

When you’ve got a huge list of podcast shows in front of you, one click away, aren’t you more likely to at least take a glance at something unfamiliar?

Argument #3: Even if iPods don’t make you antisocial with your own friends, they prevent you from making new ones.

“I tried to make eye contact with that girl on the train today, but she had her buds in the whole time, staring at her playlist!”

Yup, I’m so sure you would’ve coughed up the balls to speak to her anyway. That aside, when I’ve used buses and trains I’ve had more people talk to me because I had an iPod in my hand. It’s a point of interest and topic for conversation. Without something to talk about, it’s the normal mechanical process of catching a train each day; look to the floor, avoid eye contact, avoid speech at all costs, and get to your destination.

What’s making people antisocial and homogenous?

It’s the culture of our society itself. iPod or not, these are the ingrained patterns of behaviour in Western civilization. There is no socialization on public transport. We’ve been taught to fear the unknown, even if it is just our fellow man. And as I wrote before, our main channels of entertainment are already homogenous. By choosing our own channels, our chances are only better! We are crafting our own cultures, and our own entertainment, to fit in with our lives. We meet new people and learn new things because of it.

Have your say: what’s wrong with iPods? What’s right about them? And what do you have to say to those who want to get rid of iPods? Let us know in the comments!

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This entry was posted on Monday, June 4th, 2007 and is filed under . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

xygoxen

4 people have left comments

the ipod is a crock. i cant stand walking around and seeing bloody everyone with those annoying headphones in their damn ears

David wrote on June 4, 2007 - 12:41 pm | Visit Link

The iPod’s a great device and I think for one major reason: what a great UI! Looking forward to the iPhone. Anyway, let’s hope that the ipod crusades don’t last too long.

jamboree wrote on June 4, 2007 - 1:02 pm | Visit Link

iPod therefore iAm.

white headphone ubiquitous-ness aside. these things rule.
sometimes i find myself wearing them just so I can read without distractions on the train.

iPods don’t make you antisocial.
society is antisocial just ask the cool kids on the street.

8gb nano.
–on my 4th ipod

next week i’m gonna try wearing white surgical face masks too.

Lyzard wrote on June 12, 2007 - 2:40 pm | Visit Link

That’s the spirit! Though I can’t imagine what a Lyzard with white earbuds looks like…

Joel Falconer wrote on June 12, 2007 - 2:42 pm | Visit Link

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Alfadir's Piercing is the blog of Australian grok rock band Midnight.Haulkerton, bringing you free songs, tips and guides for songwriters, musicians and band leaders, and Midnight.Haulkerton news.

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