An hour on the elliptical at the gym goes really fast with a movie of my choice playing in front of me. I use this free software for Macs called HandBrake that allows me to rip any DVD to play on my iPod in mp4 format. This morning, I finished watching the new Bond movie Casino Royale for the second time since it came out last week. The best Bond ever, by the way. And, as I've already mentioned, I love having my Mraz, Red or Linkin Park on demand out of the 1,845 songs I have on tap.
Phil picked up a book a few months ago by Steven Levy called The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture and Coolness:
The part I read this weekend was very interesting to me. Levy talked about how iPods (actually, Walkmans first, but now iPods) are getting criticized for isolating us more and more from one another. On the one hand, listening to your iPod at the gym prevents you from striking up a conversation with the person next to you on the elliptical. On the other hand, Levy argues that people use iPods as a soundtrack to their tedious daily tasks and, therefore, iPods are just a way for us to listen to music we love while we do things that are normally a drudgery.
I think to some degree, the isolationism is happening more and more in our world and the iPod may be a contributing factor. On the other hand, I have never once struck up a conversation with anyone at the gym, even before I had an iPod. Back in the day, I used to run and lift weights every single day at our little neighborhood gym and I never remember exchanging any words except maybe "good morning" or "are you still using this?" I certainly can't ever remember thoroughly enjoying going to the gym -- even now when my freakish strength is in play. So, listening to Red or watching Bond numbs that normally-not-very-enjoyable task.
It's interesting though. I wonder if we lived in a city (like I talked about in the earlier post) if things would be different. I wonder if I'd keep my iPod hooked up to my brain during the subway rides or lunches alone in the neighborhood cafe. What are the chances I'd strike up conversations with strangers in the subway or the cafe anyway? I see the point of the critics, but I also think this issue, like most, is one we can respond to in moderation. Obviously don't plug your iPod in at decidedly social settings like dinner parties or church potlucks; but I'm all for using the iPod during tedious tasks like driving, working out or commuting.
What do you think?
1 comment:
I think portable entertainment in probably more of an indicator of the loss of social interaction rather than a major contributing factor. It is more likely that other isolation contraptions such as video games, computers (IM, email and all that goes with it), and entertainment-on-demand have created a culture in which anti-social personalities combine with technological advances to bring these bubble-creators out of the home and into the public sphere.
I think the real problem with iPod-like technologies is that it drowns out our thought processes. I can listen to talk radio all day (and this is a thought promoter) but never confront my “inner demons”. I have no real factual support for this, but I think ignoring your conscience may be a more damaging result of technology than lack of communication. Just my observations.
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