Max found a funny article about the plague of New Yorkers using their iPods to tune out the world. I think the reporter was exaggerating a little bit though. There’s nothing intrinsically magical about an iPod that lets you tune out other people better than with a regular old Walkman. You can just do it for longer. I especially liked this quote from an iPodder:
“It’s a society within itself… You’ve got your biker community, your hip-hop community. And now you’ve got your iPod community. It’s all about those wires.”
Word. I’m so sick of waiting for Australia to get its shipment of In-Ear headphones!
psorr
February 17, 2004 — 5:12 pm
I don’t think it’s a big exaggeration. Unlike a ‘Walkman’, it’s easy to slip the Pod into your pocket and walk out the door. Portable CD players are only practical in a backpack–good on planes or buses, but that’s about it. With my Pod I can easily stroll along, and I do find that I tune out the world to some extent. Usually not a bad thing.
Kris
February 17, 2004 — 5:33 pm
I guess so, but I used to do the same thing in London with a regular old cassette Walkman. It’s just that with the iPod I don’t have to flip the tape over every 25 minutes.
I’m with you on the CD players though. Everytime I ride the train I see some poor fool trying to juggle a CD player, four discs, and headphones. I always think to myself, “Why don’t you just carry a hand-cranked Victrola while you’re at it?”