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February 23, 2005
iPod World?
Andrew Sullivan’s latest diatribe in the Times of London, subtitled, “The End of Society?” proves once again how shallow and behind the times he can be. (As if last year’s 15-year-late ode to Bears wasn’t evidence enough!) He claims the prevalence of iPods in particular and the the internet/laptops/Wi-Fi in general have isolated people from one another and destroyed their sense of community. All this because he spent some time in New York City and no one spoke to each other. Never mind that the internet is creating new, different kinds of communities with no regard for geographic boundaries. Forget that the iPod has released people’s music from their homes and changed forever the way music is sold and listenened to. Those are nothing compared to the “Metaphor of the White Headsets.” Oh, please.
In my experience, New Yorkers ignoring each other on the street and elsewhere is a cherished tradition. They did it long before the introduction of even the original Walkman, which was certainly before Wi-Fi enabled coffee shops started popping up. The only city where I can recall people saying hello to each other on the street is New Orleans and that happens even today.
Come to think of it living in Provincetown has the same isolating effect. It’s nothing like living in the real world and is one of the main reasons I moved away. Philadelphia is certainly not paradise but it beats the “all-gay-all-the-time” atmosphere that has ruined Ptown!
iPods aren’t the cause of the problem, they are an effect of an even larger problem. If people remove their headsets or look up from their laptops they are assaulted with rudeness, incivility and chaos, not to mention incessant advertising. People have given up even trying to change things and become passively acceptant. The world has become unbearable and they’ve retreated from it. I don’t blame them one bit. The iPod and wireless internet service has only made it easier, not caused it.
Besides, meeting a sociopath in a chat room is better than meeting one on the street anyday. If real life had an “Ignore” button, we wouldn’t have to shut everyone out.
PS: Is that the best picture of Sully ever or what?
Posted by HighStrungLoner in Crap at 3:09 AM
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