Comments on: The one about the iPod http://rhinocrisy.org/2006/06/the-one-about-the-ipod/ Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:53:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Bel Gazou http://rhinocrisy.org/2006/06/the-one-about-the-ipod/#comment-33652 Bel Gazou Sat, 14 Jun 2008 21:11:18 +0000 http://rhinocrisy.org/?p=635#comment-33652 I don't have an IPod and have no desire to get one. I do have a Walkman though, which I occasionally use. I don't like the ear buds and much prefer over the ear phones so that I CAN hear the ambient sound. I like to know what is going on around me whether riding a bike or just being on the subway or bus or walking. Besides those ear buds are notoriously bad for your hearing. Someday, I'm sure, ear buds will come equipped with an attachment for your hearing aide I don’t have an IPod and have no desire to get one. I do have a Walkman though, which I occasionally use. I don’t like the ear buds and much prefer over the ear phones so that I CAN hear the ambient sound. I like to know what is going on around me whether riding a bike or just being on the subway or bus or walking. Besides those ear buds are notoriously bad for your hearing. Someday, I’m sure, ear buds will come equipped with an attachment for your hearing aide

]]> By: Anonymous http://rhinocrisy.org/2006/06/the-one-about-the-ipod/#comment-957 Anonymous Mon, 26 Jun 2006 22:38:39 +0000 http://rhinocrisy.org/?p=635#comment-957 <a HREF="http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=32644" REL="nofollow">it's a sweatshop</a> ! <br/><br/><a></a><a></a>Posted by<a><b> </b></a><a HREF="http://rhinocrisy.blogspot.com/2006/06/one-about-ipod.html" REL="nofollow" TITLE="alohaflower at mindspring dot com">hibiscus</a> it’s a sweatshop ! 

Posted by hibiscus

]]> By: Anonymous http://rhinocrisy.org/2006/06/the-one-about-the-ipod/#comment-956 Anonymous Fri, 16 Jun 2006 22:44:43 +0000 http://rhinocrisy.org/?p=635#comment-956 this afternoon i heard a song i associate with my kidhood: "les tringles des sistres tintaient" from the opera <i>carmen</i> . (i think this was the earliest exposure i had to andalusian and gypsy music which has been sort of important.)<br/><br/>anyway a funny thing. i lay there with the music running and i had a straight up physical memory of holding the LP and putting it on the turntable. looking at the label on the LP. lowering the needle.<br/><br/>that memory of course was nostalgic. i did nothing like that to hear the song this time. the last time i handled recorded media for the song was more than a year ago, when i ripped it to the computer that played it moments ago.<br/><br/>there has to be something in that as to explain the extra cocoon relating to digital music players and maybe the extra appeal. i can change a tape or cd in a portable player in the space where i'm listening and that feels like a public act. is it just an interface issue? is it more like watching television than dancing? <br/><br/><a></a><a></a>Posted by<a><b> </b></a><a HREF="http://rhinocrisy.blogspot.com/2006/06/one-about-ipod.html" REL="nofollow" TITLE="alohaflower at mindspring dot com">hibiscus</a> this afternoon i heard a song i associate with my kidhood: “les tringles des sistres tintaient” from the opera carmen . (i think this was the earliest exposure i had to andalusian and gypsy music which has been sort of important.)

anyway a funny thing. i lay there with the music running and i had a straight up physical memory of holding the LP and putting it on the turntable. looking at the label on the LP. lowering the needle.

that memory of course was nostalgic. i did nothing like that to hear the song this time. the last time i handled recorded media for the song was more than a year ago, when i ripped it to the computer that played it moments ago.

there has to be something in that as to explain the extra cocoon relating to digital music players and maybe the extra appeal. i can change a tape or cd in a portable player in the space where i’m listening and that feels like a public act. is it just an interface issue? is it more like watching television than dancing? 

Posted by hibiscus

]]> By: Hedgehog http://rhinocrisy.org/2006/06/the-one-about-the-ipod/#comment-955 Hedgehog Fri, 16 Jun 2006 03:28:56 +0000 http://rhinocrisy.org/?p=635#comment-955 on googly eyes: iPods can be like semiprivate space. Like front porches, books, bicycles, open-top cars, phones. They make it possible to interact on your own terms with the world, which for many of us makes it more possible, not less, to interact with strangers. Of the bunch, though, I have had most luck with the bicycle. With headphones and cell phones, yes, I've had many nice smiles and eye-locks with strangers, but none have led to more. On the bike, you each have an escape route, your own physical space, your direction, and I have had dozens of conversations, a couple of which led to acquaintanceship, with people I glimpsed while riding.  <br/><br/><a></a><a></a>Posted by<a><b> </b></a><a HREF="rhinocrisy.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow" TITLE="">hedgehog</a> on googly eyes: iPods can be like semiprivate space. Like front porches, books, bicycles, open-top cars, phones. They make it possible to interact on your own terms with the world, which for many of us makes it more possible, not less, to interact with strangers. Of the bunch, though, I have had most luck with the bicycle. With headphones and cell phones, yes, I’ve had many nice smiles and eye-locks with strangers, but none have led to more. On the bike, you each have an escape route, your own physical space, your direction, and I have had dozens of conversations, a couple of which led to acquaintanceship, with people I glimpsed while riding.  

Posted by hedgehog

]]> By: Anonymous http://rhinocrisy.org/2006/06/the-one-about-the-ipod/#comment-954 Anonymous Thu, 15 Jun 2006 07:31:56 +0000 http://rhinocrisy.org/?p=635#comment-954 yeah i can be known to forget that people will drop nearly anything including a veneer of cool for a good party. in terms of this i am a fish out of water, with no fish. the constant experience flows outward. each face is layers and layers of smudged lyrics wanting a kiss. i give them the fish and they turn away. just like that the mystery smooch machinery uncoils to stalk unsuspecting lips.<br/><br/>(oh! i forgot that the hedgehog asked if i ever danced to the music i hear. i thought the question was rhetorical because no answer came to mind. i think i made something up.)<br/><br/>i think i blanch at many statements in support of community and public space because they so often include charts and tables describing net decreases of fun in painful detail. i am looking for project proposals or even the recommendation to convene a task force for further study. <br/><br/><a></a><a></a>Posted by<a><b> </b></a><a HREF="http://rhinocrisy.blogspot.com/2006/06/one-about-ipod.html" REL="nofollow" TITLE="alohaflower at mindspring dot com">hibiscus</a> yeah i can be known to forget that people will drop nearly anything including a veneer of cool for a good party. in terms of this i am a fish out of water, with no fish. the constant experience flows outward. each face is layers and layers of smudged lyrics wanting a kiss. i give them the fish and they turn away. just like that the mystery smooch machinery uncoils to stalk unsuspecting lips.

(oh! i forgot that the hedgehog asked if i ever danced to the music i hear. i thought the question was rhetorical because no answer came to mind. i think i made something up.)

i think i blanch at many statements in support of community and public space because they so often include charts and tables describing net decreases of fun in painful detail. i am looking for project proposals or even the recommendation to convene a task force for further study. 

Posted by hibiscus

]]> By: Anonymous http://rhinocrisy.org/2006/06/the-one-about-the-ipod/#comment-953 Anonymous Thu, 15 Jun 2006 05:36:43 +0000 http://rhinocrisy.org/?p=635#comment-953 Hmph. I must get myself on this 38 Geary Bus. Echan never makes googly eyes with <i>me</i> . <br/><br/>Got it, Saurabh. As a trend and not an absolute, then, I'm *mostly* with you. I actually just hate iPods b/c their user interface drives me batty, and then my frustration is doubled by all the Jobsists insisting it must be the best user interface ever. Luckily I've only ever had to use one once.<br/><br/>Tangentially, I have to say that I love it when people ask me about what I'm reading, but am usually too terrified to interrupt anyone else reading unless I just must desperately know more about their book. <br/><br/>My favorite recent Bart conversation. . .a teenage boy was staring agape at a middle aged man. Finally he said, just as the man was getting off, "Has anyone told you that you look like The Dude?" Everyone gasps. It was so true. The man sighed--"Yes, yes. I know. I look like Lebowski without the beard." He gets off and then that entire end of the train breaks out into a dozen different exchanges of favorite lines, Caucasian recipes, and Julianne Moore and John Turturro imitations.<br/><br/> <br/><br/><a></a><a></a>Posted by<a><b> </b></a><a HREF="http://ssrdatta.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow" TITLE="sahelidatta at hotmail dot com">Saheli</a> Hmph. I must get myself on this 38 Geary Bus. Echan never makes googly eyes with me .

Got it, Saurabh. As a trend and not an absolute, then, I’m *mostly* with you. I actually just hate iPods b/c their user interface drives me batty, and then my frustration is doubled by all the Jobsists insisting it must be the best user interface ever. Luckily I’ve only ever had to use one once.

Tangentially, I have to say that I love it when people ask me about what I’m reading, but am usually too terrified to interrupt anyone else reading unless I just must desperately know more about their book.

My favorite recent Bart conversation. . .a teenage boy was staring agape at a middle aged man. Finally he said, just as the man was getting off, “Has anyone told you that you look like The Dude?” Everyone gasps. It was so true. The man sighed–”Yes, yes. I know. I look like Lebowski without the beard.” He gets off and then that entire end of the train breaks out into a dozen different exchanges of favorite lines, Caucasian recipes, and Julianne Moore and John Turturro imitations.

 

Posted by Saheli

]]> By: echanhttp://echan.wordpress.com http://rhinocrisy.org/2006/06/the-one-about-the-ipod/#comment-952 echanhttp://echan.wordpress.com Thu, 15 Jun 2006 04:57:37 +0000 http://rhinocrisy.org/?p=635#comment-952 I just("just" as in 10 minutes ago) made intense googly eyes with someone on the 38 Geary (whilst listening the white demon device). I couldn't have done that if I had my head buried in a book. <br/><br/><a></a><a></a>Posted by<a><b> </b></a><a HREF="http://echan.wordpress.com" REL="nofollow" TITLE="misschan at gmail dot com">echan</a> I just(”just” as in 10 minutes ago) made intense googly eyes with someone on the 38 Geary (whilst listening the white demon device). I couldn’t have done that if I had my head buried in a book. 

Posted by echan

]]> By: Hedgehog http://rhinocrisy.org/2006/06/the-one-about-the-ipod/#comment-951 Hedgehog Thu, 15 Jun 2006 04:48:42 +0000 http://rhinocrisy.org/?p=635#comment-951 I think that was the first time on this page that you said "my piece." Unless command-F doesn't work anymore. <br/><br/><a></a><a></a>Posted by<a><b> </b></a><a HREF="rhinocrisy.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow" TITLE="">hedgehog</a> I think that was the first time on this page that you said “my piece.” Unless command-F doesn’t work anymore. 

Posted by hedgehog

]]> By: saurabh http://rhinocrisy.org/2006/06/the-one-about-the-ipod/#comment-950 saurabh Thu, 15 Jun 2006 04:27:02 +0000 http://rhinocrisy.org/?p=635#comment-950 For the nth time, I'm NOT trying to get anyone to stop listening to their iPods, nor am I saying it's immoral to listen to iPods or anything of the sort. Nor am I saying you have to talk to everyone around you, or always be open to the people around you. I'll quote myself, here:<br/><i>But I've always tended to latch onto particular archetypal examples as actual demons - the GAP as the embodiment of monotonous, sweatshop-produced trendwear, or SUVs as destroyers of the environment. This instantly makes my statements weaker, since the implied action (stop wearing GAP clothing, driving an SUV, and listening to an iPod) is not going to stop the problem. It is only indicative of it.</i> <br/><br/>I'm only saying that iPods DO create a wall, and that the tendency of people to want to create walls between them and other people rather than break them down is destructive, and it's unfortunate that the popularity of the iPod, as with MANY OTHER modern innovations, has facilitated that. I'm not suggesting that you're destroying the world every time you listen to your iPod on the bus, just that as a <b>social phenomenon</b>  it does more harm than good.<br/><br/>Also, listening to an iPod is qualitatively different than reading a book. I've had many conversations start because of someone (either me or the other party) reading a book on the T. Never because someone was listening to their iPod. That shuts people out in a way that reading does not.<br/><br/>Anyway, I think I've said my piece, here. <br/><br/><a></a><a></a>Posted by<a><b> </b></a><a HREF="http://rhinocrisy.blogspot.com/" REL="nofollow" TITLE="rednblack at alum dot mit dot edu">saurabh</a> For the nth time, I’m NOT trying to get anyone to stop listening to their iPods, nor am I saying it’s immoral to listen to iPods or anything of the sort. Nor am I saying you have to talk to everyone around you, or always be open to the people around you. I’ll quote myself, here:
But I’ve always tended to latch onto particular archetypal examples as actual demons - the GAP as the embodiment of monotonous, sweatshop-produced trendwear, or SUVs as destroyers of the environment. This instantly makes my statements weaker, since the implied action (stop wearing GAP clothing, driving an SUV, and listening to an iPod) is not going to stop the problem. It is only indicative of it. 

I’m only saying that iPods DO create a wall, and that the tendency of people to want to create walls between them and other people rather than break them down is destructive, and it’s unfortunate that the popularity of the iPod, as with MANY OTHER modern innovations, has facilitated that. I’m not suggesting that you’re destroying the world every time you listen to your iPod on the bus, just that as a social phenomenon  it does more harm than good.

Also, listening to an iPod is qualitatively different than reading a book. I’ve had many conversations start because of someone (either me or the other party) reading a book on the T. Never because someone was listening to their iPod. That shuts people out in a way that reading does not.

Anyway, I think I’ve said my piece, here. 

Posted by saurabh

]]> By: Hedgehog http://rhinocrisy.org/2006/06/the-one-about-the-ipod/#comment-949 Hedgehog Thu, 15 Jun 2006 02:34:57 +0000 http://rhinocrisy.org/?p=635#comment-949 Just to be contrary - Hibiscus, you probably know the female Stuart, the one whose 38th birthday was celebrated on the 38 Geary from the Transbay Terminal past the hospital where she was born and out to the beach. Along the way, friends got on at whatever bus stop was appropriate. There were no streamers out the windows (all remained on the bus stanchions, safely indoors) but they just somehow knew it was the right bus. We got the other passengers to sing `happy birthday' not one, not two, but now what would you pay, three times on the 7-mile ride. It was a blast. I don't even remember the beach party because the bus party was so fun.<br/><br/>Anyway, I am somewhere in between. I'm mostly a public-space fundamentalist, believing that we should all experience one another as much and often and intensely as possible, even if it does drive us to tears, and I have also enjoyed the strange isolating spectacle existence behind the windshield or the sunglasses or the walkman. My personal solution has been to use a single ear-bud. It's less obvious and while it might be less intense it allows conversation along with the sound-track. I recommend it. I don't recommend acquiring such technology the way I did, which was to tear an ear-bud off a pair in the wheel of a bicycle.  <br/><br/><a></a><a></a>Posted by<a><b> </b></a><a HREF="rhinocrisy.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow" TITLE="">hedgehog</a> Just to be contrary - Hibiscus, you probably know the female Stuart, the one whose 38th birthday was celebrated on the 38 Geary from the Transbay Terminal past the hospital where she was born and out to the beach. Along the way, friends got on at whatever bus stop was appropriate. There were no streamers out the windows (all remained on the bus stanchions, safely indoors) but they just somehow knew it was the right bus. We got the other passengers to sing `happy birthday’ not one, not two, but now what would you pay, three times on the 7-mile ride. It was a blast. I don’t even remember the beach party because the bus party was so fun.

Anyway, I am somewhere in between. I’m mostly a public-space fundamentalist, believing that we should all experience one another as much and often and intensely as possible, even if it does drive us to tears, and I have also enjoyed the strange isolating spectacle existence behind the windshield or the sunglasses or the walkman. My personal solution has been to use a single ear-bud. It’s less obvious and while it might be less intense it allows conversation along with the sound-track. I recommend it. I don’t recommend acquiring such technology the way I did, which was to tear an ear-bud off a pair in the wheel of a bicycle.  

Posted by hedgehog

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