(no subject)

[camwyn]

Saw an article- okay, a headline- in the newspaper the other day. Something about the iPod People. You know, the ones on the subways of New York (or wherever- this was a local paper) with white bud earphones, listening to their own private music, ignoring the sounds of the rest of the world. How sad for our society. How isolated we become. Where is the interaction, they ask.

Dude. SNAP OUT OF IT.

The New York City subway is not a place to interact. Yeah, you get interesting people and fascinating conversation sometimes, but you know what else you get? You get cranky people who just want to get to their destination. You get people who were thinking about something, but talk because they have been talked to, because that is Polite. You get people who consider 'he made eye contact' to be a valid defense against charges of felony assault. You get people who smell. All kinds of people.

What makes you think that any of the iPod people would have socialized with you anyway, huh? Or with anyone. They're enjoying themselves. They're listening to stuff they like. Was there a commonality of experience in terms of music in the subway before? NO. Subways don't play music. They make noise. Was there a stimulating and potentially useful discussion of issues relating to the lives of New Yorkers before? MAYBE. Depends. Do you consider 'what the !*&( does the !*&()&!*@ing MTA think they're !*&!()& doing?' to be stimulating? Then maybe.

The whole point of the iPod on the subway is to ease the transition from public to private space. People in New York City survive by establishing their private space anywhere they can. There are eight million people here on any given day- more if you include people who come in from out of town. There isn't enough room for them all. If they're going to maintain any kind of psychological stability, they have to have their own space somehow. There's not enough space to accomplish that in the physical world, so they do so inside their own heads. Personal space is at a premium everywhere except inside three pounds of grey matter.

Which is why I have a real beef with the people who complain about the iPod People. Or, in a previous generation, the Walkman People. What gives the complainers the right to my grey matter? Seriously. Why is it, in this country, that someone who is minding his or her own business and keeping to his or her self is considered wrong, rude, abnormal? Why do the rights of someone who wants to talk to a stranger override that stranger's right to maintain their own territorial boundaries? We consider it rude to phone someone and insist on talking to them at home; why is the person who does not want to socialize in public considered rude? Do we have to stay in our caves if we are to be considered socially acceptable?

Oh, wait- but that's not right either. Staying at home and not interacting is a sign that you are Deficient. You don't want to deal with people because you are Afraid. GET OUT AND INTERACT WITH THE REST OF THE HIVE, WORKER BEE.

Look, I'm not saying that people shouldn't socialize. I'm not saying that they shouldn't interact with strangers. You meet some great people that way and it's really a fascinating experience. But for the love of the Force, man, could you- and by 'you' I mean 'the forces of society at large'- please understand that isolation is not necessarily a bad thing? We cannot be 'on' all the time. We cannot constantly deal with other people and never have time to ourselves. If that were the case, there would be no houses. There would be buildings with roofs and four walls and a huge sleeping space in the middle where everyone would pile up like puppies, because hey, who needs personal space? Maybe there'd be private bathrooms, since we don't want to see that, but otherwise, forget it.

People are entitled to privacy. If they want to talk to you, they'll make that evident. But this city is already sleep-deprived, tobacco-deprived*, and constantly constantly constantly ON ON ON. Don't begrudge its residents the right to hold onto some measure of personal space on the subway. It’s not like they're taking it from you; it's the space between their ears.

For the sake of New York, please, leave the iPod people alone.

*I don't smoke. I don't like smoking. I think it's a horrible unhealthy habit. But I also think that it’s not fair to tell people who smoke that they're not allowed to do it any more and not give them any kind of alternative. Smoking helps them cope with daily life; telling them that they cannot relax and indulge in an ever growing list of places may be good for their physical health, but utterly ignores the effect of stress upon the psyche. It's just not right.

Comments

[mephron]

I've been accosted for wearing headphones in public a couple of times. Also for wearing them at work... in a large room of people who don't seem to comprehend things like 'quiet voice' and 'no speakerphones' with no privacy barriers. When my job is all email and trouble-ticket correspondence and no, well, phone conversation. And a minor neurological disorder which means I have absolutely no conversation with lots of people talking around me, because my brain tries to latch onto all of them at once, fails, and then to the next, et cetera (and I can't control that, which is why it's a disorder.) The phones keep me working. Mostly.

[gypsyjr.livejournal.com]

*applauds*

Socializing is stressful for me. I've had people call me aloof and standoffish just because I didn't like to sit in a crowded lunchroom at breaktime.

[lots42.livejournal.com]

Florida allows people to smoke outside the building. They just do not allow them to smoke three inches away from the front doors.

I consider this good

[lasa.livejournal.com]

Good post. It made me think, so it's a good post :)

I'm betting that the person that wrote the post - or the ones that have accosted Mephron - have different life circumstances. If you can go home to a quiet place and limit your interactions, then when you're out in the world, it seems reasonable to interact with said world. But as you said, it's a rare commodity in a large city, and really, only the established or wealthy have that luxury. If you have to go home to a noisy apartment that you share with other folks, that isolation, whereever you get it - becomes terribly valuable.

And even if you don't. You're right. It's not community property.

[camwyn]

I'll freely admit that humans are social animals, but there's a difference between social and eusocial. Even wolves get to spend time away from the pack, and have means of enforcing that. We're not naked mole rats, dammit (the only colony mammals that I know of). Humans don't function well if they're deprived of the time to hear themselves think.

[thekit.livejournal.com]

hmm... could lack of fur makes for colonial tendencies? In the cave, like in a mole rat burrow, we would have had to sleep in piles to prevent hypothermia.

btw: apple did some covert marketing under the "feel free to jack into my Ipod" as reported on slashdot

http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/11/21/1846250&tid=176&tid=141&tid=3


Posted by michael on Fri Nov 21, '03 03:36 PM
from the slow-news-fridays dept.
Rick and Roll writes "In a story on Wired, entitled Feel Free to Jack Into My iPod, an iPod owner shares experiences he has had with other iPod owners, namely the plugging of his headphones into a stranger's jack. It began when a woman in her 30's walked up to him while he was on a walk, unplugged her headphone jack from her iPod, and motioned for him to plug his in. They then listened to each other's music for about 30 seconds. He has then shared with about a dozen iPod listeners, with most of the strangers reciprocating. According to the article, the practice has also cropped up in other communities. Listeners acquire tastes for different kinds of music, just like on internet/LAN file sharing networks. An interesting read."

[telophase.livejournal.com]

WORD

I have a hard time concentrating on coding at work unless I've got headphones on feeding a steady stream of bland music into my ears. Good music distracts me; I find J-pop works best because all pop music is bland, and I can't understand Japanese so the insipid lyrics don't distract me. Classical music works, too, if I'm in the right mood for it and don't get distracted by the pieces I really like.

At my previous job, we'd periodically do inventory, which is mind-numbing and tedious and I used audiobooks to keep from going insane. I had a coworker who WOULD NOT understand, even when I told her point-blank, that I preferred not to be interupted when listening because I couldn't keep the thread of the story. She still constantly interrupted me with stupid stuff, even though she had her music to listen to and other people to talk to. But I think that was actually more a power thing - we had a rather antagonistic relationship. :) I just would ostentatiously stop the tape, rewind it, take my ehadphone soff, put them around my neck, look at her, and the say "What did you say?" even when I'd heard what she said.

[bohemian--storm.livejournal.com]

First, have to say, I love that my city no longer allows smoking in public buildings. Just as I haven't given any the rights to my brain, I haven't given anyone the rights to my lungs. I think that if smoking helps someone deal with their stress they need to a) find a healthier way of dealing with their stress or b) shut up and smoke outside. 'Cause that's not how I want to deal with my stress.

But you're so right about the headphones thing. The bus in Winnipeg is probably one of the creepiest modes of transportation, especially if you're going downtown. I usually bring my headphones and stick them in my ears, even when the end just dangles in my backpack, not attached to anything. The last thing I want is one of the people who haven't showered in the past two weeks and have stopped taking their medication to sit next to me and babble.

At the same time, being female, it's a dangerous area of the city that I'm going to. I do not want to appear open to any kind of interaction, because as soon as you make eye contact downtown, you're more likely to be robbed/attacked/raped/harrassed in some manner.

Sooooo ... I agree with you. Is the short version of this long winded comment.

[zwol.livejournal.com]

I used to be of the opinion, in a vague haven't-really-considered-it sort of way, that smoking was rude to other people but should be allowed anyway, because it wasn't any of the state's business whether people were rude.

Then I developed a close friendship with a person with asthma. She cannot go anywhere where there might possibly be people smoking, because she might die. Now I think smoking shouldn't be allowed anywhere, out- or in-doors.

However, I also think the tobacco companies should get busy developing a strain of Nicotiana that can be consumed some other way. A tisane, perhaps. Something that allows people to continue to get their fix without threatening anyone else's life.

Hmm...

[argonautilus.livejournal.com]

While I understand the argument, I can find people who can claim the same things about peanuts (most commonly), and a host of other allergies. Should we ban them too?

I think at some point enough is enough. I can understand not smoking at work. I can even see not smoking at a resteraunt. But I figure if you are going to a bar, you know what you are going to get and its your lookout.

Personally, I think the whole thing is a tempest in a tea pot. If you really want to look at health problems due to enviromental factors, I think mercury is the place to start. But that would be too much trouble....

Re: Hmm...

[zwol.livejournal.com]

While I understand the argument, I can find people who can claim the same things about peanuts (most commonly), and a host of other allergies. Should we ban them too?

Not the same thing at all. I also know people with life-threatening peanut allergies. They have to be careful about what they, personally, eat, but if someone is walking down the street in front of them noshing on peanuts they don't have to dive for the other side of the street, traffic be damned, or risk losing the ability to breathe.

Re: Hmm...

[(Anonymous)]

Given that I, personally, share this problem (though smoke is about the only thing that triggers it, rather than the host of things than can set off more severe athsma) I second the opinion that the day all burning-type tobacco products are banned will be a good day. Seriously, inject yourself with strychnine for all I care, but don't go leaving a cloud that can set me off two minutes after you've gone past.

- ClassicDrogn

[ymfaery]

Sounds like the article writer is trying to whine despair over the decline of Western civilization as we know it. Or something.

[maps-or-guitars.livejournal.com]

w00t, as they say. Now that, chilluns, is how we rant.

iPod? Not me. Archos, on account of it records. And a big ol' pair of noise reduction headphones, on account of them little earbuds can't possibly have the bass response my battered ears demand.

[kyrielle]

I can see why someone might write concerned about the people who do that since, being less aware of their surroundings, they are more vulnerable. But otherwise upset or Righteous about it? How STUPID. I object to cell phones in such situations because they impinge on others. Ipods, walkman, etc.? Not remotely. Why is listening to the ipod worse than reading a book or paper, or just ignoring people anyway? And does this writer think no one has a right to do that?

Our society encourages social contact. People like this writer, however, want to mandate it - and frankly? They haven't the right.

A few thoughts

[argonautilus.livejournal.com]

I have some sympathy for what the author is trying to say, although I disagree with this application.

I would disagree with you when you say that our society encourages social contact. Technology in general has isolated us. We talk less, get together less, are social less as a society than we have been in the past. There is a good book about this called Bowling Alone, which is a really interesting read. Now, I don't think that ipods are worse than walkmans or cd players. But they do tend to isolate us, perhaps when we want to be isolated so we arn't exposed to people we'd prefer to avoid.

I would argue TV and Cable are bigger problems. And you are right, it shouldn't be mandated by anyone. However, it is a phenomenon worth recognizing and discussing.

Re: A few thoughts

[kyrielle]

I think our society does encourage us to socialize. Yes, TV/cable/computer (never forget that!) addiction encourages us not to, but be honest, in previous generations additional work often did the same thing. Our society speaks ill of those who don't go out and party (or at least hang at the cafe) and in general does expect you to be "out and about". Yes, there are forces against that, but there's a lot of verbal "pushing" to be "engaged" with other people, even total strangers you don't care about.

It's annoying.

[pelogrande.livejournal.com]

Just a random comment on the smoking thing, since I don't have anything to add on the other subjects:

Down here they've been steadily reducing the indoor places where people can smoke. Public buildings, restaurants, etc. You can easily go for a long time without inhaling any secondary smoke.

A year ago, I visited Las Vegas (we flew in and out while visiting national parks in AZ and UT, spent a day there at the end). You can smoke anywhere in Vegas, and people do. Now, I smoked for a few years. Never more than two or three cigarettes (not packs) a day, and I quit four or five years back. But breathing in the casinos was absolutely horrible. I just could not stand it at all.

Outside, in your own home, whatever. But secondary smoke in enclosed places is nasty, especially if you've been free of it for a long while.

[pandoras-closet.livejournal.com]

Totaly off topic, but the white headphones, I've heard, are becoming known as "mug-me" headphones. Meaning that muggers are looking for the white headphones and mugging the people wearing them.

[feonixrift.livejournal.com]

I'll second that.

[pandoras-closet.livejournal.com]

I sollved it by going out and buying my own earbuds. In basic black. Easy peasy, pudding and pie. Wala! No more mug me's

[zou.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I jacked in my old headphones. It's much nicer and the earbuds don't fall outta my ears anymore.

[charliesmum.livejournal.com]

iPod people sounds like it should be the name of a really cheesy sci-fi B-movie, doesn't it?

Frankly listening to music on your commute isn't rude, most people don't talk to each other anyway, and if you get friendly enough with a fellow commuter to pass the time of day, the other person will probably understand if you put your headphones on after exchanging hellos. When I had to take a bus to the city from North (okay, Central to you probably) Jersey, I would always have something to read. Am I being rude if I read my book instead of attempting to engage in conversation with my random seat-mate? No. So iPod listening is no different, I'm sure. It probably beats a loud conversation on your cell phone, right?

I'm personally glad smoking isn't allowed in office buildings, and I sure prefer resturants that don't have smoking because there is nothing worse than trying not to inhale someone else's smoke while trying to eat your food. My mother is a smoker, and was my whole life, and I spent many years trying not to breathe too deeply around her. But yeah, bars and stuff. That's what people do. You deal. Or don't go.

[feonixrift.livejournal.com]

As for smoking... How is it that noone gets funny looks for their cigarette, and I'd get *really* funny looks if I went out with a mask on to keep their smoke out of my lungs. That looks like a pretty one-way choice to me, so I'm happy when they're not allowed to smoke in places I can't really avoid such as bus stops.

[lasa.livejournal.com]

For the most part, I avoid places that there are a lot of people smoking - but the place that it's totally unavoidable is when I go to concerts or shows in clubs. Almost all the venues around here allow smoking, and as you sometimes wait for a while for the bands to come on, it can get terrible. My clothes stink, my eyes burn, it's hard to breath, all that. But if you want to see the band, you've got to put up with it.

[limegreen-sloth.livejournal.com]

Ugh, smoking laws. The ones that have just come into effect in South Australia are insane. For licenced places you may not smoke within one metre of the bar, and in a place where there are multiple bars at least one must be smoke free.

For my place of work, this means that people can smoke all over the dance floor and tables, but as soon as they step within one metre of the bar they're breaking the law. As soon as they walk past a column and towards the pool tables and the cocktail bar with a cigarette, they're breaking the law. If busted, the nearest bar worker and the duty manager both get hit with a $1200 fine. This is supposedly in place for the health and safety of me and the other bar workers. Funny, I wasn't aware that smoking 1 metre away from me instead of next to me made a difference when it comes to passive smoking. I'm also sure that all that smoke from one side of the room would never even think of passing over to the non smoking side. I say pubs should be one or the other. No smoking or all smoking. Hell, the "strawberry" smoke that gets pumped out from the smoke machine over the dance floor makes me feel worse than cigarrette smoke ever did.

[dotsomething.livejournal.com]

Hi, I'm out: I'm one of those "ipod people" (P.S. I don't use the white headphones but only because the earbuds fall out of my little ears and it's annoying).

*cheering and clapping* That is the best rant ever. I heart this rant. Can I link to this rant? Because speaking as someone who lives in said city in a really, tiny apartment (and not alone, either), squeezes into a subway car both ways for the commute to work sometimes with so little room I literally don't have enough elbow room to take my ipod out and listen to it, and who feels strangely guilty for being antisocial and finds said city too overcrowded even while I adore its diversity and teeming life...WORD!

[dotsomething.livejournal.com]

P.P.S.

I believe
the article in question is here (http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--ipodpeople0313mar13,0,4638373.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork).

I particularly enjoyed the girl who said "I feel like I'm missing out on that New York experience of being in it."

*snort*

[camwyn]

Sure, you're more than welcome to link to it. I'm just glad that other people understand what I'm saying here. I'd be one of the iPod people (or more likely the Digital River people, knowing my tastes) myself, but I haven't had time nor $$ to buy one of the full sized models.

[arabel.livejournal.com]

EXACTLY.

I have absolutely nothing against socialising, but I don't see why I should have to do it all the time. And to be honest, I've had to put up with some of the most unpleasant people I've ever met on public trasport - I do NOT feel any huge social responsibility to interact with these people. It's not a duty, for crying out loud.

Thank you, I loved that rant. :3