Are you a Pod Person?
With the insurgence of mp3's in the last 5-8 years people began to expand their music collections to some what of an overwhelming number of songs 3,000-10,000. How many do you have? In doing so these music connoisseurs have built a respectable personal collection that is always at their finger tips. But having them at home was not enough and these music lovers demanded a way to carry their music with them every where they go and I mean everwhere. So thats where the portable mp3 player comes into play allowing everyone to carry their music with only so they can turn down the noise of world around. This small beautiful gadget of choice is the iPod. Its so popular that media defines us as Pod People and it seems we have become a sub culture. This sub culture seems to include so many different people and the only thing that distinguishes one from the other is the music on their Ipod. But how can you tell whats playing on everyone elses. (Seems like a good alternative to Lock and Key parties. Just a Idea.)
Im a Pod Person!
My Itunes currently has 8,446 songs at 32 gigs. I must say that my list includes some very random songs and well it has become some what of a personal diary or audible representation of me. It was a slow process of downloading by means of complete randomness during the past couple years. I was very much part of my daily life throughout college. I cant tell you how many times friends with solo cups in one hand would approach the computer and look to itunes as if it were the life of the party. This literally happened at every party, a group of people would gather around the computer and go through the list of music reminiscing. dancing and laughing at all of the sounds that poured from the PC. Now with the iPod its a battle to control the music expressing one self with a personal collection. Party goers battling their way to connect their iPod to the computer next so they can be the DJ. What happens every time is the interesting part. The person will play their music usually the first song has been requested by others and then a song will come up and everyone will bicker and wonder why in the world does that person have this song. I'v witness this same thing at pod parties where everyone can bring in their own pod to the bar and have it played for an allotted time. Sounds risky right? Well ive seen people pretend its not theirs once they see the reaction that occurs some times. It makes one realize of relative music choice is. No matter what popular culture says, music on an individual level can never be controlled and probably never understood. Some songs as corny as they may seem to most might be some sort of a great reminder to us individually creating a positive feeling that others just dont understand. I have a few that remind me of first dates, embarrassing moments and well just plane good times. Its the power of music and the reason we are drawn to it
Pod Evolution
If you were to browse through my list and search by date added you can see my music choice slowly mature from the point I graduated high school in 99 and throughout college to present time. Senior year of high school, my list is mostly Dave Mathews Band, Tom Petty, GNR, Phish, and all of the mainstream bands with a few random artist like Will Smith and even Prince. Then came freshman year of college. Umm the only thing on the list that year i can find was "The Thong Song". For those of you that were freshman in 2000-2001 you know what im talking about. But in the last three or four years I have branched out and now have bands and listen to genre such as jazz and world music that I would have rarely listened to before college. To list a few things I have recently found interesting: Soul Coughing, Cafe Del Mar, Soulive, Jaffa, and Gotam Project, their are many more but they just come up in shuffle mode sometimes. These are the real songs that have defined me. They dont represent memories of the past or influences from others they are the songs I randomly acquired over the years and what represents me as a Pod Person. They are the songs that spark conversation by others when they hear them for the first time. They have likely not herd of them before and as a result the songs become more valuable because of their ambiguous sound. Im sure you know what I getting at, these few songs become ours and no one else's.
My Pod
So does it matter what we listen to behind closed doors or while we are wearing our white ear buds when were cleaning our apartments or riding on the subway. I can listen to Barry Manilow or New Kids on the Block and no one will know. J/K about New Kids. I dont think I ever owned a single song by them. Yet when I see another Pod Person Im always wondering what their listing to at that very moment. Its like an invisible characteristic. Unlike the unique clothes we wear which visually define us or the books we carry that spell it out the iPod ignites a invisible curiosity and connects us to one another. So heres where another idea comes into play. Wouldn't it be great to be able to see what others are listening to near by. A small wireless network that only works within a certain proximity of the other person. You still would be anonymous maybe only identified by some ambiguous user name. I think this is something we may see very soon. It makes things a bit more interesting and It can't hurt artist since they are only being promoted through others and you dont get to take the song with you.
Pod Culture
This brings up one issue that bothers me a bit. With ipods currently one every other head are we becoming less confrontational with others. We are blocking out all the noises around us and only letting in what we chose. I find it rude when you see a friend and try to talk to them while they continue to wear their ear-buds. The iPod has become an addiction by many. Some clamming that their Ipod is with them more than their wallet or cell phone. This is a severe media dependancy. Is it because of the comfort factor that you will not be bothered or is it a addiction to music? I know this entry was a little long winded but I just cant believe the Pod culture and how fast its growing. Just go in to an Apple store and you see what I mean. People of all ages and backgrounds are huddled around the iPod as if it is a necessity of life. Sorry television you are no longer the main attraction or at least you should be worried.
Pod Poll
How many songs do you have?
Whats your favorite?
Do you openly share you secret collection?
