“ Society is Still Alive ”

It is undeniable that engineering manipulates people sociologically on facets such as values, moralss, and life styles ; with each progress commiting effects on consumers either positively or negatively. Many people blame engineering for estranging people and transforming them into media nuts. One of such is Andrew Sullivan, a physician in political scientific discipline and litterateur for many outstanding magazines. In his article, “ Society is Dead: We Have Retreated into the IWorld, ” Sullivan addresses the issue of the effects of iPods on people and society as a whole. He argues that iPods turned its hearers to aloof, stepford commuters who practically say, “ I do n’t desire to cognize you, delight do n’t occupy my personal infinite. ” And finally, these obsessional compulsive iPod fiends multiplied in figure and formed the Little White box believers ‘ cult. Sullivan believes that these people are non merely estranging themselves by their hearing wonts but besides losing out on the outside universe. Although I agree with Sullivan ‘s claim that iPods make addicts out of most of their consumers all over the universe and changed many people ‘s communicating methods, I argue that iPod hearers, when making their private infinite during tuning in to their iPods, are intentionally contracting their lives or rejecting opportunities of friendly relationship simply because of dissimilar music gustatory sensations. I besides disagree with Sullivan that non cognizing what a individual listens to agencies non truly cognizing the individual him or herself.

Andrew Sullivan asserted, “ What was a musical recreation became a compulsive obsession…Its Narcissus heaven…And like all habit-forming cults it ‘s distributing. ” I to the full agree that the iPod turned music hearers into fiends to the extreme grade that the iPod device does n’t go forth the custodies of the obsessed and if the iPod is forgotten, terror. That is why we see people everyplace gazing into thin air and hearing their iPods. “ I take mine everyplace excessively and if you ai n’t got one this summer so you ‘re non portion of the iPod brotherhood, ” writes Dominic Mohan for The Sun ( McDailyNews ) . Besides I agree that the iPod changed the manner some people forge relationships ; a individual hearing his or her iPod on the street the opportunities of debut to others therefore extinguishing the possibility of larning new things or confronting diverse positions of the universe as Sullivan stated, “ The serendipity of run intoing a new alien, hearing a piece of music we would ne’er take for ourselves…are all efficaciously banished. ”

Equally much as Andrew Sullivan addressed certain issues topographic point on about some damaging effects of iPods sociologically that I agreed with, there are besides facets that we disagree on. Sullivan states ashamedly, “ It would n’t be so distressing if it were n’t portion of something even bigger. Americans are get downing to contract their lives. ” He clearly addresses the iPod as being a barrier between hearers and outer life therefore doing their lives narrowed to the universe of music. I view this statement as erroneous ; iPod consumers listen to the iPod because of the satisfaction it brings them when listening to their favourite melodies and the assurance and repose they feel by keeping their personal infinites without any intervention from media messages. “Choice is the cardinal factor…by taking the music, you reclaim some of the universe – it ‘s no longer dominated by messages pointed at you” ( qtd. in BBC News ) . As for the isolation from the outer universe, one can subscribe to podcasts from the web and reassign them to the iPod through iTunes. Podcasts enable a individual to listen to his or her favourite wireless shows and audio plans, they have the possible to let a larger exchange of thoughts, sentiments and information as they act as a democratizing agent for the computer-literate society. About 30 per centum of U.S. consumers merely who own an iPod or other MP3 participant have downloaded and listened to podcasts from the web. The Pew Internet and American Life Project said that means more than 6 million Americans are taking advantage of the new signifier of personal broadcast medium ( Angell ) .

Because Sullivan believes iPods narrow people ‘s lives, he besides believes that their dependence separates people ; he said, “ That bloke following to you on the coach could be listening to heavy metal or a Gregorian chant…And by his white wires, he is bespeaking that he does n’t truly desire to cognize you. ” This claim is utterly broad off the grade ; non merely can iPods make bonds between people in individual, but in virtuousness every bit good. Peoples are able to take part within the iPod community giving them a sense of belonging. As the iPod additions in popularity, so do interactions between people in webrings, forums, the iTunes music shop and other general web sites discoursing the iPod, and everything involved with it. By utilizing the cyberspace, people who most probably would non interact otherwise are able to pass on with each other, suggest new music and portion music files ( Attack of the iZombies ) . Therefore, two people on the coach can much every bit good get down up a conversation about the thing in common: the iPod and the genres of music each of them prefer therefore making a freshly found friendly relationship.

“ It ‘s the thought that progressively we use modern engineerings to voyage us through our twenty-four hours. In the Himalayas, you have Sherpas to assist you through the mountains. They know the path, they have the nutrient and they take attention of you… . The iPod is a Sherpa — it has all the things that you want ” ( Bull ) . I believe the iPod makes a great comrade, when used reasonably because it is non about estranging oneself or making a little, contained life far from the universe with the iPod the processor, it ‘s about seeking pleasance from tuning in to beats and melodies, losing oneself in a province of enchantment and acquiring the feeling of having the universe. Andrew Sullivan ‘s article had some lame facets that weakened his statement ; foremost of all, I view his pick of the iPods as sociologically effectual as incorrect because he was turn toing the issue of music obsessed tuners in general, therefore he could hold every bit stated the affair of mp3, nomadic phones, or any other musical device proprietors, non needfully iPods. What he should hold discussed is ‘Music ‘ on people. Second of all, Sullivan clearly misinterprets people ‘s hearing of the iPods. He sees it as a method to close out the remainder. But in truth, people who like to tune in to their iPod are non rejecting others but simply extinguishing the unwanted environment around them. I believe that if the environment is accepted by all, no 1 would want to barricade it out. Sullivan included good points in his article every bit good. I believe Sullivan posses the genius of analogy ; he efficaciously portrayed iPod hearers to their exact resemblance in their stunned province. For illustration, Sullivan said, “ Get on a metro and you ‘re surrounded by a clump of stepford commuters gazing into mid-space as if anaesthetized by engineering. ” in conclusion, I deem that Sullivan closed his article competently by naming the things iPod tuners are losing out on such as the screaming conversations of people around, the clicking kid on the paving who brings back memories, the birdcalls, the speech patterns, the others ‘ laughter, etc. Overall, losing out on the human life. “ Try it. There is a universe out at that place. And it has a soundtrack all its ain. ”

Plants Cited

Angell, LC. ” More than 6 million Americans listen to podcasts. “ iLounge.4 April 2005. & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments & gt ;

Bull, Michael. “ Bliss in a Box: How iPods Insulate City Dwellers. “ Conde Nast Digital 12 July 2007 & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.wired.com/gadgets/portablemusic/news & gt ;

Krystle, Song. “ Attack of the iZombies ” & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~krystles/PositiveEffects.html & gt ;