iPod popularity

I really liked the reading from Sound Moves: iPod Culture and Urban Experience and the discussion we had in class. I think that it really makes sense that iPods have great popularity in urban areas. Music can be used as a way to make hectic situations more relaxed. The city is a chaotic place with many random and abrupt noises. With an iPod, people can choose what they hear instead of listening to the chaos. Mark from the reading says, “sometimes it seems to look a lot more hectic and almost like I’m in my own slow world, going at the speed of the music I’m listening to” (29). The city can be very fast. People in the city seem to be in more of a hurry. Listening to music is one way for a person to slow everything down. Many are able to remain calm in the hectic city through music.

I use my iPod in the city for a different reason. Whenever I am walking in a city, I get bothered by people asking for money or trying to convert my religion. The iPod is a way that I can create more private personal space. When I have on my iPod, it’s like I am removed from my surroundings. No one tries to talk to me. Listening to an iPod is a great way to find isolation in a crowded area. Some find isolation by talking on phones, playing video games, or watching movies. However I enjoy listening to music and find commuting from place to place more enjoyable with an iPod.