" I've been asked not to use my iPod and all of a sudden I feets strange hearing people talking all around me", said a girl I met today who has been asked not to listen to her iPod for a while by her doctor as she heals from a certain problem with her hearing.
That is one statement that says so much about the iPod culture.
The primary reason I dont own an iPod is truly reflected in that statement. We have become so self absorbed in what we are doing that the even our familiar surroundings have become a strangers. However, the question that comes to mind is - Is the product (iPod) to be blamed for this OR are the people who use the iPod to shield themselves from the world to be blamed for this?
I have begun to think that people nowadays do not buy the iPod to listen to music only. The motivation behind the purchase is also to cut off from their surroundings for a while. This is still acceptable as all of us constantly are in search of a place of peace and quiet. The iPod does allow an easy transition into this place that can be called personal space and have their peace and quiet, without being disturbed by occurances in our surroundings. The question to be asked here is how much do we need to cut off before we start osolating ourselves?. Personally I do think this is not the fault of the device itself but our fault as a increasingly individualitic i,me,myself society.
Opportunity? As a designer I find these issues as great opportunity spaces. Although it is not the fault of the iPod that people have become that way, I wonder if there is space for products that will help reverse this situation and bring back the sense of community and sharing.
That is one statement that says so much about the iPod culture.
The primary reason I dont own an iPod is truly reflected in that statement. We have become so self absorbed in what we are doing that the even our familiar surroundings have become a strangers. However, the question that comes to mind is - Is the product (iPod) to be blamed for this OR are the people who use the iPod to shield themselves from the world to be blamed for this?
I have begun to think that people nowadays do not buy the iPod to listen to music only. The motivation behind the purchase is also to cut off from their surroundings for a while. This is still acceptable as all of us constantly are in search of a place of peace and quiet. The iPod does allow an easy transition into this place that can be called personal space and have their peace and quiet, without being disturbed by occurances in our surroundings. The question to be asked here is how much do we need to cut off before we start osolating ourselves?. Personally I do think this is not the fault of the device itself but our fault as a increasingly individualitic i,me,myself society.
Opportunity? As a designer I find these issues as great opportunity spaces. Although it is not the fault of the iPod that people have become that way, I wonder if there is space for products that will help reverse this situation and bring back the sense of community and sharing.
