The question that bothers me is this: had I not been wearing my headphones, would I have engaged in any linguistic interactions with people, let alone any meaningful ones? (Though it certainly makes it easy to ignore homeless people asking for change, doesn't it?) Portable music seems to be both a cause and a symptom of a much larger issue related to our (un)use of public spaces.
Yeah when people talk about this, I'm always thinking "sorry, but NO ONE talks to anyone else on the subway. I'm using my musical organ BECAUSE it's fucking boring, not because I'm trying to ignore people."
Apple would make a killing with a series of organ-shaped iPods. Here, steal my heart! It'd be a bit hard to do a large intestine though.
the funny thing is, i never listen to music mostly when i am taking public transit or walking to places. maybe because i live in a place with nice scenery, but i rarely listened to music when i lived in toronto. i like to read without music and just look at the outside world i guess.
this one time, shelley (we'll call her that.. yes.. good name... yes... for a handsome woman...) .. a girl of unfortunate circumstances, who prefers to wear attire much much much too small for her body of quite sizable proportions.... oh my.. mmm.... uh huh... and she sat there in the couch section of the valued village, with a mini skirt, her gut all aglow as she beamed with delight at the badminton rackets and other sporting equipment. and she fancied putting rackets in one hand with a baseball glove in the other, then sorting these items on the rack according to her particular taste for that day.... and baby... if that mind could drive a car, it'd be a chevy. silverado. turquoise. fully loaded. cup holders. ash tray. rear-view mirror driving backwards. topsy-turvy-underwear-mama. somethin somethin somethin about cycling..............
So if you already read McKinnon's photo essay on portable music, then you know you should check out Dr. Michael Bull's book, "Sounding Out the City: Personal Stereos and the Management of Everyday Life".
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Yeah when people talk about this, I'm always thinking "sorry, but NO ONE talks to anyone else on the subway. I'm using my musical organ BECAUSE it's fucking boring, not because I'm trying to ignore people."
Apple would make a killing with a series of organ-shaped iPods. Here, steal my heart! It'd be a bit hard to do a large intestine though.
Anyway. Gotta go copyright an idea.
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the funny thing is, i never listen to music mostly when i am taking public transit or walking to places. maybe because i live in a place with nice scenery, but i rarely listened to music when i lived in toronto. i like to read without music and just look at the outside world i guess.
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So if you already read McKinnon's photo essay on portable music, then you know you should check out Dr. Michael Bull's book, "Sounding Out the City: Personal Stereos and the Management of Everyday Life".
Sounds interesting.
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