Thursday, 27 July 2006
Ipods. Everyone has one. And those who don't, want one. The Lizard just shared his igenious method of sorting and listening to his favourite songs and I realised that the ipod has changed something deep inside me. Actually, maybe the ipod has just facilitated the transformation that already existed at a subconscious level. Actually it wouldn't be a transformation if it already existed would it? Anyway, I refuse to be sidetracked. My point is that the ipod has actually turned me into the worst type of consumer.
Picture this - I spend at least at hour each day in the car driving to and from my schools. During this time, I like to listen to music (and Japanese radio is truly horrific) so I plug in my ipod. I have around 2400 songs on the damn thing. In the last week, I've only listened to three different albums.
The problem is that there is too much choice - I am no longer capable of deciding what I feel like listening to. So I only listen to three different things. But I keep telling myself that I need 2400 songs in case I need to (read life or death situation) listen to that obscure Dexy's Midnight Runners song or that Stars cover of This Charming Man.
Honestly, it's truly pathetic when I think about it.
Picture this - I spend at least at hour each day in the car driving to and from my schools. During this time, I like to listen to music (and Japanese radio is truly horrific) so I plug in my ipod. I have around 2400 songs on the damn thing. In the last week, I've only listened to three different albums.
The problem is that there is too much choice - I am no longer capable of deciding what I feel like listening to. So I only listen to three different things. But I keep telling myself that I need 2400 songs in case I need to (read life or death situation) listen to that obscure Dexy's Midnight Runners song or that Stars cover of This Charming Man.
Honestly, it's truly pathetic when I think about it.
posted by Laziest Girl at 10:06 pm
6 Comments:
You could always go with the shuffle option. That way you don't have to decide what you want, but you don't listen to only a few things.
When you need to hear Come On Eileen, you need to hear Come On Eileen. Don't fight it.
Look up a study called The Paradox of Choice.
Basic summary: modern life leads to lots of choices, which in turn leads to lots of stress.
One simple experiment was to offer people lots of flavours of drinks (like 20) and people couldn't choose which one they wanted, but offer them 4 or 5 and they could pick straight away.
Short term memory averages about 7 items so anything more than that is hard to choose, which is why you have 50 albums on your ipod and listen to 5 of them.
When I shuffle I always spend ages skipping the ones I didn't want to listen to ... next time I guess I will get a nano.
P.S. One more sleep!
I know what you mean, from time to time I have an uncontrollable urge to listen to Kenny Rogers "The Gambler". I know, I have no shame.
I <3 my ipod. isn't it great to have too much choice rather than not enough?
Very pretty design! Keep up the good work. Thanks.
»
Post a Comment
<< Home