Listen hard to the silence
Grandad September 19th, 2007
Will someone please explain to me what this iPhone and iPod thing is all about?
Surely a phone is a phone and a pod is where you get peas?
Everyone seems to be blogging about them as if they are some great essential to life like vitamins or tobacco. There are people frantically posting about iPhones and the best one to get and how the one they just got doesn’t work. And I don’t understand the craze for iPods at all.
I gather that iPods are something to do with listening to music? Why? Why do people have to listen to music all the time? Can people no longer function without some racket going on in their ears? Can people not enjoy the silence of their own thoughts? Or do the kids of today not have thoughts any more?
And iPhones? I gather this has something to do with getting the Internet on your phone? This is crazy! Has modern society become so hooked up on technology that they can’t exist without instant access to their e-mails or the latest news?
If I want the internet, I fire up my PC. It’s great. I can do my shopping, or research the latest disease that Herself thinks she has. I can bore the pants off people by scribbling in my blog. But why would I feel a sudden need to order my groceries while sitting in the bus on the way to work? My e-mails can wait. They are mostly Cialis, Viagara, Penis Enlargements and Britney Spears giving blowjobs anyway.
If I want to listen to music, I’ll turn on the radio. If I don’t have a radio with me, I’ll listen to the sounds around me. I’ll think. I’ll meditate. I’ll ponder the meaning of life. I don’t need a constant roar in my ears. The tinnitus takes care of that anyway.
I see ads now urging you to subscribe to services where they will send you the latest news headlines or the latest scores. Is you life so shallow that you are incomplete if you don’t know that someone has just scored a goal? Are you going to whither and die because you didn’t hear immediately that Bertie Ahern has been telling more lies, or that George W has just waged war against Sweden?
Come on, people! Unhook yourselves from technology and become human beings again.
Unless of course you’re reading this post on your Blackberry.
In which case, it’s all right.
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The Queen of England has one of those yokes:
http://www.private-eye.co.uk/pictures/covers/full/1135_big.jpg
or that George W has just waged war against Sweden?
Now I’m just downright insulted!!!
Everyone and their brother knows that there is no need to invade Sweden. All GWB would have to do in announce he had taken over the Swedish government and is going to raising their taxes some more. He will have the instant support of all Swedes!
He can save our troops for the invasion of important targets like Gort or Cavan!
Nice one, Ian
Brianf – Everyone knows George W can’t spell. The only reason he invaded Iraq was because he couldn’t spell Afghanistan. If he invades Sweden, it’s because he meant to invade Sudan.
‘But why would I feel a sudden need to order my groceries while sitting in the bus on the way to work?’
Do you really get a bus from the kitchen to the shed at the bottom of the garden every morning?
I don’t, Grannymar, but others do. They’re making a right mess of my lawn.
You have staff now!
How many did it take to replace Ron?
Just me. I don’t know what they are doing in my shed. I daren’t ask…
Hear! Hear! Well voiced Grandad! The addiction to iPods reminds me of another habit we see so much of today – people who can’t seem to go anywhere without clutching a bottle of water.
See http://afortunateman.blogspot.com/2007/09/water.html
btw – when the Blackberry first appeared it very quickly became known as a ‘Crack’berry because of it’s addictive qualities
p.s. I enjoyed your interview yesterday with Sue Dim-Wit!
Steph – That water bottle thing is part of the brainwashing from television. They see sports people and others do it on screen, and without even being told to, they start copying it. Pathetic.
And don’t call her Sue Dim-Wit. That is not nice!!!
‘Nice’ people don’t have fun!
You’re so right! Too many people, mostly young, seem to be “plugged in” to some device 99% of the time. When do they think, or do they? Besides, they get so engrossed in their conversations that they knock down little old ladies just walking along the street.
Marlys – Not only do they have to be plugged in all the time, but it has to be at full volume. I know I sound like an old fart now, but there is going to be a lot of people with severe hearing problems in the next twenty or thirty years.
Ahh . . listen to you lot! We don’t have the network for iPhone down here so not big deal although iPod are now selling teensy weensy ones with video screens . . .now I might want to shop on the internet but I don’t want to watch telly on a postage stamp. They make a useful portable hard drive tho! Actually, I’m talking out of my *rse because I don’t know how to use one. I’m one of those antiques who still buys CDs! Someone’s got to keep the music industry afload!
the iphone and ipod thing is simple grandad its for people who think things make them better. so they spend thousands for overpriced gadgets in an effort to try to raise their self esteem but unfortunately all it means is they need to buy the next “it” thing to make themselves feel better
By the way i have a crackberry, bare bones minimum one that nobody covets but it allows me to text message northern Ireland or did atleast when it mattered
Sean – It’s all down to one word – “ADVERTISING”