Thirteenth Chapter … Joseph C. Pitt, “Don’t Talk To Me”

“The spontaneity of the social has disappeared and the silence of the anthropoid now rules.” If only it were true! Is this supposed to be some sort of ‘Planet of the Apes’ type comparison? Maybe a year ago (but probably not) iPod had decreased aural communication, but with the arrival of the multitude of web accessible handheld devices the explosive increase in the number of communications in Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites is “deafening.” The amount of noise and useless chatter can overwhelm the “important” messages (define as what matters to me rather than what matters to you). Seriously, few people care what Actress A ate for lunch or where Personality B is driving at this moment, but we may see governments change when people gather here or there or get censored messages past the authorities to be broadcast to a vast audience.

Do iPod users as a whole avoid eye contact, ignore social etiquette, and become more animalistic just because they have a secondary sound source strapped to their ears? I have not seen any scientific evidence on that, personal experience says the students who work in our department have retained some semblance of civility. They acknowledge my presence when I enter the room, remove earbuds when spoken to, and communicate quite freely between themselves, frequently with only one bud in and one open.

“The iPod itself is a piece of technology. As a piece of technology it’s neither right nor wrong, good nor bad” (Page 162). Can its use have consequences? Of course. Can you create a haven that extends your quality of life? Perhaps. Can you use it to enhance your relationship with others (usually more distant)? Perhaps. Could it be used to teach courtesy and respect? Doubtful, but not impossible.

The point about diminishing social skills to the point of being detrimental to job seekers seemed a bit melodramatic to me. Possible, yes – an interesting chapter but not a well written objective academic piece by any stretch.