Blame it on the Walkman

We're a nation of music-addicted zombies. Mp3's. iPods. Even our telephones play music.

The first Cassette Walkman appeared in 1979. Kids begged. Santa caved. CD Walkman showed up. Santa bought the bill of goods again.

We've created a generation of people that eat/drink/sleep music. They can't walk down the street without earphones. They study with earphones. They ride the bus with earphones, usually also with eyes closed, zoned out. They don't see the frail passenger who might need their seat. The cries of anyone needing help are drowned out by the boom-boom hiss-hiss in their ears. They are the most unapproachable, unfriendly creatures ever to walk our streets. Unfortunately for them, they are also being involved in accidents at an alarming rate when they fail to hear approaching traffic over the roar in their ears.

Other cultures encourage dialogue. People gather in coffee shops, doorways, street corners; slap each other on the back, ask about each other's families, pass the time of day finding out about each other, testing the temperature of the community to make sure all is well.

Not here. We not only prefer the privacy of our homes but we carry that privacy around with us in the form of earphones. Like tortoises we have our shells at the ready should we need to retreat. What better protection from the homeless man with his hand out. If we can't hear him, then we don't know that he's asking for something. Can't be expected to know what's going on if we have earphones on, now can we? Great way to stay uninvolved, not responsible, and answerable only to ourselves. It's hard to care about or even be aware of anyone or anything when music is tickling your insides, revving your feel-good metre, recharging your batteries, soothing your nerves, massaging your brain, eating away your eardrums.

If I was a conspiracy theorist, I'd be checking to see who's investing in this technology. Who has a stake in making sure we don't talk to each other? People who talk often discover that things are not as they should be. People who talk a lot often stage such anti-establishment activities as boycotts, rallies, protest marches. They refuse to serve in armies. They cast votes for people other than the reigning elite. They even help get the other guys elected. Can't have that. Keep them busy with heavy beat, empty lyrics. It's hard for them to organize if they don't talk to one another.

Should we blame it on the Walkman?

[The above was sent to the Ottawa Citizen as a letter to the editor, July 2, 2006.]