Ipod and imperceptibility

Maybe if Jane Austen had lived today she would have written a book called Ipod and imperceptibility - a tale of modern manners, perception and the role an Ipod plays in it. Whatever the case, I recently had my ipod stolen and in some ways it has psychically damaged me. Not so much in the loss of the possession - it is easily replaced but because as I identify with the music that I listen to, the ipod has become some weird extension of my personality. I'm not thinking a David Cronenberg style flesh-machine interface but when I look through the ipod listing I could see pieces of my history, my idiosyncrasies and my absolute perfect taste in music (I kid). But to the thief (or fucking prick as I like to call him), who no doubt wiped it and sold  it or replaced the music with his bullshit whatever taste, it would just being a random bunch of artists he has probably never heard of. The linkages, subtleties and connections in that list of music would only be apparent to me or a fellow music fan. Further, music I collected from other people on my ipod is no doubt lost forever (although most of it will be backed up in far off Sydney). As such, I face at least the next short period of time without having music on demand which is strangely terrifying. Even when I travelled in the 80's and 90's, I had cassettes, a walkman and batteries always at the ready. I'm sure it won't be long before I break and get something to tide me over and raid my girlfriend's itunes on her laptop but life without music - that's a life that kind of sucks.

 Whatever the case may be, I'm sure Elizabeth Bennett's ipod would have some Tori Amos on it...

Update: So I wrote this last week and Steve Jobs passed away which I find incredibly sad news. I am a bit of an apple tragic - the first computer I really used regularly was a Mac Plus (I think) in about 1992. I have long said that the ipod is the perfect piece of technology for which I can find absolutely no downside to but don't forget Steve Jobs headed up Pixar until 2006 and I love those films - love them. He was obviously a man of vision and reshaped how we use technology but also with Apple made it elegant, user-friendly and fun. Anyone touched by the spectre of cancer (I'm sure that's most of us) knows how terrible it is for the sufferer and their loved ones. I hope in the end it was a peaceful death and I'm sure Jobs will be long remembered. Sad stuff.

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