Questioning the Value of Public Reading

[Moonbear]

Then who are they aimed at?

Those who knew that iPod users have white earbuds, and paid enough attention to who was wearing them to get annoyed about it.

We call them busy bodies where I come from, people who always need to know what everyone else is doing and worried about who's keeping up with whom, be it who wears white earbuds or wears the latest in fashion or what book they're reading on the bus or just bought a new car, or whose kids go to what school, or what grades everyone else got, etc. Some of us are content to be oblivious to these things.

 

[juvenal]

There was a list in New York magazine (I think) about hated New Yorkers and one of the items was a rant against "iSnobs". I can't seem to find the original article, but here's a site with a bit more detail:

http://www.eden.rutgers.edu/~hcohen/isnob.htm

 

[Moonbear]

LOL! The power of advertising. How do you know they are wearing them as the "top layer" of clothing to show off and not just because they were too lazy to feed the wires under their clothing, or just found that to be uncomfortable. The only time I bother to run headphone (or earbud) wires under my clothing is when I'm out doing yard work and don't want to catch the wires on something. Otherwise, the player is in my pocket and the earphones get to my ears whatever way is the most direct route. And I just have some cheap, no name CD player that skips if I move too much...hardly something I'm trying to show off. LOL. I think some people need better things to worry about than who is wearing white earbuds. I just find this so funny that people think one brand of MP3 player is so special they get upset if other people have it and they don't. But, hey, who knew the color of your earbuds was so important. Maybe there's a whole market out there now for color-coordinated earbuds, lol! I'm going to sell them in every color of the rainbow so you can properly accessorize any outfit you're wearing. Nobody should be without the full set of colors, and if you dare wear a color that clashes, you should be immediately stoned by the fashion police.

 

[juvenal]

It is kind of dumb and irrational. But honestly, I do feel some of the hate. Don't ask me to explain why.

 

[shmoe]

Those who knew that iPod users have white earbuds, ...

I found it hard not to know this, from the ipod ads and my weekly browse through gadget store flyers. Apple has done a good job of making their products distinct. If I had to guess I'd say 90% of computers in the background of tv shows or movies were imacs or ibooks. This is probably because they are so bright and colorfull that they stand out in my memory and I don't notice a black dell that blends in with the background. That or apple has taken over hollywood.

 

[cronxeh]

I ride train about an hour ride one way, and I always listen to my music. Dont have an iPod, but I do have my music on the Zaurus SL5000D PDA. I had to code this linux-based bad boy so that when I turn it on, it plays whatever mp3s I have on the CF card, and then shuts off the screen to conserve batteries.

About reading. I do feel sometimes as if others 'perceive' me as being somewhat condoscending when I take out a book to read. The fact is I don't have enough time in the day to do all the tasks required of me, and an hour on the train is just as valuable as an hour for lunch for example, and then there is this "i don't give a crap what you think" attitude too. There are too many people riding NYC subways, and not everyone is pleasant or understanding of other peoples' needs and desires.

Not to sound like a hippy, but everyone should respect other people's "bubble" - a sphere of air at least 5 inches in diameter from their outer skin

 

[Moonbear]

I found it hard not to know this, from the ipod ads and my weekly browse through gadget store flyers.

I guess I just have a natural tendency to tune out ads. If I'm shopping for something specific, I'll start looking through the flyers to see if they have a better price on what I want, but otherwise, they go straight from the doorstep to the recycle bin (now if I could just catch whoever walks around with those bundles of flyers left on my door every Sunday, I'd put an end to it once and for all...what a waste of paper; plus they stick them in a little plastic bag that isn't big enough to reuse for anything and doesn't even protect the flyers from the rain, so most of the time I end up with soggy flyers anyway).

 

[JasonRox]

I can't believe they have an article about it.

Road rage was listed under a class of mental illness, and I wouldn't be surprised if the case a above also gets listed under that list.

Note: Road rage is only normal to a certain extent, which isn't very high. If you actually stepped out of the car to yell at someone, you have problems.

 

[shmoe]

(now if I could just catch whoever walks around with those bundles of flyers left on my door every Sunday, I'd put an end to it once and for all...what a waste of paper; plus they stick them in a little plastic bag that isn't big enough to reuse for anything and doesn't even protect the flyers from the rain, so most of the time I end up with soggy flyers anyway).

Can you put up a "Please, no flyers" sign, or is that ignored where you are?

I can't help it, I'm always looking for deals so any Future Shop, Staples, Best Buy, etc. ads that come through my door are read. You never know when a great opportunity to get Staples to price match something will come up and you can get a $100 scanner for $30. Grocery store ads are a must too, it's always a good time to stock up on discount ice cream or chocolate.

 

[cronxeh]

heh Moony, do you ever work?

 

[Moonbear]

Grocery store ads are a must too, it's always a good time to stock up on discount ice cream or chocolate.

Okay, now I can admit to my snobbery. I'm an ice cream snob. I don't like the cheap ice cream, so would never stock up on it. And the good ice cream is a vice I can't control, so I only buy it a pint at a time or else I won't stop eating it (I indulge myself once a month at most; I figure if I don't eat it often, I can afford to get the really good stuff from the local ice creamery ).

 

[shmoe]

I actually prefer a modest Breyers or Chapmans to the richer Ben&Jerry types. I guess I just never developed a taste for it, which is good since the quantities I prefer could be financially damaging . I'm a definite maple syrup snob though, that fake junk just won't cut it. And the no name brand "maple flavoured goo"? Blechh.