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HJ Clergy Corner: July 2007
THE IPOD CHALLENGE
Fr. Michael Pappas
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
San Francisco, California
More than two decades ago my quick-witted college philosophy professor described the emergence of the Sony Walkman as “the maximization of
individual pleasure.” He was right! That bulky box with its conspicuous earphones enabled us to gleefully listen to our favorite cassettes
to the exclusion of others.
This morning, as I sit in Starbucks composing this column on my wireless iBook G4 laptop, my new iPod Shuffle sits in its port charging.
I must confess, I’ve become enamored of this wonderful little listening device! The size of a postage stamp, this sleek blue state-of-the-art
technological innovation can store up to 240 four-minute songs, which equates to roughly 12 hours of listening pleasure. In less than a month
I’ve already reached my storage capacity. Just walk the streets of San Francisco and you will see pedestrians sporting the iPod’s subtle white
earphones like a fashion statement. Aside from its portability, the iPod Shuffle enables the user to create a portfolio of music tailored to
one’s individual tastes. Downloading songs from iTunes vast online warehouse of music eliminates the need to shop in a retail store. Indeed,
the iPod Shuffle has rendered the Sony Walkman a dinosaur!
Yet, like all technology, unless approached with moderation and discernment, even this unsuspecting little toy can lead the user down a
dangerous social and spiritual path. In the short time I’ve become an iPod enthusiast, I’ve detected a marked change in personal behavior
and relationships. By its very nature, this personal listening device engenders isolationism in its user. Such isolationism expresses itself
in a variety ways.
Wanting to hear what I was listening, Presvytera has from time to time attempted to pull an earphone out of one of my ears. Because of the
short length of the cord one becomes quickly aware that the design of the iPod is not for sharing with others, but to reiterate the quip of
my professor, for “the maximization of individual pleasure.”
Worse yet, in those moments when one is feeling either selfish or overwhelmed, plugging in those little white earphones makes for an easy
escape from relationships and having to deal with others. In particular, I’ve found that losing myself in my music makes it a lot more
convenient to avoid the poor on the streets who are reaching out for help.
Certainly, those attempting to profit financially will do all in their power to appeal to the most base and self-serving needs of the
individual. Sadly, technological advances appear to both reflect and feed individuality rather than relationships in society. This said, do I plan to give up my iPod Shuffle? HECK NO! Aware of its pitfalls, I’ll just be more discerning in its use. To quote Jesus, "Let he who has ears to hear, hear!"
Far before computers and the Internet, as we know and use them, came into fashion, sixties pop-philosopher Marshall McLuhan, coined the
phrase the “global village.” Not until meeting author Janey Bennett, did I truly appreciate the implications of that phrase.
Fr. Michael Index
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