Darwin and iPods

i get a kick out of the recent efforts by Carl Kreuger (Senator, NY) to ban the use of iPods and other "gadgets" while in crosswalks. he seems to be under the impression that people are walking into buses, cars and each other while in a state of iPod oblivion.

Michael Stickling at "The Moderate Voice" centrist blog discusses the merits of this argument but also has an observation that is spot-on. From his post:

"Besides, isn’t there something Darwinian about this? If human evolution now means the absorption of technology into the human form, that is, if it means the leap from human to techno-human, shouldn’t we rely on natural selection to weed out those who aren’t able to survive the transition? If you can’t walk down the street listening to your iPod without banging into other people and walking into buses, you may not exactly be a prime candidate for this evolutionary development. You’re making an effort, I know, but perhaps your time has passed."

Hear, hear michael! read the entire post at http://themoderatevoice.com/science/technology/dont-run-over-carl-kruger/

but on the subject of "checking out" with one's iPod: i'm about to acquire my own (yeah, yeah - have i been in a cave?) and i plan to walk the delicate balance between enhancing otherwise tedious experiences (e.g. air and bus travel) and tuning out at times when one should be engaged with one's environment.

for example? i love catching snatches of conversations as i pass by all different kinds of people. it's fun to finish their conversation in my head, to complete their story using my imagination. and i have heard disconnected "ramblings" from a homeless person, a conversation with who knows, that has made me pause and think about that person's life, their experiences and what brought them to that spot. these are things that we need to do so we stay in touch with the world.

you don't get to pick the soundtrack for your life. it will be much more interesting, varied, and intelligent if you let the world around you heavily contribute to it. ok, you can choose the music for the intermissions and credits :).