The ipod; that quintessential style icon that seems to be omnipresent amongst the street walking masses. Whatever did we do before it came along? How did people manage from day to day without their personal playlist being delivered directly to their brain via their ear canals stuffed with little white earphones? I mean, frankly, the thought of having to be in a public space without being plugged in to this slim status symbol is unthinkable…

Really, what’s wrong with acknowledging the existence of other people from time to time? Is it necessary to completely block out everything and everyone around you as you stride your way purposefully through life? Hey, I’m sure the music in your playlist is much too cool for me to have heard of, and probably demands your constant attention in order for you to keep up to date with the absolute latest in cutting edge coolness. If only you could publicly display the actual content of your listening obsession in order for the whole world to know how exclusively cool you are.

Don’t get me wrong, I love music as much as anyone, I really do. I love discovering new things and becoming totally obsessed with them, but that doesn’t mean I plug myself into an ipod and go out of co-existence with the rest of the world. A bit of human interaction every now and then does you good. If you’ve got your ear-plugs in, you’re saying “GO AWAY!” to everyone else around. The worst thing is when you don’t realise someone is ‘ipoding’, and after several sentences of rather one-sided conversation, the person takes one ear-piece out and says ‘What’s that mate?’ - it’s bloody rude is what it is.

Just take ‘em out now and then. You’ll be OK, the world won’t stop turning. Who knows, you might even end having a conversation.

Gustave Savy