Day 23 – Headphones

Today while cycling up to Bothel and back, I noticed that almost half the people I encountered were “plugged in”. Most were wearing headphones but one worker who held a watering hose toward some newly planted trees on the Burke-Gilman trail was texting on her phone with the other hand. I wondered what everyone was tuned in to that was more important than listening to the birds or the wind blowing through the trees. The notion that being connected is expected and nearly automatic made me focus on what sounds I was hearing. I noticed that the sound of the wind across my ears was calming and decreased the impact of the sound of the highway. I heard birds and more importantly could give others who were head-phone-less warning that I was about to pass, “on your left”. Several head phoned people never heard me.

So what is everyone listening to through those ear buds? I checked the top songs and found Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas has been near the top of the list for almost four months. The YouTube video has had 11,565,502 views as of this writing. After listening to it several times I think people must like it because it focuses on a strong beat. Even the lyrics are mostly about rhythm. But don’t think that’s the only message. Here is the third verse: “I’m a beast when you turn me on; Into the future cybertron; Harder, faster, better, stronger; Sexy ladies extra longer.” Other songs on the list seem to have a similar message: I Gotta Feeling; Best I Ever Had; Knock You Down; I Know You Want Me; Love Game; Fire Burning; Birthday Sex. So if this is what everyone is listening to, no wonder people enjoy being plugged in.

Love in This Club takes things a step further: "On the couch, on the table; On the bar or on the floor; You can meet me in the bathroom; Yeah, you know I’m tryin’ go; Might as well give me a kiss; If we keep touchin’ like this; I know you scared baby; They don’t know what we doin’; Let’s both get undressed right here; Keep it up girl then I swear; I’mma give it to you non stop; And I don’t care who’s watchin'."

I wasn’t planning to make this a statement about song lyrics and the current pop culture. But if this is what people are listening to, especially young people, then I’m not surprised that their attitudes about sex are changing. So ear buds . . . not while cycling for sure. And for me, based on the pop culture, I probably won’t be extending my earphone use anytime soon.