--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The iPod, like the Walkman cassette…" description: "\"“The iPod, like the Walkman cassette player before it,C allows us to listen to our music wherever we want. Previously, recording technology had unlinke..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/david-byrne-1206_action-film_the-ipod-like-the-walkman-cassette-playe_156181.jpg" --- # The iPod, like the Walkman cassette player before it,C… ![“The iPod, like the Walkman cassette player before it,C allows us to listen to our music wherever we want. Previously, recording technology had unlinked music from the concert hall, the café, and the saloon, but now music can always be carried with us. Michael Bull, who has written frequently about…” quote by David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/david-byrne-1206_action-film_the-ipod-like-the-walkman-cassette-playe_156181.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/david-byrne-1206_action-film_the-ipod-like-the-walkman-cassette-playe_156181.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/david-byrne-1206_action-film_the-ipod-like-the-walkman-cassette-playe_156181.jpg) > ““The iPod, like the Walkman cassette player before it,C allows us to listen to our music wherever we want. Previously, recording technology had unlinked music from the concert hall, the café, and the saloon, but now music can always be carried with us. Michael Bull, who has written frequently about the impact of the Walkman and the iPod, points out that we often use these devices to “aestheticize urban space.”4 We carry our own soundtrack with us wherever we go, and the world around us is overlaid with our music. Our whole life becomes a movie, and we can alter the score for it over and over again: one minute it’s a tragedy and the next it’s an action film. Energetic, dreamy, or ominous and dark: everyone has their own private movie going on in their heads, and no two are the same. That said, the twentieth-century philosopher Theodor Adorno, ever the complainer, called this situation “accompanied solitude,” a situation where we might be alone, but we have the”” [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Portable music devices let us soundtrack our lives, turning environments into personal movies, yet this creates isolated yet accompanied experiences. **In simple terms:** Music devices turn life into a personal soundtrack. Key Takeaway Use music mindively to shape mood without isolation. Themes technology music personal narrative Mood contemplative creative Type cultural self‑reflective When to use this quote - commuting - exercise - creative work Key Concepts Media studies psychology Questions to Reflect On - How does your soundtrack affect perception? - When should you unplug? A Different Perspective Overreliance may detach from real surroundings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action-film/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Movie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movie/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) ## Related quotes > [I've got an iPod but I don't even use it. It's just that, you know, you've got to like plug it up to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chamillionaire/i-ve-got-an-ipod-but-i-don-t-even-use-it-it-s-just-that-you-know-you/) [Chamillionaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chamillionaire/) > [Sony's Walkman far predated the iPod. Nokia ruled smartphones before Apple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lashinsky/sony-s-walkman-far-predated-the-ipod-nokia-ruled-smartphones-before/) [Adam Lashinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lashinsky/) > [I was in the school plays, I did a lot of music. I carried on through university for short films and loads of plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-james/i-was-in-the-school-plays-i-did-a-lot-of-music-i-carried-on-through/) [Theo James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-james/) > [Music has always carried me through times of loneliness. So when I make music, I like it to make people who listen to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frusciante/music-has-always-carried-me-through-times-of-loneliness-so-when-i/) [John Frusciante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frusciante/) > [I started making music with my band in the '80s, so I am more product of post punk than classical music, and I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-tiersen/i-started-making-music-with-my-band-in-the-80s-so-i-am-more-product/) [Yann Tiersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-tiersen/) > [Walkman was the precursor to the cell phone, in terms of your strategy for getting through the urban landscape and the modern experience. Insulate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/walkman-was-the-precursor-to-the-cell-phone-in-terms-of-your-strategy/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [If it's the beginning of something - like an album, I'm working on the lyrics and I take a walkman and headset.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/if-it-s-the-beginning-of-something-like-an-album-i-m-working-on-the/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [When I was growing up there was a product made by Sony called the Sony Walkman - a rage, everyone had to have one.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-was-growing-up-there-was-a-product-made-by-sony-called-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When I was a kid, when the Walkman came out, I was sold. I listened to music 24 hours a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/when-i-was-a-kid-when-the-walkman-came-out-i-was-sold-i-listened-to/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [“Music leaks out of the Walkman, and a saxophone from long ago circles in the air, so sad it could barely leave the ground.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/music-leaks-out-of-the-walkman-and-a-saxophone-from-long-ago-circles/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) > [When I was coming up, there was only one way to listen to music, and that was on a Walkman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chamillionaire/when-i-was-coming-up-there-was-only-one-way-to-listen-to-music-and/) [Chamillionaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chamillionaire/) > [“The white noise from the old Walkman enveloped them both; like a blanket of new snow, it draped itself over them, shutting out all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonia-michaelis/the-white-noise-from-the-old-walkman-enveloped-them-both-like-a/) [Antonia Michaelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonia-michaelis/) > [If the Walkman had, by default, silently contacted your friends and told them what you were listening to, not only would no one have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-brooker/if-the-walkman-had-by-default-silently-contacted-your-friends-and/) [Charlie Brooker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-brooker/) > [When the Walkman was the craze in my generation, I was one of the first to have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benigno-aquino-iii/when-the-walkman-was-the-craze-in-my-generation-i-was-one-of-the/) [Benigno Aquino III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benigno-aquino-iii/) > [I was one of seven, and we took a lot of road trips - long road trips. And this was before iPhones and iPads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-adams/i-was-one-of-seven-and-we-took-a-lot-of-road-trips-long-road-trips/) [Amy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-adams/) ## More by David Byrne > [The voting booth joint is a great leveler; the whole neighborhood - rich, poor, old, young, decrepit and spunky - they all turn out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/the-voting-booth-joint-is-a-great-leveler-the-whole-neighborhood-rich/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [Human beings have the incredible capacity for denial. I think they do. And although it's really hard to believe, I have my doubts. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/human-beings-have-the-incredible-capacity-for-denial-i-think-they-do/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [I remember talking with Arcade Fire after their first record, when they were getting all kinds of offers from major labels, and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-remember-talking-with-arcade-fire-after-their-first-record-when/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [I ride my bike almost every day here in New York. It's getting safer to do so, but I do have to be fairly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-ride-my-bike-almost-every-day-here-in-new-york-it-s-getting-safer/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [I've been asking myself: 'Why put together these things - CDs, albums?' The answer I came up with is, well, sometimes it's artistically viable.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-ve-been-asking-myself-why-put-together-these-things-cds-albums-the/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [“All that interconnectedness that facilitated much of the explosion of megawealth over the last decade also facilitated the interpenetration of everything, so no one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/all-that-interconnectedness-that-facilitated-much-of-the-explosion-of/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [I think sometimes - not always - I write songs that are accessible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-think-sometimes-not-always-i-write-songs-that-are-accessible/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [“I pick up a copy of Newsweek on the plane and immediately notice how biased, slanted, and opinionated all the U.S. newsmagazine articles are.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-pick-up-a-copy-of-newsweek-on-the-plane-and-immediately-notice-how/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [When you fall in love, you feel like a missing piece of a puzzle that's been found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/when-you-fall-in-love-you-feel-like-a-missing-piece-of-a-puzzle-that/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [I wave to the double-decker buses from my bike, but the passengers never wave back. Why? Am I not an attraction?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-wave-to-the-double-decker-buses-from-my-bike-but-the-passengers/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [Technology has altered the way music sounds, how it’s composed and how we experience it. It has also flooded the world with music. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/technology-has-altered-the-way-music-sounds-how-it-s-composed-and-how/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [A lot of that worked itself out in the recording.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/a-lot-of-that-worked-itself-out-in-the-recording/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [I came to New York to be a fine artist - that was my ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-came-to-new-york-to-be-a-fine-artist-that-was-my-ambition/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [Sometimes the European and North American public like some things to be exotic and kept at arm's length. They don't want sometimes to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/sometimes-the-european-and-north-american-public-like-some-things-to/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [Why not invest in the future of music, instead of building fortresses to preserve its past?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/why-not-invest-in-the-future-of-music-instead-of-building-fortresses/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) [Explore all 274 David Byrne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) ## More Action film quotes > [I love action films. It's my favorite genre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/til-schweiger/i-love-action-films-it-s-my-favorite-genre/) [Til Schweiger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/til-schweiger/) > [I hope I can make some Hollywood-type action films like 'Batman' or 'Spiderman', action films like that. With some wire work, maybe wearing a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-chan/i-hope-i-can-make-some-hollywood-type-action-films-like-batman-or/) [Jackie Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-chan/) > [Action films are emotionally and physically draining, and you're dirty and sweaty. In a romantic comedy, you have to have your fingernails perfect, you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-chestnut/action-films-are-emotionally-and-physically-draining-and-you-re-dirty/) [Morris Chestnut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-chestnut/) > [I do love action films and I hope I'm going to do many more and learn lots of new crafts 'cause that's the joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/i-do-love-action-films-and-i-hope-i-m-going-to-do-many-more-and-learn/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I'd like to do an action film, a full-on comedy film, family dramas and a soulful romantic film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaani-kapoor/i-d-like-to-do-an-action-film-a-full-on-comedy-film-family-dramas-and/) [Vaani Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaani-kapoor/) > [The whole idea of making 'James' was to make an action film in the style of the 1970s and '80s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-gopal-varma/the-whole-idea-of-making-james-was-to-make-an-action-film-in-the/) [Ram Gopal Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-gopal-varma/) > [I think action films are a huge draw in places like Bihar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suniel-shetty/i-think-action-films-are-a-huge-draw-in-places-like-bihar/) [Suniel Shetty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suniel-shetty/) > [I mean, I love action films, you know, good action films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-scott/i-mean-i-love-action-films-you-know-good-action-films/) [Adam Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-scott/) > [Doing stunts all by myself has been a deliberate decision because I wanted to do all stunts by myself because female actors don't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisy-shah/doing-stunts-all-by-myself-has-been-a-deliberate-decision-because-i/) [Daisy Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisy-shah/) > [I don't think I've ever been called up for an action film with a male lead - which is a shame. I'd love to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-schroeder/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-been-called-up-for-an-action-film-with-a-male/) [Allison Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-schroeder/) > [I love it all. I don't want to go through my career with one hand tied behind my back. I love making kids happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/i-love-it-all-i-don-t-want-to-go-through-my-career-with-one-hand-tied/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [I'd guess that every American action film would be different. It's just training, training hard, training a lot. Then trying to give your best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elodie-yung/i-d-guess-that-every-american-action-film-would-be-different-it-s/) [Elodie Yung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elodie-yung/) > [The worst of the action films are the ones where everything is one shout from beginning to finish. And there's no differentiation between beats,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-black/the-worst-of-the-action-films-are-the-ones-where-everything-is-one/) [Shane Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-black/) > [I'm a tomboy at the end of the day, so anything that causes me to have to run around, fight people, roll in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-a-tomboy-at-the-end-of-the-day-so-anything-that-causes-me-to-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I always wanted to do some sort of action film - even a superhero movie - and when 'Lucy' came out, I was like,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-snook/i-always-wanted-to-do-some-sort-of-action-film-even-a-superhero-movie/) [Sarah Snook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-snook/) [Browse all 221 Action film quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action-film/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The iPod, like the Walkman cassette player before it,C allows us to listen to our music wherever we want. Previously, recording technology had unlinked music from the concert hall, the café, and the saloon, but now music can always be carried with us. Michael Bull, who has written frequently about the impact of the Walkman and the iPod, points out that we often use these devices to “aestheticize urban space.”4 We carry our own soundtrack with us wherever we go, and the world around us is overlaid with our music. Our whole life becomes a movie, and we can alter the score for it over and over again: one minute it’s a tragedy and the next it’s an action film. Energetic, dreamy, or ominous and dark: everyone has their own private movie going on in their heads, and no two are the same. 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