Pocket Pain (mm1)

Well, well, well, seems the day has finally come. The one thing that was left pure in this world has been taken from us. I dont know about you, but for me, the ability to peruse new musicians and expand my musical taste-buds is something that I take very seriously. Expressing ourselves through music is what we have left in this world where every where we look different media outlets are telling us how to be, how to feel,

(Image Source. Snap shot of app) and how to live. Now music is gone, too.

When I was perusing one of my favorite websites, Mashable, I came across a story about a new iPhone application called "Pocket Hipster". This application works similar to the Genius program that works with iTunes, but it's different--it takes it one step further.

When you first load the app, there are characters that discuss your musical taste, as shown above, almost barding it. The article mentions this, but I didn't actually believe it, so I downloaded it to test it for myself. Turns out that the article wasn't lying. The characters talk as if there is only one correct way to music, and they are here to help you find the right path. It's a 12 step program to becoming a indie hipster. Here is a video showing how the app truly does, talk down to you, and how they sell the image through the app as well.

Because I feel a serious dislike for this app, I wanted this to be one of my media meditations so I could break it down piece by piece with my own 4 step program, starting with the brain. Since it's music, and there is really no work involved except for downloading the initial app itself, it plays into the Limbic brain. When you play a song you like, the Pocket Hipsters will reccomend something else that is similar to that which they believe you will like. You can then hear a snippet of the song. Your limbic brain process this music, and will react to it emotionally. You then decide how you feel about it.

On to the next step, the eight shifts, this is a prime example of the technological shift. When I was younger, I would go to the music store with my brother and we would sort through the rows and rows of CD's for hours, until we came across something that we liked. We then would talk to everyone around and see what they suggested of the album, and then from there we decided to buy it or toss it. Now, all I have to do is listen to my own music on my own iPod or iPhone and this app will tell me what to download.

Smoothly moving onto step three, principles. To me, it raises the question of ownership. I say this because it's the result of a partnership between two music technology startups, The Echo Nest and We Are Hunted, in yet when songs come up for recommendation, the listener is then directed to iTunes to purchase the song.

Last but not least, the final 4th step, our wonderful persuasive techniques. There are two main ones that stick out to me in this instance-- Bandwagon and Plain Folk. The reason I say bandwagon is because this app comes at it's users with a style, an agenda, and an image. It markets clearly to a specific type of music, and a specific stereotype that all hipster styled kids are into indie music. I also say plain folk, which might seem almost like a contradiction, but they are trying to relate to the user by making it seem like it's easy to fit into this trendy, hip, persona.

Now that my four step program is complete, I feel a little bit better about this app. Though, it wasn't reason enough for me to delete it off my phone. I guess that's 99 cents I'll never get back. But at the same time, I can say I paid 99 cents to secure my musical choice remaining my own.