(Disclosure: I like Bon Jovi’s music. This post is about his views on music downloading and the impact of such thinking on the development of other technologies).
According to reports attributed to the London Sunday Times, rocker Jon Bon Jovi is mad at Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs and iTunes. Apparently Mr. Bon Jovi is none too happy with iTunes’ staggering amount of downloads. Sure, Jon Bon Jovi makes money from iTunes music download purchases, but you are missing the point.
Apple allows people to download a lot of music. Jon and his band, Bon Jovi, were at their peak in the 1980’s and 1990’s. They put out some real toe tappers and knee slappers. Jon must yearn for the days when we only caught new music if it was being played on the radio or on MTV. Then we waited for it to come out. (Doesn’t come out sound better than released. Released sounds like the the record companies are teasing us. “Oh the album is finished, but we’re not releasing it until we’re good and ready”). So we waited for the song to come out – on its own I might add. Then we rushed to go the store and get a copy before the store runs out. (What is this “running out”? That sounds like the album was wild.”We don’t know what happened Mr. Customer – it just ran out (on its own.) What they didn’t tell you is that a call could be made to the distributor at anytime. Besides you’re in the store. Just look around for something else. Then try next week when the record magically just comes in. Remember when the record store lied to us: “It may be in the shipment – we don’t know”. So then if you were fortunate to buy the album you had to wait until you got home to play it.
So Jon let me get this straight. You’re saying that traveling to the store, parking, waiting in line- sometimes a long line – then driving back your home is better than going to the computer and listening to a 90-second preview before you buy it? You could almost download and listen to that same album on iTunes in the time it takes for a round trip to the store . Jon Bon Jovi wants you back in the store. Jon Bon Jovi is “Living On A Prayer”.
Here’s some other things Jon Bon Jovi might want to scold.
- The refrigerator defroster. People should enjoy taking the time to chip the ice off with a knife. You can’t forget either unplugging the fridge to put down down towels as the ice slowly melts.
- Self cleaning ovens. Oh the days of scraping and scrubbing. How miss we trying to avoid the small specks that would fly in the air during the process.
- Flat screen TV’s. Man, I would love to lug one of those heavy tube televisions around again during a move.
- Calling the reference librarian. Why take a few seconds to search for it on the Internet when you could wait on the phone and have the librarian search the card catalog, or a phone book, or a newspaper or (I think you get it by now).
“Goodbye to all my yesterdays, goodbye, I’m on my way…” (From “Yesterday” by Bon Jovi; from the album “Bounce”).
Technology can sometimes take away old ways. However, new ways emerge that can be just as gratifying. Online Internet sites like iTunes allows us to share our music, movies and books with others. By sharing through technology we are drawn together – not apart. In the last 20 years we have communicated with people in ways the world has never seen before. These technologies can either bring us together or draw us apart. As a society we continue to use technology for good by bringing cell and satellite access to underdeveloped ares. Gone are the days when neighbors would huddle around a radio or television because it was the only one on the block. Some people missed those days because it brought the neighborhood together for shared social activities. Although the radio/television brought the neighbors together; they still were required to talk to each other. Shopping online for music allows for a different sharing experience by sharing music lovers around the world. The thing that brings people together is music but they still have to talk to each other. Surely Jon Bon Jovi understands that if people do not like the music they will not buy online, in a store or on a street corner. The same is true with any technology. We must keep in mind that technology is a tool we use. It is the message that matters.
By the way, what another person is planning to accomplish is more valuable to that person than what you have already accomplished.
Russ
April 5, 2011 – Former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson gave the keynote address at the 98th meeting of The Tennessee Conference on Social Welfare. Among his topics were fairness as it relates to limitations on malpractice lawsuits. You can view my report of his speech on You Tube. I was able to catch up with him briefly after his presentation. Although I expected to record our conversation, I was thrown a curve ball when he did not seem to confidently remember a quote that I had attributed to him. Therefore I will not repeat the quote here – but his response was, “Yeah, that sounds like something I might have said”. I did not feel comfortable asking him to elaborate on the quote. (But, I was so sure that I heard him say the quote on TV). Oh well, a moment lost and a lesson learned. Next time, I’ll be better prepared with a back up question. I fully expected other media outlets to cover his 25 minute presentation. I am referring to this as exclusive video for Anthony – Denmark Communications until proven otherwise. I will be giving TCSW a larger video to post on their website. So be sure to look for it at www.tcsw.org some time in the near future.
