Your Ringtone Isn't as Cool as You Think it is
Swenson, Ty
Issue date: 9/3/08 Section: Opinion
There you are - waiting in line for a coffee or cramming for an exam when suddenly muffled music leaks into the air and someone reaches into their pocket, usually more than one person does this simultaneously - the Pavlov Dog reaction we've all been trained for. The music can be of any variety, but it is always emanating from the same source: a cell phone. This is not a judgment upon anyone's personal taste in music (seriously, pump Yanni's mystical flute all you want), but simply a call to take a moment and consider what you are putting out there for more ears than your own and whether others really want to hear it.
Put this in the light of religion. Personal choice of a religion, or the absence of, we can all agree, is a basic human right here in America. The problem arises when one decides to push their ideals upon others; that can be offensive. I am not attempting to say hearing J-Lo's latest from someone's phone offends on the same level as, say, someone calling for my eternal damnation, but we are dealing with a similar issue.
If the religion analogy does not work for you, try this one out: You pull up to a stop light, listening to your own music at a reasonable level, when that guy in an early 80's sports car pulls up alongside. His windows are down, his shirt has no sleeves, a cigarette dangles precariously from his lips, his poorly manicured mullet is dancing in the breeze and "Cherry Pie" by Warrant is absolutely blasting from the interior. Bad deal right? You are hoping with all your might that the light turns green and you can move on with your day - sans that guy. If he wants to rock, let him rock, but ideally he has the decency to put it on hold during the communal gathering. Now, the frequency of sighting this particular fellow does diminish daily as we move into the future, but I think we should all be concerned that we, the cell phone users, may be his present day reincarnation if we do not keep our unabashed, ringtone onslaught in check.
So as we start up the new school year and grab our phones and walk out the door each day, let us consider moving away from the kitsch that is a unique ringtone and letting our words and actions speak for us.
As a final note, upon completion of this article, I will be removing "Brass Monkey" by the Beastie Boys from my phone. Practice what you preach.
Put this in the light of religion. Personal choice of a religion, or the absence of, we can all agree, is a basic human right here in America. The problem arises when one decides to push their ideals upon others; that can be offensive. I am not attempting to say hearing J-Lo's latest from someone's phone offends on the same level as, say, someone calling for my eternal damnation, but we are dealing with a similar issue.
If the religion analogy does not work for you, try this one out: You pull up to a stop light, listening to your own music at a reasonable level, when that guy in an early 80's sports car pulls up alongside. His windows are down, his shirt has no sleeves, a cigarette dangles precariously from his lips, his poorly manicured mullet is dancing in the breeze and "Cherry Pie" by Warrant is absolutely blasting from the interior. Bad deal right? You are hoping with all your might that the light turns green and you can move on with your day - sans that guy. If he wants to rock, let him rock, but ideally he has the decency to put it on hold during the communal gathering. Now, the frequency of sighting this particular fellow does diminish daily as we move into the future, but I think we should all be concerned that we, the cell phone users, may be his present day reincarnation if we do not keep our unabashed, ringtone onslaught in check.
So as we start up the new school year and grab our phones and walk out the door each day, let us consider moving away from the kitsch that is a unique ringtone and letting our words and actions speak for us.
As a final note, upon completion of this article, I will be removing "Brass Monkey" by the Beastie Boys from my phone. Practice what you preach.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Watch out for "free" ringtones- they ain't free
posted 10/12/08 @ 12:56 PM MST
I absolutely agree. Another thing about ringtones is that sooner or later, you might get suckered by one of those free ringtones services. They are scams that will trick you into signing up for an obscenely priced subscription service. (Continued…)
Joyce Lee
posted 11/14/08 @ 12:19 PM MST
What say you on ringtones without words? Personally, I have the beginning part of Under Pressure, You could Be Happy, and Pop Goes The World as ringtones. (Continued…)
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