Blog Entry 3 (Mid Term)

For my third post, I would like to examine my relationship with my car radio. Now, as a dorm student, I'm not in my car nearly as much as some other students are. However, I do travel home regularly and I live about 45 minutes away so I do spend a decent amount of time in my car each week.

Whenever I do travel, even if it's just for about 3 minutes up to Lorber Hall for my accounting class, I always turn on my car radio. I can't explain it, but for some reason, I just feel the impulse to listen to rock music while I drive. I tried to reason it out in my head, and I came up with several reasons why I do this.

First of all, for the most part, when I drive, I'm usually alone. Now, this may not seem like a reason at all, but I'll happily explain it. In my mind, the radio is almost like a person to me because it both communicates and entertains. Its music can be looked at as a parallel to conversation. When 2 people get in a car, they don't necessarily have a conversation prepared and the randomness of small talk is reflected in the radio station's music choice. The general topic of "conversation" is established with the genre of the radio station, but where the "conversation" goes itself is reflected in the songs that the station plays. In this respect, the radio represents a physical person to me and keeps me company in just about the same way as another person would. I feel as if this relates to a particular theory, but the closest I could possibly relate it to would be Meyrewitz's theory of social space and para-social relationships. In a way, it can be argued that I have a para-social relationship with my car radio for the reason that it communicates with me and I sing back to it...

The second reason that I constantly turn on my radio is because of status. There's nothing quite like driving up next to someone at a red light with the window open and the radio absolutely blaring "Sweet Home Alabama." I can't really explain it, but whenever I'm driving and a good song comes on I'll raise my volume a heck of a lot, open my window, and try to look pretty dang cool in my corolla. It's just a cheap thrill really, but it makes me feel unique and special and as far as I'm concerned, that's a good thing!

From this I have gathered that each person's experience with different mediums is quite dependent on what the purpose of using that medium is. For me, I use my car radio to keep myself company, get some entertainment, and look cool. Others might use the radio as a method to hear the news, traffic, or maybe to just help them relax. Whatever the reason may be, each of their experiences will be different and unique.

Thanks for listening, and if anyone ever sees a blue corolla with a driver wearing aviators and blasting classic rock music...that's probably me so wave and shout hello so I can hear you.

Saturday, November 7, 2009