alt Hacker NewsMy lukewarm take is that it's conspicuous consumption.
Music is cheaper than it's ever been for the consumer and segregation between genres or bands is non-existent on music streaming.
It's hard to socially signal when everyone can afford to stream and the search bar can show you Sabrina Carpenter just as easily as RYM or /mu/core.
However , you can socially signal if you spend money on an iPod, DAP, better headphones, physical media etc.
Replies
> However , you can socially signal if you spend money on an iPod, DAP, better headphones, physical media etc.
who am I socially signaling to if I have physical media in my basement? my wife?
I do think this take is lukewarm.
Sometimes, you just enjoy the damn iPod and that's all there is to it. Not everything has to suck all the time.
Music listening has become so atomized and private, with the vast majority of people listening through earbuds and unaware of even what close friends are listening to. Under these modern circumstances, I don't think that any choice of product around music listening serves as a strong social signal any more, except perhaps among a few middle-aged men in a few countries.