by Erich Rosenberger M.D.

Created on: January 26, 2010

How can a person possibly survive without an iPod? Personally, I'm not sure it's possible. The iPod is like air and water for some people. Clearly you are an inferior human being if you don't have at least one iPod. There's even been some research that suggests lifespans are shortened if you don't have a mini and a Shuffle. Okay, not really, but it could seem that way.

The best way to survive without an iPod is a little indirect. Here's what you do. Follow along here, this isn't going to make a lot of sense until the end.

Log on to Travelocity, or any online airline ticket site. Look around for an inexpensive flight to someplace like Calcutta or Mogadishu. It doesn't really matter where, as long as the place is really, really poor. Get yourself a ticket there, and find a safe place to stay on your trip.
Make an appointment to see your doctor. You're going to want to get vaccinated against all the possible viral infections people die from wherever you're going. Malaria kills millions in Africa. Don't take chance, get vaccinated or prophylactic medications.

Fly out to your destination. Get a taxi at the airport to take you to a local orphanage or hospital. Spent a week helping people who don't have enough food to eat and think something like an iPod is a technological miracle and a massive waste of resources.
Then, maybe, just maybe, you may gain a little perspective on how incredible USELESS an iPod really in to your happiness. Not only can you live without one, there are millions of people around the world who couldn't even conceive of having that kind of luxury. As the late John Lennon said, "Imagine. It isn't hard if you try." Sure, that's a paraphrase, but geesh... just imagine.

Now, all snarkiness aside, there are real reasons to have an iPod. I wouldn't want to lay on the western first world society guilt too thick. If you find yourself short on funds and can't afford an iPod, there are alternatives.

iPods are some of the most expensive MP3 players on the market. If you can't afford one, the best thing to do is to look for alternatives. Creative, SanDisk, and other manufacturers make great MP3 players, often at a fraction of the cost of an iPod. Shop around and you may find that you don't really miss not having an iPod.

Surviving without and iPod is not hard. They are luxury devices. Granted, they are really cool luxuries, but are hardly necessary to live a long and healthy life. Focusing on the truly important things in life is the best way to realize that an iPod is just a thing - it cannot make you happy.

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