Scrobbled

I now use Audioscrobbler to track and publish the music I listen to. It still doesn't accurately track what I listen to, as it doesn't seem to pick up on my ipod away from the computer. Instead it tracks iTunes on my computer, which is perfectly reasonable, but since my laptop is not connected to any amplification I rarely play songs on it. At least I haven't entirely figured out what it tracks yet.

But tracking and publishing your every song you listen to is strange. See how willingly people give up their privacy? Do they so desperately want to connect that they'll track their songs, their movies via Netflix friends lists, their thoughts, actions and dreams via blogs, their memories and personal lives via flickr, their goals and aspirations via 43 things and open all of it up to anyone with a Internet connection, making it easier for said people to keep track of them via tags and syndicated content feeds? You can even share your exact location via Dodgeball (newly acquired by Google BTW) where you check in via camera phone at certain locations around town. (OK, it's usually bars and designed for people to hookup, I suppose, but still imagine the use jilted lovers, neglected spouses and the FBI could get out of this information?)

Having Audioscrobbler track your songs also raises paranoia about how cool you are as evidenced here. Do I really want my friends to see just how many times I play Justin Timberlake's "Rock your Body?" (Look, it's only played when I'm at the gym!)