In this day and age many folks like to exist in there own private world though walking around with I pods and headphones or sitting on laptops in there rooms. Headphones or books in a gallery create a similar experience because only one person can look at them at once. Unless lots of people are listening to the same recording at once like in a silent disco. Then it’s a weird experience because it’s the opposite way round to usual because when you have them on you are all in the same world and when you take them off your all separate again.
You might want to look at Janet Cardiff's work. She has done several headphone pieces meant to be used outside in the streets. The idea of an audience of one is interesting and as you point out there is a contemporary desire to absent ourselves from the world via Ipods/walkmen etc
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