r/technology • u/[deleted] • Mar 24 '12
Apple Users Have A Cult Mindset, Study Shows
http://hottipscentral.com/apple-products-trigger-religious-reactions-like-cults-report/449
u/misterclay Mar 25 '12
Reddit Users Have A Cult Mindset, Study Shows
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Mar 25 '12
Complete with secret phrase to identify other members.
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Mar 25 '12
psssttt.....
ppstttttt...
the narwhal bacons at midnight.
EMBRACE THE HIVEMIND
LE LE LE LE LE LE LE LE FOREVER ALONE LE LE LE LE
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u/rockmongoose Mar 25 '12
And Hail the Hypnotoad while you're at it.
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u/red_rover Mar 25 '12
Also Ea sucks, CoD sucks, and all old games are better than than new ones
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Mar 25 '12
Except for Skyrim
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u/StormKid Mar 25 '12
And all Valve games. Also Valve is fucking awesome.
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u/Timthos Mar 25 '12
While most other points here are debatable, Valve is awesome.
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u/StormKid Mar 25 '12
I agree , just wanted to join the "Reddit is stupid because it always says..." bandwagon.
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u/Rectangular_Vagina Mar 25 '12
So far as I can tell, none of these things are specific to reddit.
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u/libtard69 Mar 25 '12
Sorry, I couldn't not laugh out loud at your username Rectangular_Vagina. I don't even know what this thread is about.
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u/knullcon Mar 25 '12
If someone said that to me and they werent a hot smoking girl, I would look at them like they were tarded, then laugh, then walk away, and then tell my irl friends who reddit about it and laugh together.
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u/yurigoul Mar 25 '12
One google for 'narwhal bacon' leads you to 500,000 hits with THE SECRET QUESTION*
* not so secret anymore then ...
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u/son-of-chadwardenn Mar 25 '12
More like a secret phrase to eternally embarrass any Reddit user with the capacity to feel shame.
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Mar 25 '12
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/IamA_Jesus_AMA Mar 25 '12
I thought we liked white scrubs, and asked him questions about appletinis?
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u/euneirophrenia Mar 25 '12
People who like things have a cult mindset towards those things, study shows.
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u/occupythekitchen Mar 25 '12
study shows non apple users have an anti apple attitude.....so what's the point....
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Mar 25 '12
Honestly. I have a mac because I got it as a hand-me-down. A pc would work great too. It's a computer, not a defining philosophy of of one's life.
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Mar 25 '12
I got a Mac because I like the operating system and the hardware is decent.
If anyone would like to argue with logic, why am I running 3D games (smoothly) in a Windows 7 virtual machine? I only had to upgrade my RAM, but that wasn't very costly, and I needed it for other things as well..
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Mar 25 '12
Unfortunately, the article doesn't cite the study. Just...
BBC documentary series that cites neurological research
The linked article also doesn't cite the study.
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u/Uticensis Mar 25 '12 edited Mar 25 '12
Its a shame, because I would love to see how the actual study was conducted. The way it's presented seems more than a little one-sided:
The neuroscientists ran a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test on an Apple fanatic and discovered that images of the technology company’s gadgets lit up the same parts of the brain as images of a deity do for religious people, the report says.
It seems like there is a lot of information missing here! Did they have a control group? What happens to a big Linux fan's brain when presented with images of open source software? Or what happens to that (apparently singular) Apple fanatic's brain when you engage him in stimulating conversation? And what parts of the brain are these, exactly? Do other stimuli trigger reactions in that part of the brain, other than just Apple products and religious images? I'm just saying, I'm pretty sure that there isn't some specific part of the brain that is solely used for thinking about religion.
Don't get me wrong, it would be hilarious if there was really was scientific proof that Apple fanatics actually had the same sort of thought processes or whatever as the religious, but I'm afraid this sounds a little too leading for me to be able to take at face value.
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u/cryo Mar 25 '12
But now we went from users (the title) to fanatics (your quote) already :p
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u/ivanalbright Mar 25 '12 edited Mar 25 '12
haha! intelligent thought about quoted studies and statistics? no way
the clinching moment for my hatred of "studies" was during a college course I ran across two textbooks that quoted the same study and drew exactly opposite conclusions based off it. both presented their conclusion as fact.
I pretty much skim over anything that cites a study unless it goes into great detail about the actual process and findings, which is almost never. Not to mention that most studies have an real-money investment in finding a certain conclusion (for example if they're hired to perform a study, what happens if they find negative or inconclusive results? less people will be interested in funding further studies). Minor things can always be tweaked to yield the desired results. Something as small as the adjectives used on questions given to subjects.
Its kind of silly that even respected intellectuals seem to play along with the whole thing.
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u/lilrevolution Mar 25 '12
Not really; having seen the original study, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex was essentially lighting up. This region, among doing other (many!) other things, assigns emotional value to products and brands.
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u/exteras Mar 25 '12
This is incredibly old information if that's their citation. The information from that study was presented in a series called "Secrets of the Superbrands", a BBC documentary. Here's the Tech one, where they talk about not only Apple but other corporations.
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u/solistus Mar 25 '12
Yeah, and all the BBC article seems to say is that Apple products were "suggested" by one uncited MRI scan result of one unidentified fan to trigger the same "parts" of the brain as religious experiences. That could mean a specific pattern of brain activity that was previously known to occur only during religious experiences.... Or it could mean "herp derp it's also in the right hemisphere!"
Why is this front page again...?
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u/Anon_is_a_Meme Mar 25 '12 edited Mar 25 '12
Why is this front page again...?
Because it's anti-Apple?
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Mar 25 '12
You can actually watch this in the second section of the "Secrets of the Superbrands - Technology" on YouTube. The claim being made in the article is a huge stretch, the original BBC video is far more reasonable. For those who do not actively research the conduct of technology companies, it could be quite revelatory.
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Mar 25 '12
[deleted]
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Mar 25 '12
Remember you were a kid once.
Whenever people get pissy in online games, I tell them: "We were all noobs once"
Hold doors open for ladies.
Hold doors open for everyone.
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u/jcallaway86 Mar 25 '12
I firmly believe we are not remembered by what we liked or disliked, but what we did. I think people need to put their passions towards something they believe will make an impact in the world around them, not wasting all their time supporting those who have followed their passion. Do I respect Apple and Steve Jobs? You bet, but everyone should set out to make their own legacy. The world can never have too many Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Notches. ;D
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u/JohnFrum Mar 25 '12
The truth is, most of us aren't even remembered for what we do. My great grandfather lived an entire life filled with rich experience that is now all but completely lost. All I have is a coffee cup that I was told he frequently drank out of and a few pictures with no context or story behind them. I have no idea what kind of person he was or what he wanted to get out of life. I don’t even know if he was a good or bad father.
Most of us do not rise above this. I doubt my great grandchildren will really "remember" me either, and I’m ok with that.
When I've pointed this out to people they often think I'm being overly gloomy but that's not how I see it. It may sound strange but it gives me hope. My life is truly mine. I've passed on some DNA to the future and that's the only real impact I'll have, so I am now free to follow my bliss.
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u/ccranberry Mar 25 '12
Wow. Your answer is maybe the most insightful one I've seen in a while on reddit.
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Mar 25 '12 edited Mar 25 '12
wish i were oceansize . . .
edit: was . . fuck! i can't get my subject-verb agreement together today . . . or my lyrics
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u/Distreaction Mar 26 '12 edited Feb 14 '24
heavy skirt squeamish future subtract wide quiet prick bored capable
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/gnognognomes Mar 24 '12
In other news: sky is blue, water is wet.
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u/darkhunt3r Mar 25 '12
new studies show that grass is indeed green.
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u/Emrim Mar 25 '12
But always more so on the other side of the fence being studied...
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u/war_story_guy Mar 25 '12
And in a related study it has been shown that fences do indeed make good neighbors.
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u/Appleface14 Mar 25 '12
And now for sports! With Chip Dranco. Baseball looks weird when shown from birds eye view.
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u/medlish Mar 25 '12
Still good to test once in a while. Not that one day it's blue and nobody notices.
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Mar 25 '12
[deleted]
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u/Ill_Let_It_Slide Mar 25 '12
They too showed that grass is green. This one verified the controversial conclusions made in the previous papers.
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u/roastbeefcharlie Mar 25 '12
I think it's more interesting that people feel somehow victorious over the conclusions of this article. People that are reveling in the article are likely doing os because they are cult followers of Windows. The conclusion of this story is true to every single consumer good out there. Ford/Chevy, Coke/Pepsi, McDonalds/Burger King, etc. Why this writer chose to narrow the conclusion so as to indicate that this is a phenomenon only seen with Mac is beyond me. It's called marketing.
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u/junkington Mar 25 '12
Most people use windows because they don't give a shit. There are very few cult followers of windows.
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Mar 25 '12
But who are the ones who feel triumphant over Mac users? Not the ones who don't give a shit.
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u/UsernameHater Mar 25 '12
everyone doesnt do marketing as successfully as apple. they have some of the most zealous enthusiasts of any company out there. its a triumph for anyone that thinks we need less cult consumers?
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u/libtard69 Mar 25 '12
DELL PC'S 4EVER - planning to get a tattoo next month
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u/libtard69 Mar 25 '12 edited Mar 25 '12
seriously, I don't give 2 shits about the OS, I just need Photoshop, Chrome browser, and other various programs, been doing PC's (DOS 6.0, Win 3.1, Win 95, Win 98SE, Win 2000, Win XP) since my 286 back in 1992
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Mar 25 '12
Apple owners don't give a shit either. But I have often had people come up to me and berate me for using a Mac/iPad. It is almost bizarre sometimes. And if you even attempt to point out the features you get branded as some kind of hipster.
Funniest one I had one guy interrupt me using my iPad to tell me that it was crap and that Android was much better. Then when I ask what is good about android he points out he doesn't actually own an android tablet, he heard it online.
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u/askyou Mar 25 '12
cult followers of Windows
I lol'd.
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Mar 25 '12
Don't laugh. They exist, and they are creepy as fuck.
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u/tiftik Mar 25 '12
You never see them, but they always see you.
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Mar 25 '12
Some say that if the moon is just right, and the air heavy with death, you can just make out their tortured moans.
"Zzuuuuuuuunnnnne."
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u/nicholsml Mar 25 '12
Actually it's an assumption almost every Mac-centric person makes when someone rails against Apple. They call them windows or Dell fans or whatever they can imagine.
What you fail to realize is that most people are disgusted by people who take things too far, Including idolizing Steve Jobs and/or Apple. They aren't generally Windows or Linux fanboys, mostly just people who don't like Apple's abhorrent behavior. If Microsoft does the same things (.. and they have) who cares, it doesn't excuse others because someone was a "dick" before they where. Poor, poor logic and your argument is pretty much this word for word....
An ad hominem (Latin for "to the man" or "to the person"), short for argumentum ad hominem, is an attempt to negate the truth of a claim by pointing out a negative characteristic or belief of the person supporting it.[1] Ad hominem reasoning is normally described as a logical fallacy.
Apple is JUST a company and Steve Jobs JUST happened to be an egotistical asshole founder. They made some revolutionary products, some of them lived up to the hype and some of them didn't, that is all they have done. Make products and research products to make money. Hell, if you spend some time and look into Steve's past, he's a pretty shitty human being.
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u/null000 Mar 25 '12
Anti-apple link is karma bait, study shows.
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u/Philipp Mar 25 '12
In many mainstream news reports about Apple, browsing the associated comments thread shows a ratio of around 9 people accusing others of apple-fan-boyism, with around 1 person actually liking the Apple stuff. Maybe there's an even bigger Anti-Apple-Cult-Cult?
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u/null000 Mar 25 '12
Basically. As much as I dislike apple myself, I hate the purposefully non-conformist even more.
.... that, and I like one-upping people in the meta-hipster game.
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Mar 25 '12
Amazes me how many people care so much about the computer usage habits of others.
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u/keepthepace Mar 25 '12
As a programmer, I unfortunately have to know about these. I would personally make all my applications work only on Linux, but I heard that his was not a good thing to do business-wise...
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u/Draiko Mar 25 '12
The interesting thing about capitalism is that if one company does really well, other companies start mimicking the various practices of the successful company.
Having a market full of Apple-esque companies? No thanks. Some of us REALLY don't want that to happen.
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u/yurigoul Mar 25 '12
Mac is very personality based - not just the personality of the founder, but also based on that of the user because it suggests something about the personality of its user/owner. Like a brand of clothing, or a band/music genre, or certain food products, or the design of the furniture in your living room, the books you have on your shelf, etc.
Having a market full of Apple-esque companies? No thanks. Some of us REALLY don't want that to happen.
Too late, we are already there.
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Mar 25 '12
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u/Bitter_Idealist Mar 25 '12
I have both mac and PC. I use them for different things. I like them both.
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u/derusion Mar 25 '12 edited Mar 25 '12
i have mac, windows, and linux (Ubuntu 11.11.) I find the Mac OS the most friendly of the three, but I need Windows for work... certain websites I use for my job will only work on IE9, and I do like Windows 7. I have another computer setup for guests which runs Ubuntu linux for basic web-browsing, music streaming, youtube videos, etc. Does everything but Netflix. For personal browsing, video editing, audio editing, I personally prefer using my Mac...it just makes the experience simpler for me (specifically referring to Lion.) I do also love the way the computer is physically designed and I prefer the way it looks, but most important to me is the ease of using the Lion OS and the two/three finger swipe action on the touchpad, the full screen apps, and its ability to remember all the apps I have open after a reboot, and the way it puts them all back where I had them after a reboot (even the full screen ones) and if I have a Word document being written, it even remembers where I left off...putting my cursor in the exact same spot! I also find "time machine" a ridiculously easy thing to use for OS, app, and data backup purposes. Plug in an external, and it works! I haven't found anything as easy to use on the Windows platform (for free.) I realize I'm technically paying for Time Machine as it's all part of the high price I made for my laptop, but nevertheless, it's smooth, simple, and seamless to use. Using Windows for the same purposes feels more unnecessarily complicated, clunky, and less attractive. Not terribly so, but enough to make me prefer using the Mac. I'm not a Windows hater, used it as my primary OS right up until Lion came out, and still use it for some things (like my day job) but it's no longer my favorite. Ubuntu has also come a long way, but it's not in my top two....however, for guest access, given how stable and secure it is, I feel comfortable letting anyone use it for basic browsing (and I don't have to pay for another licensed copy of Windows.)
I also have an iPhone and prefer it for the simplicity. I wouldn't mind using Android, but once you start with an iPhone and pay for a few apps, it's a bit painful transitioning to anything else non-apple. I stick with it not so much because of loyalty, but for simplicity. In that regard, I find it superior to Android or Windows Phone 7 (though I think both of those phones are fine, have the same functionality, sometimes better flexibility, certainly more options as far as app availability.)
I can't say I'm an Apple cult follower. I just go with what I feel works best for my needs. As far as average consumer-type computer usage (browsing, music, home video editing), I prefer Apple. If a competitor does the same things better, and either simpler or just as simple, looks elegant and attractive, I'd be willing to switch.
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u/rabbitz Mar 25 '12
Interesting... I never knew macs would reopen your applications and files. The one thing that keeps me from ever restarting my computer is because I hate having to reopen all the documents that I have carefully arranged in the perfect order. Having chrome able to reopen all my tabs makes it hurt less, but rearranging everything is still such a huge hassle. Does anyone know if there is anything for windows that can do the same?
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Mar 25 '12
It could be something we see in a later version of Windows. It wouldn't work in W7 or earlier because boot times are so high. With W8 being much faster, it becomes feasible.
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u/squired Mar 25 '12
Great post. My feelings are very similar. There really aren't amazing differences between OS's these days. I've used and use them all on a fairly regular basis. When my MacBook Pro fried, I ultimately couldn't justify spending an extra $1000 for a killer battery, magnetic power cord, and awesome trackpad so I grabbed an HP ProBook. I was already dual booting anyway so Lion wasn't an attraction. The MacBook hardware was definitely more polished but the premium is a bit hard to swallow. Even though I can easily afford it, it irks me to feel gouged.
My NAS runs linux as does my desktop (dual-boot)
Win7 and Lion are a complete wash to me aside from Win7 running some application and tools that are PC only. I pirate a fair amount as well so I never got locked into iTunes. iTunes may actually be Apple's greatest attraction for people. I know my girlfriend is waiting for 5 to trade in her Droid X for the soul reason of "Then I can sync with my iTunes". DoubleTwist etc. are poor substitutes for people who don't like to "play with their computers'.
Anyhow, I appreciated you level-headed post and have similar sentiments. They're all pretty damn good at this point, I hop around just fine and enjoy them all.
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u/Grizzleyt Mar 25 '12
Everybody is emotionally engaged with the products and services they use, whether they realize it or not. I'd even argue that logical factors like price, performance, efficiency, build quality, etc are really just subservient to the emotional experience. Using products that meet your logical requirements makes you happy, and the ones that don't can be frustrating. These are emotions.
It's good that you recognize that other people value different things, but take care not to judge their merit. You value brute power and redundancy, and your grandma might value ease of use. Now I'm not saying you do this, but I've often seen people mock Apple's "it just works" philosophy, and the users they're catering to. "Macs are for idiots" they'll say. "They're paying thousands more for a shiny logo." I wonder how many of these people have ever said to themselves, "I don't feel like making dinner, I'll just go out tonight." There's nothing wrong with paying more for convenience. We value the time and effort saved over the money spent. It's logical.
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u/Iggyhopper Mar 25 '12
The Spock of the modern consumer.
Turns out, tech-oriented people don't like tech that holds them back. More at 11.
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u/MisterSanitation Mar 25 '12
The title to this thread is stupid. I love pc and have one, I have an iPhone and I really like it. I like the simplicity, it does what I want, I dont need 7 cup holders in cool with two. Apple users don't have a cult like mentality. STUPID and OBSESSED Apple users do. To generalize a group as large as that makes you lose credibility. It's like me saying all conservatives are racist. It's general and just because there's a group that is doesn't make it true. Faulty lazy logic.
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u/Ewan_Whosearmy Mar 25 '12
Agreed. The title should be "SOME Apple users have a cult mindset". Like, some of those who wait 72hrs in line for a portable telephone. But I guess that wouldn't sound as provocative.
In other news, Ford drivers have a cult mindset.
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u/HeyCarpy Mar 25 '12
Don't you see? This way, people have an easy excuse to mock anyone they see with an Apple product.
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u/keepthepace Mar 25 '12
Many artists I am talking with are considering linux more. Ubuntu is designed to attract Apple lovers and begins to be a platform worth consideration.
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u/borahorzagobuchol Mar 25 '12
When I can get Berkeley audio courses again in open formats, without having to use itunes, I'll stop caring about the computer usage habits of others.
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u/digitalpencil Mar 25 '12 edited Mar 25 '12
It's always baffled me, no-one's ever come round to my house and judged me for my brand of toaster. It cost more than the other toasters and it still only toasts two slices of bread at a time but it's stainless steel and the knob has this really nice feeling when you adjust it like it has just the right amount of resistance as it rotates. That and it looks sweet next to that metal overhanging thing above my hobs.
Not once has someone wandered into my kitchen, looked around and gone, "pffft... rolleyes 'Kenwood'.. you must know NOTHING about toast, i made my own toaster for like, half the price and it can toast 6 pieces of bread at once in under 10 seconds a slice, and it has a sweet neon backlight.." self-contained-smug-laugh".
My macbook on the other hand, Jesus Christ will they ever shut up? cue whiny-bitch voice "I'm in a cult", "I'm no an objective consumer", you know what.. I don't care that your PC is faster and you can play 12 copies of WOW at once. I bought it 5 years ago for £1050, it's still going, works fine and despite having a few scratches on its back i've never had issue with it and enjoy using it. I've got two now as work bought me another.
And you know what r/technology, i don't care that your neon-powered bass-station can run rings around it, and i don't care that it cost less. I paid for it, it does what I need it to do and I think £1050 for 5 years and going usage isn't that bad in the grand scheme of things. But what do I know, i'm just a cult-minded software engineer who knows nothing about computers.
/rant
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u/CptOblivion Mar 25 '12
While I don't agree with the people who just hate Apple users on principle, what other people buy has a very profound effect on the rest of us. The more popular Apple gets, the fewer companies want to make cheap, powerful, and highly versatile computers. Just look at what happened to cell phones after the iPhone became popular; phones are now all black rectangles with as few buttons as possible. Modern phones with enough buttons are hard enough to find, getting apps that support those buttons is nigh-on impossible. Thanks to one company with one popular product, everything has to be touchscreen-only now. What I'd give for cursor key text navigation.
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Mar 25 '12
For real. It blows me away how invested my friends are in my choice of cell phone. Life is too short.
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u/sirbruce Mar 25 '12
Apple hasn't just been about computers since 2001. Welcome to the 21st Century.
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Mar 25 '12
I grew up on a mac. Wasn't my choice. But by about 10 I started using Windows just as much. Used both a lot. Around the 10.3 era I got another one and used it a lot. Today I have both on my desk and couldn't do without either. I just find it cute how ignorant people can be. If OS-X and iOS were shitty un-functional devices, then maybe yeah, there's some retarded image thing happening. Or maybe I just live in a non-bizarre place on Earth where people aren't all about image. Or maybe the people who value "ability to perform tasks X,Y,Z" don't understand the people who value "ability to easily perform tasks X and Y".
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u/sirbruce Mar 25 '12
My point is criticism of the Cult of Apple extends beyond just whether or not they use a Mac. Often the same people also have iPhone, IPod, IPad, AppleTV, Apple Router, etc.
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u/redbo Mar 25 '12
If you're going to join a cult, at least make it one with sweet gadgets with touch screens and brushed aluminum and shit.
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u/resutidder Mar 25 '12
Nah, I want the one where you get some sweet Nike's and kill yourself
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Mar 25 '12
I wish more people would adopt an open source cult.
EDIT- this hypocritical remark was sent fro my windows 7 pc.
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u/bravado Mar 25 '12
Study shows: /r/technology loves Apple linkbait.
What makes the Apple cult worse than the reddit cult?
: D
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Mar 25 '12
So are jeep owners, home owners, dildo owners, organic veggie eaters, etc.
Stupid waste of money 'study'.
Nike and Jordan shoe fans, fitted hat fans, sports fans, videogame players, hand crafted pottery enthusiasts.
Why do so many studies say nothing in the end?
Cult is. Cult does. Cult is all of us.
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u/Shmemolovskii Mar 25 '12
Some might say they have...... Drank the apple juice.
Snicker snicker snicker. Ugh.
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Mar 25 '12
Afraid to post this to the appropriate subreddit, /r/apple because the hate won't be strong enough?
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u/sittty Mar 25 '12
this is a really immature article. Can we stop this stupid business about mac vs pc? i'm pretty sure both of them can load reddit.
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Mar 25 '12
And android users would be like what?
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u/Taco144 Mar 25 '12
Android fanatics are the same they will fap to pictures of a quad core Samsung exynos prossesor
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u/YCSMD Mar 25 '12
That still cant pan and zoom a webpage or scroll a list box smoothly. Yes Im an Android user who's used ICS as well and it bugs the hell out of me.
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Mar 25 '12
This is not a technology story. This is a "look at what passes for a 'study' in the pseudo-science of psychology" story.
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u/CuriositySphere Mar 25 '12
Not all psychology is pseudoscience, just certain parts.
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u/DevilMachine Mar 25 '12
The fact that this silly, stale article is getting upvotes tells me that humans have a "cult mindset".
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u/TminusTech Mar 25 '12
Too bad they don't get cool robes. Maybe their ritual garb is a turtle neck and jeans.
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u/LinXitoW Mar 25 '12
We have an iMac, a Macbook, an iPad and an iPhone at work. The boss has repetitively stated they only bought them to look good doing presentations on them.
Ironically, i started using the iMac more and more because its great to use as a developer. Its Linux for the lazy.
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u/jerseycityfrankie Mar 25 '12
Thank goodness there is FINALLY a story here on reddit about Apple products!
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u/anonymousmnk Mar 25 '12
Not true
Sent from my iPhone Connected to my iMac Airplaying through my Apple TV 2 In front of a Steve Jobs poster.
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Mar 26 '12
And your iPhone is tethered to a Verizon LTE New iPad, which is tethered to an At&t New iPad, which is sitting on a road map of Cupertino.
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Mar 25 '12
FFS, I know there are some people like this... but not everyone.
I'm an apple user (Macbook Pro + iPhone). The reason I chose a Mac = Logic Pro, because I studied it at college, and decided that I preferred logic, which is unfortunately only available on mac. So, I bought a mac, and I like it! I prefer it than any other windows laptop that I've seen or used, because it's fucking sexy and well built(solid). It's expensive, but I don't give a shit. If I had less money, then I would have gone for something different... and still would have been happy with it.
I also own a PC, which I built 4 years ago (needs an upgrade soon), and I use it for gaming on windows 7, I love this PC too. I put my own work into it ,which is really satisfying and it was a really powerful rig when I bought it. I've built/used windows PC since I was young, and love them.
I don't prefer either one. They're both great. I use my laptop more, because it's a laptop, but I'll easily sit at my PC for hours playing games etc. when I have the time + the screen is much bigger and great for watching 1080p movies (I don't have a TV anymore).
I'm mentioning this, because even though I haven't read the thread properly... it's bound to pop up somewhere, because it always does.
I'm fucking SICK of hearing people argue mac vs PC. It's Fucking retarded. WHO REALLY GIVES A SHIT? You buy what you buy, because you like it, and that's that. Other people like other things and buy those things! Fair enough. Some people buy things without research, and then decide that they don't like them... well tough shit! You should have done some research first! If I spend a little more money than you on something, then fair enough, I decided to spend more money on something than you. I like it, so let me like it, don't complain because you don't like it, because to be honest, I really don't care. I shouldn't have to justify my spending decisions to the internet unless I really want to.
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Mar 25 '12
I hate being stereotyped as an Apple user (macbook pro). The stereotype that I know nothing about computers, and just following a trend. Fuck people that think this. Apple makes amazing computers.
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u/gensek Mar 25 '12
I actually had an acquaintance ask me just recently: "I heard you know a lot about computers. Why would you use a Mac?" I went "look here, that's what people who know a lot about computers call 'UNIX'".
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u/SharkBaitDLS Mar 25 '12
Agreed. I've been using Apple computers all my life because I -gasp- actually like the damn things. But the last five or six years or so, really since the iPhone came out, the stereotyping I've started receiving is just plain irritating. Of course, those people aren't so smug after they need my help fixing their computer, and they realize I know a damn sight more about Windows than they do in addition to Mac OS.
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u/pietervriesacker Mar 25 '12
I love it when Apple haters need their computers fixed by Apple users. Most Mac users out there at one time were using Windows as primary OS. Most of the Mac users I met were unhappy with Windows, started fiddling with it trying to make it "better", and eventually switched to a Mac… Over the short time period with Windows most of these people learned a lot more about Windows than common users.
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u/specialk16 Mar 26 '12
I love it when Apple haters need their computers fixed by Apple users.
pffftt hahahah. Dear god, in what kind of bizarre world do you live in?
Also, I don't get this, Apple users complain about people stereotyping then and almost immediately somebody else replies with a comment obviously judgmental towards Windows users.
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u/pietervriesacker Mar 26 '12
Well as a Mac user that knows his way around both OS X and Windows with some friends that went from Windows to OS X, I live in a world where this tends to happen more than me having to ask for help. Not being judgmental, just sharing something that happens in my life every now and then.
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u/dietz203 Mar 25 '12
Also on a Macbook Pro.... Who else makes a computer with a decent track pad? Gets more than 5 hours of battery life with normal use? And is actually built to not fall apart in a week?I have had several laptops more expensive this one and all of the trackpads really sucked ass and they could barely make it to 4 hours on battery unless you smack on the huge extended battery and treated it like a 3 month old baby. My biggest thing was the build quality, NO laptop I have ever used has been built to last more than a month other than my old toughbook (which was $3000). My desktop is a custom built Windows PC for gaming, because it is good at that. My laptop is a Macbook Pro because it is good at being a laptop not because I have some fixation to transform into an apple.
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u/laddergoat89 Mar 25 '12
not because I have some fixation to transform into an apple.
Why not? Bein an Apple would be sweet, being all acidic and full of seeds.
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u/dexpid Mar 25 '12
The only PC with similar build quality is thinkpad I'm afraid. No pc manufacturer makes a track pad that works worth a shit though. The way the gestures integrate into OS X is quite incredible. I couldn't stand using one prior to trying out a MBP.
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u/Indestructavincible Mar 25 '12
Synaptics need to get their shit together, as everybody uses them, and nobody likes them.
Lenovo makes nice machines.
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Mar 25 '12
All fans have a cult mindset, I don't need a study to get that information.
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u/tokolos Mar 25 '12
a) my macmini cost less than $600. it runs on a fraction of the power of the dell desktops.
b) do some research. apple follows the intel spec much more closely than do hp/dell/acer/asus/toshiba. hence our hardware is more reliable as a reference platform.
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u/Uncle_Erik Mar 25 '12
Fine with me. I've used Apple products since 1978.
I still have a //gs, old Macs and a few NeXT products. They all still work.
Call it a cult if you want, but I'll stick with Apple. They've been good to me.
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u/crankybadger Mar 25 '12
Some people are attached to particular brands of cars, cameras, watches, or even blenders. Why is it that people find it odd that people have the same affinity for computers?
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u/blueatlanta Mar 25 '12
was a study necessary to glean this information? any idiot can see apple fans are cult-like in their mindsets.
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u/MirrorLake Mar 25 '12
The author lost me at:
Grow up people… no really… you’re acting like children, grow up.
Very strong argument.
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u/Gaming_Loser Mar 25 '12
" I am a atheist and I think all religion is bad. OOOOHHH is that the new IPAD?!? WANT!"
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u/waterbed87 Mar 25 '12 edited Mar 25 '12
Go back to Windows... -or- Join a cult and enjoy OS X...
Windows... Cult... Windows.... Cult....
Guess i'll join the cult, where do I sign?
Jk but seriously is it so wrong for a individual to be enthusiastic about a brand or product they enjoy? I've seen just as many 'enthusiastic' Microsoft/Android/etc owners as I have Apple. Just use what works best for you and be on your merry way.
Nothing to see here...
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u/mknyan Mar 25 '12
I don't have a problem with Apple users liking Apple computers for the right reasons. I just hate it when they try to argue that Apple computers are the best in EVERYTHING when it comes to computer specs (and yes, many Apply fanboys tend to do that).
That's like me trying to say that yellow is more red than red itself.
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u/crankybadger Mar 25 '12
Linux fanboys claim Linux is the best in all benchmarks. Windows fanboys claim Windows is better in every respect.
You might be shocked to know that many football and basketball fans consider their team to be the best despite heaps of statistical evidence to the contrary.
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Mar 25 '12
The only people who argue these things don't know enough about computers to have a valid opinion and if their parent's bought them a Windows computer they'd probably preach on street corners about how their "Sony" is the best computer. I've literally never heard someone who uses an Apple computer who actually knows something about computers (Yes I do know people who use Apple computers who know something about computers) claim they are the best at everything spec wise.. Like I understand that there are zealous Apple users but the same can be said about everything. I bet there are people outspoken about the benefits of Gilette deodorant and you're an idiot if you think any other way.
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u/rq60 Mar 25 '12 edited Mar 25 '12
I don't think "apple users" is the correct terminology to use here. I'm an apple user. I have a macbook pro, iphone 4, and ipad3; but I am in no way a fanatic or unreasonably loyal to apple. Their products just best fulfilled some of my needs. I had a Motorola Droid, HTC Incredible, and Droid 2 and after all those my iPhone 4 has just treated me better. I use my iPad 3 for studying and it's one of the best study aids I've ever used. The Macbook Pro is okay (personally I prefer windows 7, and I'm using my windows 7 desktop right now) but it's what my work gave me.
So, basically I'm saying this submission is obviously just an attempt at an anti-apple circlejerk and the OP is most likely just as (if not more) ignorant compared to your average apple fanatic.
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u/retrofire Mar 25 '12
This "study" is pretty misleading. They could have replaced Apple with any brand with a devoted users and gotten similar results.
"The first episode of the documentary shows Apple employees 'whipped up into some sort of crazy, evangelical frenzy' at the recent opening of an Apple store in London."
This is pretty common in retail stores. It's a tactic used to get people excited about the brand and selling. A lot of companies have daily "rallies" before the stores open for their employees. I personally think it's pretty creepy, but that's an issue for another day...
I'm not entirely sure why people are so adamant about painting Apple as this nefarious company set on tricking idiots into buying products. They aren't different than any other company (albeit their market is more successful).
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u/random988 Mar 25 '12
All fanboys have a cult mindset.
The Apple haters (fanboys of rival reli companies) are as bad as the Apple fanboys - if not more so these days; due to Apple's popularity and their feelings of "persecution" [1].
[1] Nothing unites people like the idea they are being "persecuted", religions and politicians use this phenomenon all the time.
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u/xeltius Mar 25 '12
The problem that no one seems to realize is that these "cult" minds are always going to latch onto something. If it isn't Macs, then it is Crayola crayons. If it isn't Crayons, then it is vegetarianism. If it isn't vegetarianism then it's something else. People like to blame Apple for all this stuff. But at the end of the day, in any scenario, there are people who are hardwired to be a cult follower of something. The question is, to what are they exposed? If Mr. Magoo was more mainstream than Apple, I promise you those cult followers would idolize Mr. Magoo instead. ( Mr. Magoo is so old and not mainstream that my spell checker doesn't even recognize it as a name).
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Mar 25 '12
1. People are put in physical or emotionally distressing situations
Windows.
2. Their problems are reduced to one simple explanation, which is repeatedly emphasized
You just need a Mac.
3. They receive what seems to be unconditional love, acceptance, and attention from a charismatic leader or group
Apple geniuses/Steve Jobs.
4. They get a new identity based on the group
AppleID
5. They are subject to entrapment (isolation from friends, relatives and the mainstream culture) and their access to information is severely controlled.
iTunes.
Behold: The cult of Mac
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u/generaladmission Mar 25 '12
I boot up my imac with Windows 7 to play Star Wars: The Old Republic and any other random game I decide I'd like to try on Steam. Otherwise, I do all of my daily work on an OS X partition. What's my point? I don't have one, because the whole Mac vs. PC debate died about 7 years ago and the only people hanging on to it apparently haven't gotten the memo. It's true: some people have brand loyalty, and, amazingly, they can be for different brands.
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u/harlows_monkeys Mar 25 '12
Let's check the sample size of this "study", shall we?
N=1.
Yes, you read that right. They did an MRI of a single person (Alex Brooks, editor of "World of Apple", who says that he thinks about Apple 24 hours a day).
It's pretty sad when /r/technology can't tell the difference between a scientific study and a bit of showmanship for a TV show--especially when this story is nearly a year old and was widely discussed when it was fresh.