For Apple Followers, It's a Matter of Faith

[Nomad_]

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/07/28/new-religion-apple-say-academics/

Its tablet computer can't play most of the videos on the Web ... its cell phone has trouble making voice calls ... and yet its products are wildly popular, selling millions worldwide and engendering a cultish devotion among followers.

Apple is the new religion, say several academics. It's not a matter of rationality, it's a matter of faith.

In a research paper published this month by two professors at Texas A&M University, the authors argue that the only way to understand the slavish adoration and over-the top financial success of Apple and its "Jesus Phone" (the iPhone) is to understand its minimalist, white-walled stores as the new churches of the tech generation.

"The religious-like behavior and language surrounding Apple devotion/fandom is an example of 'implicit religion,'" Prof. Heidi Campbell, one of the authors of the study, told FoxNews.com. Implicit religion can happen when the use of, say, technology becomes a substitute for belief and behaviors once attached to religion and religious practice, she said.

That, according to the authors, explains why fans still believe when the leader of the Church of Apple, Steve Jobs, blames consumers for the poor reception of the company's cell phone (clearly, users are holding their phones incorrectly). In fact, they flock to buy the device despite its serious design flaws.

[Wanderermy]

100% true.

I got threatened with violence for saying "iTouch".

It's like walking up to a religious nut and said "Jesus is gay".

[AltecXP]

There was a line well over a city block just to get in the new Apple store in Philly. To do what? it wasn't any free give away or anything, just a store.

[Boz]

Yep... for those of us who are "normal" this has been obvious for a very long while now..

It is the same as religion.. it makes you stupid, you try to find justifications for everything except coming to terms that you will die and you won't go anywhere.. or that Apple is just another flawed company that makes flawed products from time to time and that there are others who can in fact make things better.

It's sad really that they are making so much money out of the idiotism of many Apple followers..

It's not a religion actually.. it's like the worst cult that brainwashes you and does everything to make money off you while in return promising everlasting something and telling you you are sooo much better, cooler than others because you use their products/belong to their cult.

[AltecXP]

It's not a religion actually.. it's like the worst cult that brainwashes you and does everything to make money off you while in return promising everlasting something.

Scientology?

[JoeyF]

I can see that:

- Organized religion asks for 10% of your paycheck. Apple products cost 10% of your paycheck.

- Religious people put a lot of money in the tithing that could have had a far greater impact if they donated straight to charity. Apple users spend a lot of money on their Apple products, but their money could've had a far greater impact if they used a Win/Nix based system.

- Religious people constantly try to convert others to their particular faith, and look down on those who have differing views. Apple users constantly try to convert others to their particular faith, and look down on those who have differing views.

- Organized religion uses the threat of eternal suffering to force their moral views and opinions on their followers. Apple uses the App Store to force their moral views and opinions on their followers.

[Andre S. Veteran]

Haha, I've been thinking exactly that for a few years now. Glad to see serious research confirming my intuition.

PS:

PPS:

Youtube's closed captioning is hilarious.

"I need an iPhone 4" -> "I need a knife and fork"

"and it's **********ing indestructible" -> "and it's mother flocking in gastric tube all"

[Duffydemon]

Haha, I've been thinking exactly that for a few years now. Glad to see serious research confirming my intuition.

PS:

PPS:

Youtube's closed captioning is hilarious.

"I need an iPhone 4" -> "I need a knife and fork"

"and it's **********ing indestructible" -> "and it's mother flocking in gastric tube all"

LOL perfect example....i saw this video before in jokes and funny section... :rofl:

[Mr. Gibs]

Youtube's closed captioning is hilarious.

"I need an iPhone 4" -> "I need a knife and fork"

"and it's **********ing indestructible" -> "and it's mother flocking in gastric tube all"

LOL!

[zhangm Supervisor]

You could say pretty much the same thing about any form of brand loyalty.

[ahhell]

A retard i work with stood in line THE ENTIRE day to get one. Took the day off work and got in line at 6 am. He was still waiting past 7PM. I have no idea if he actually got one.

Nothing is worth that kind of wait.

[Ji@nBing]

You could say pretty much the same thing about any form of brand loyalty.

Nope. Apple brand loyalists are several steps up in craziness over any other fanboys. There's no comparison, really.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

Mind you, not all Apple product users are religious followers of the Cult of Apple. Most of them are perfectly normal.

It's the vocal minority which makes Apple users look like crazed zealots.

[techbeck]

I wonder how many religious people will be going to hell for worshiping a false idol....and its not faith, its stupidity and wanting to blindly have whats cool and in...and dont forget the shiny factor.

You could say pretty much the same thing about any form of brand loyalty.

Apple fans take this to a new level...its not the same.

[capr]

hahahaah. totally. the only reason I have one is because i am stuck on atnt and the other phones dont really work for me..

[Sjokkel]

This is quite true. Out of the 5 mac owners i know 3 seem to be on a religious crusade, the other 2 don't seem to care that much.

[Wanderermy]

When I lived on campus, one guy on my floor has pictures of SJ and Apple on the wall next to his bed. :blink:

[offroadaaron]

See I see people on this forum to be very Microsoft religious, I don't particularly like windows, some of the Microsoft products are good though, Office is better than most other office products out there, but apart from that I wouldn't touch a Microsoft product much unless I reallllyy need too.

At home I use Apple mainly with 1 machine being a Windows platform, at work I use linux.

I wouldn't say I'm religious about their products though, I don't wait in line for things, I rationally think about buying their products just as much as any other product I buy on the market.

It's just weird that people that use Windows seem to be so fascinated by Apple uses, picking on every little thing when really there's no need as they don't use their products.

[REM2000]

The same goes for any brand, just because ferrari doesn't have a shop down your street doesn't mean there isn't a massive queue for their next car, you speak to any ferrari fan and they won't have anything said against their brand. The orginal article you could replace that brand for any of the luxury brands and it would still hold true.

Yes there will be a lot of people who buy a product simply because of the name, i know a couple of friends who only have sony, sony tv, bluray, surround sound etc.. However 1.7m over the first weekend, thats more than fans turning up, thats general consumers who want the device, same holds true for iPad, still going out of stock even after all these months, the fans would have brought some on the intial weekend, but months down the line, these are every day people who like to use the device.

[kill3rt0m4t0]

See I see people on this forum to be very Microsoft religious

LOL, how did you bring Microsoft into the study or this thread?

Given that there's an actual study concluding that it's Apple instead of Microsoft that's creating a religion/cult, but none to back up your words, trying to throw a "no, you!" is a rather weak comeback, don't you think?

[Joshie]

I see this discussion going well.

/there's some degree of MS loyalty in some areas of the Neowin community

//MS loyalty is a little different from the type of brand loyalty that breeds a superiority complex

///not all Apple-loyal have that superiority complex

////the ones that do are REALLY loud about it, though

[Quattrone]

I use Apple products but also have a PC and does not make any different to me at all. I can use a PC with the same faith as the Mac. PC and Mac computers are the same inside just different OS.

[instant.human]

Aw jesus, way to exaggerated... Seriously. Sure thing, there are some crazy folks out there that love Apple. But I have seen crazy folks that love certain Cars and hate people for driving others. I have seen Linux-users that hate everyone who does not use Linux... I have seen Android users, that hate everyone who does not use Android. I even saw some folks that hate people based on their skin color! Man!

But not EVERY Linux/Android/Porsche/Windows/Mac-user, infact I bet it's a small minority that get's big attention, acts that way...

Some of the Apple-Hardware users out there actually made decisions based on experience, workflow and design to get what's right for them. Big deal? No.

I for myself use a MBP because it's sturdy, the OS serves my needs best and the Display is of great quality. I use an iPhone because in Germany, the antenna-problem is virtually non-existing and I overall think it's a good phone, which let's me call, surf the web, check my eMail and suits my design-loving needs (polished apps and all). And yes, I had a Droid aswell. Didn't like it so much. Just did't like it. Much like I don't like Spaghetti. I just don't like it.

So, does that make me a religious freak? Purchases made out of rational thinking and personal decisions? I don't think so. Because if so, then every Windows/Android/Linux/Whatever-user who researches a bit before buying something is a fanboy. And then noone would be. Which would be great! I mean...

Just let people buy what they fckng WANT to buy. May it be out of trend or because they don't want to follow a trend... how about giving a sht? It's their money. Not yours...

Ever come to think of that maybe you could feel better because you KNOW that they made the wrong decision? You could always feel superior, if that's your thing. But keep it to yourself. Noone cares. Or you could just go on and do something productive instead of getting mad because someone uses something that you don't consider "right" or "best". You are no better than they are, then...

Think about it...live and let live.

Aw well... 5 minutes of my life lost... in another worthless fanboy-blahblah-threat. I hate myself.

[offroadaaron]

LOL, how did you bring Microsoft into the study or this thread?

Given that there's an actual study concluding that it's Apple instead of Microsoft that's creating a religion/cult, but none to back up your words, trying to throw a "no, you!" is a rather weak comeback, don't you think?

Wow I was fishing there and it looks like you took the bait, thank you for playing :)

[bobbba]

Wow, why spend the money researching the higs boson particle or the cure for cancer when you can spend it finding out that there are fanboys out there. Must be hard going being a professor at this university...