Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Cult of Mac, Apple, iPhone
iPhone cult status examined
It is one of the biggest clichés in tech writing: Apple engenders a cult like following the likes of which no other current technology company can. It is true that Apple fans can be a bit... rabid, but that seems to be a shallow look at the phenomenon. That is why I was so interested to read this piece by Rocco Palmo on Busted Halo, an 'online magazine for spiritual seekers in their 20s and 30s.' Mr. Palmo is a devout Catholic and runs a gossipy blog dedicated to the goings on in the upper echelons of the Catholic Church by the name of Whispers in the Loggia. His article, entitled 'iPhone... God Machine or Tech Temptation' takes a look at the desire which Apple products, and the iPhone in particular, inspires in people. Palmo argues that this lust isn't a bad thing, for a number of reasons. Furthermore he says that it is Apple's creativity that draws people to its products and the fact that they just work.
I can't do the piece justice, so take a moment and give it a read. Even if you don't agree with him, you'll have to admit that it is an interesting take on the Cult of Mac.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
naugahyde said 8:40PM on 6-18-2007
Maybe GOD can tell us how much the voice / data plan(s) are going to cost for the iPhone?
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Chris said 8:43PM on 6-18-2007
Amen.
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Michael Rose said 9:41PM on 6-18-2007
In the New York magazine cover story on Steve Jobs and the iPhone, it notes that the blogosphere rapidly dubbed it "the Jesus Phone" after the keynote. Happily, TUAW skipped that particular locution.
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franko said 9:45PM on 6-18-2007
i agree with (#3), Michael Rose. i'm glad TUAW has avoided using that stupid phrase.
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wslcrew said 2:24AM on 6-19-2007
Difference is, when people get little WooHoo with religions, they sometimes blow themselves up or go to war. When Tech fanboys get little WooHoo with new gadgets, they camp out in line for days in front of the store and subsequently spend endless hours "dissing" other products on blogs.
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basscadet said 2:39AM on 6-19-2007
religious peoples' analysis on technology? AND he's quoting Bono? I'll pass.
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Jonathan said 4:44AM on 6-19-2007
I really enjoyed that article, it had some nice insiders. He also had some nice things to say about looking ahead in the church, something I miss a lot.
By the way, although I am a catholic seminarian, I am quite liberal and find a lot of those religious preachers disgusting with their creationism, anti-gay, anti-sex, anti-whatever. I would like to let you know that there are still some christians that are realistic and down to earth.
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oomu said 4:55AM on 6-19-2007
of course there are realistic christians ! there are also unrealistic agnostic
jeez, thanks my Lego Power , we still have Reason !
and about that article and iPhone, I have one thing to say : aouuuuum.
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Elaine Soloway said 6:05AM on 6-19-2007
Even a Jewish grandmother like me agrees that owning a Mac can be a transformative experience. Happy to see that our devotion cuts across religious lines. As for the iPhone, I'll be a purchaser once the price drops to a more affordable level.
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myPhoneWar.com said 6:18AM on 6-19-2007
I'm still in the middle of writing my article...
iDolatry
http://www.myphonewar.com/propaganda/idolatry-the-iphone-and-cult-of-the-macintosh.html
Should be done this week. Fun stuff.
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Moe Golden said 8:42AM on 6-19-2007
I'll be completely honest...when imagining the fun of having a new iphone at my disposal and being the envy of many fellow urbanites....I had a moment of realization that I simply am not a person who has enough friends to constantly have reason to use the phone. So I am brought quickly down to Earth. Even knowing that I certainly would get my moneysworth by being able to consult wikipedia or imdb on a moment's notice, there is the grim truth that there just aren't that many people asking me for this info.
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Pete White said 9:12AM on 6-19-2007
Do you think the pope will get an iPhone then? I know the Queen has an ipod.
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Jaroslav said 9:13AM on 6-19-2007
Just FYI, "phenomena" is a plural, the singular of which is "phenomenon." Sorry for being a usage Nazi. I'll go sort my M&Ms by color now.
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Eric said 10:59AM on 6-19-2007
@12: I know the Pope has an iPod already, so it doesn't seem like he'll be completely against the idea.
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Allan White said 1:58PM on 6-19-2007
I'm really trying to examine just why I want this object so much. I'm a geek, through and through - a very social one that loves to connect. I like the aesthetics of the UI, something I care about a lot. But I'm concerned that I'm lusting - yes, sinning - over an expensive toy that I'll likely drop or lose.
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pepe said 2:43PM on 6-19-2007
This is a well written post. Thanks. Keep it up.
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