Can you be too thin or too powerful?

The slogan still appears on the Apple Australia website: http://www.apple.com/au/mac/

Simon Arch; I know it's not a fun illness.

Still, if someone is going to say that "millions" die from anorexia, etc. then I want to see proof of that. An appeal to emotion is not proof that millions die from anorexia. Just because someone *cares* is not an excuse to lie about it or generate ridiculous hyperbole. That discredits the cause. Trying to excuse it as something acceptable does no good, and again, discredits the cause.

Being told to lighten up is ridiculous. I, for one, will not be told to be quiet about anything, especially this issue. The decision that Apple made to use this offensive tagline is incomprehensible. For all of you folks that don't understand, NO ONE IS SAYING THAT BECAUSE OF THIS AD, GIRLS WILL DEVELOP EATING DISORDERS!!!!!!!! Come on, all ads have implied meanings and messages. To say, "You can't be to thin," is simply wrong and extremely insensitive. When I go out to buy a computer the last thing I need to think about is being thin and my body. These arguments being made by the supporters of this tagline are inane. This was a mistake and hopefully it will hurt buisness. Women get romped on in this world. I am just so fed up with insensitivity. So many people think that Apple's decision to use this tagline is heinous. I know a lot of gals and guys that will not buy an iMac after this stunt. I will take on anyone who supports this tagline because YOU ARE WRONG. If there are thousands of people who are saying that they are hurt, why shouldn't they be consoled? Too PC, what the heck is too PC? It is certainly not a valid or convincing argument.

I imagine that there will be heated posts after this. It seems that people who support this kind of stuff always resort to name calling and just all around nastiness. It's sad that this country is turning into the type of place that really abhors those that speak their minds.

Lighten up, Hell no!

Christine

Well, that's definitely the first thing I thought of when I saw it. I can't believe it actually made it through Apple's screening process in the first place, I mean, it's fairly obvious...at least to me. It's not that it upsets me, quite the opposite: I know they're talking about a computer here, and I find the allusion rather humorous. Still, it seems pretty obvious to me that somebody, somewhere is going to take offense to it.

My friend Beckah made a petition about this:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/appletoothin?e

JeffDM: "Are you just saying that, or are there real stats that actually say that?"

Well obviously you've never lost a loved one to anorexia, otherwise you'd KNOW what a horrible thing it is and how we have to raise awareness of anorexia and interfere with other peoples' lives whether we have any reason to or not and...

*sigh*

He can't back that up with actual research because it's BS. But he doesn't HAVE to prove it because he CARES and you obviously don't which makes you a Bad Person(tm). It's just like Bono saying millions of African children die every year from starvation. It's BS. If kids were dying at the rate these fools claim, the entire planet would be depopulated within twenty years.

This whole PC nonsense is crumbling our society. If you felt targeted by that tagline I have another for ya, Jenny Craig...

Alexw: "Eating disorders kill millions every year,"

That sounds like a stretch. Are you just saying that, or are there real stats that actually say that?

The problem with this whole argument is that it is clearly talking about the thinness of a computer. There is a picture of the computer (and only the computer) right next to the tagline. If I open up any magazine (or even look at the Armani Exchange add being served up to me right here on this page, right next to the comment box) I will see models airbrushed to disgusting proportions. When I turn on the TV, it is likely that I will catch a show that casts any additional body fat as bad, and then I will see the same models from the magazine in the commercials. These are people that I can compare myself against. Even with no words, there is a comparison to the people, and it could make an impact. However, and most importantly, I do not feel the same connection when there is a picture of a gadget. The iPhone is thin, my MacBook Pro is thin, these new iMacs are thin; do I judge my body against theirs? No. I am not made of aluminum and glass. If you had a barely clothed supermodel in an ad with an iMac then you might have a complaint, but this ad lacks the flesh and bone connection that would make the statement at all concerning.

Strangely enough, context is important.

Lighten up. Sheeeesh. It amazes me that people think their problems are worth everyone elses time and attention. I wish people would just handle their own too fat, too thin, too tall, too short problems and let crap like this go.