Introducing: the Cult of Anti-Mac

Over the years, Apple fans have developed a reputation for being almost fanatical in their devotion to the company and its products. The company's growing marketshare and iPod dominance has changed the landscape - and whelped a new breed of hysterical Apple-hater.

These Apple haters have at their base several arguments they will ruthlessly exploit in their attempt to cling onto their understanding of the technology industry.

Perhaps the primary base of most of their arguments is to refer to specialised non-Apple products and to claim that these are better than, offer more features than or are cheaper than their Apple equivalents.

For the new dark dwellers of the Cult of Anti-Mac, usability, reliability and technological leadership aren't primary concerns.

These denizens don't see a problem with navigating complex user interfaces in order to see an email - and when they get the chance will stop at nothing to dig out and dredge up any amount of anti-Apple propaganda.

Ironically, these paid-up members of the Anti-Mac community nowadays field arguments which remind me of nothing more strongly than some of the rabid rants that resounded from Apple's congregation in the late '90's.

Facing dwindling marketshare and hampered by a decade-old basic operating system, Mac users would irrationally argue the toss as to why Macs were the superior platform.

They would refuse to heed quiite sensible counter-arguments. In some cases you would even see them adopt a personal and sarcastic tone in order to silence their critics.

I'm seeing this manner of argument emerge ever more stongly now - but it's interesting to note that it's not the Mac users who argue like this any more - it's the Apple-bashers.

For this strange sect, Apple could solve world hunger and they'd still have to find a way to put the company down.

Within their febrile anti-arguments there are some that have value, but just like any critic, if you really want to find a reason to hate something, it's easy to find.

So, strange days indeed. Here we are at the beginning of what should be the most technologically advanced century yet, and we see the birth of a school of thought that's almost luddite in its attempt to cast hell, fire and damnation at the Apple platform.

We are seeing the emergence of the Cult of Anti-Mac.

And that's great for Apple, because stepping on a few people's toes is a fantastic way to show you are there.

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Comments received

miniboss said on Friday, 06 July 2007

Don't confuse Anti-Mac and Anti-Mac Users. There's a huge difference because most people are indifferent to the Mac. But there's a huge amount of people who hate Mac Users and for the most part those emotions are justified.

(BTW. Consider Apple's commercials don't promote their own product, they slam the competitor. So let's not pretend either company has any sort of dignity here.)

sip said on Tuesday, 10 July 2007

The logic (if you can call it that) that Mac users from the 90s was defence is the best form of attack. Apple's fortunes were down, Mac users felt threatened.

And now that Apple has been resurgent in every market it enters, non-Macsters feel the same way we did, and therefore present irrational arguments.

sip said on Tuesday, 10 July 2007

The logic (if you can call it that) that Mac??

The logic (if you can call it that) of Mac Ah! That's better.