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Posted: Wed, December 13, 2006
The Cult of Macby Claire Jones 'Mac users can be extremely cool. It's a lifestyle thing.'Despite being a newly graduated graphic designer having just spent the best part of the last three years happily designing away on my old faithful eMac, I have also used PCs for the same length of time to carry out similar tasks. That is, I like to think that I have until now maintained an open mind with regards to comparing and rating the merits both Microsoft and Apple. Of course, I have made the somewhat obvious observation through contact with fellow designers that there certainly are those out there who savagely defend their beloved machine from any related criticism and there is no doubt that the on-going saga between Macs and PCs will be sure to continue for some years to come.
Author Leander Kahney and sums it up superbly in the opening chapter of "The Cult of Mac", when although claiming not to consider himself as part of a cult, he openly declares himself to be 'obsessed with Macs' and goes on to liken one's 'subconscious desire ' for the Apple's products to sex, (' you're smitten and you've got to have it'). I haven't even read past the aptly named first chapter Techno Fetishism before I am already overwhelmed by the impressive examples of Mac-raving nerd this book appears to be dedicated to. It is astonishing to discover the culture surrounding Apple and its products. These are the people holding Mac 'unpacking ceremonies' for their families and friends; transforming their cars into 'Macmobiles' with large scale apple logos; recording entire albums of songs inspired by their adored machines; throwing full-scale parties celebrating anniversaries of the launch of their chosen operating systems. A whole chapter is dedicated to those who have chosen to immerse themselves in the brand by means of donning Mac hairstyles or more permanent apple logo tattoos. One of the most fascinating sections of the book involves a number of case studies detailing the practice of Evangelist Marketing - that is, turning customers into 'messianic proponents of a product'. Examples of this involve actively urging existing Mac users to wear apple logo-ed T-shirts, leaving Mac magazines in doctors waiting rooms and seat pockets on aeroplanes, asking stores the reason for the lack of Macs in stock, and (my favourite) spending their spare time as unpaid salespeople in their local computer stores promoting the joy of the Mac. These suggestions were actually sent via the 'EvangeList' a daily online newsletter by those whose job it was to increase sales and raise the profile of the brand during the mid 1990s. It was even recommended that subscribers send love notes to journalists who were complimentary of Apple. Worryingly, after an article opposed to the Apple brand was published, one journalist received a surge of highly abusive emails in an act of cyberterrorism from the group, the majority of which had never read the article to begin with. Further into the book, Tales of Macworld provides an insight into the Macworld conferences that are notorious for attracting some of the geekiest eccentrics, for example a gentleman who has spent the last decade videotaping almost every speech and presentation ever given at the Macworld trade show. There is a large interesting section Macs in Japan on how the Japanese like to celebrate Mac culture, with one fan creating numerous small scale replicas of Apple's machines out of paper, another who runs his own business customising PowerBooks with intricate paint designs, and another who just seems to like taking apart all nine of the Apple Macs he owns to 'decompose' and customise. In addition, the short chapter on Macquariums - where Mac fans convert their old machines into fish tanks - is fascinating. One of the key issues to note whilst reading this book is the power a brand can have. The inspection as to why Mac fans stay so loyal therefore goes deeper than the material workings of a well designed computer. Of course, it is widely know that these days a brand is not purely a logo representative of its company and Kahney points out that particularly in the case of Apple, it can signify a person's identity, their views and place in society. "Mac users tend to be extremely cool. It's a lifestyle thing. Mac users tend to be liberal, free-thinking counterculture. They dress well, look good, and have discerning taste... Take a Mac out in public and people want to look at it..." The obsession and devotion clearly evident amongst these Mac worshippers can almost be likened a new-age religion and as the title suggests, there is obviously a cult following of the company's products with the web community playing a large part. "Mac users are not merely an ad hoc group of people who happen to use the same kind of computer. They represent a distinct subculture, with its own rituals, traditions, and mindset." Easy to read with plenty of full colour images throughout, this would be a perfect gift for the Mac fan in your life or anyone interested in learning more about the culture surrounding the Mac. Essentially this book is an insightful and fantastic celebration of the undeniable success of Apple Mac as a brand and the fact that for some people, the Mac not just a computer; it is a way of life. "The Cult of Mac" is written by Leander Kahney, and published by No Starch Press. The book ia available from No Starch Press's European distributor, Computer Books, for £17.99. You can also find it on Amazon.co.uk , and at all good bookshops. Send a comment about this article to editor@itwales.com. |
Nevertheless, little did I know the extent of the 'cult' of Mac, and this book,
recently released in paperback, introduces us to the Mac geek. Mac geeks represent the percentage of the estimated 25 million Mac owners of the world,
who have evolved from pure and simple users of the Apple computer to become devoted fans with what some might describe as a passion for all things Mac. |
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