

Motorola teases Xoom Super Bowl ad, paints Apple users as drones - anderzole
http://www.edibleapple.com/motorola-teases-super-bowl-xoom-ad-paints-apple-users-as-drones/

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cgranade
There are some very serious arguments to be made to the effect that Apple's
iOS platform has created an effective infrastructure for censorship. This is
demonstrated most strikingly in my opinion by the adult app purge that sex
educator Violet Blue documented (nsfw link:
<http://www.maclife.com/article/feature/apps_and_men>). If you want to
understand how censorship can happen, look at what is done with sex.

Given that, I don't see it as hyperbolic or insulting to point out the irony
in Apple moving from invoking 1984 to attack competitors to building an
architecture unprecedented in its capacity for censorship and control. While I
don't know if the Xoom ad is that highbrow, the serious argument has been made
by others, and it's clear that Motorola is capitalizing on that line of
discussion.

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nika
I switched from PCs to Macs in the early 1990s because I got tired of dealing
with drivers, etc. Since then, on BBSes and not online, in the "technology"
media and in advertising, I've seen no end of derogatory characterizations of
apple users.

I am sure they don't think we're going to switch by insulting us. (A lesson
Apple probably learned right after the original 1984 commercial.)

So, why is this still so popular? I think it is a form of ideological
immunization. IF you characterize your opponents derogatorily (extreme
example: comparing jews to rats by the nazis) you rally your troops with
feelings of superiority.

Once Apple users are seen as inferior, all their arguments immediately become
null and void. Political parties do this too- conservatives are characterized
by liberals as rejecting science, liberals are characterized by conservatives
as being irresponsible or pot smokers.

I don't think this is good for society. I much prefer (no surprise given I'm
an apple fan) the "I'm a Mac" ads that apple did. Though I think PC users
missed out that the PC was the most sympathetic of the characters, because
they expected it to be derogatory to PC users and so that's how they saw it.
(illustrated by Microsofts "I'm a PC" campaign which was a response to the ads
they thought Apple was making, not the ads apple was actually making.)

So, when Motorola says Apple is Big Brother who are they kidding? Nobody.
They're just spreading rationalizations.

~~~
bryanlarsen
You're illustrating your own point. You complain about a world where people
only see things from their own viewpoint, and tend to filter things to only
strengthen their viewpoint.

As illustration, you believe that those super insulting "I'm a Mac" ads aren't
insulting.

I'm sorry, sorting into tribes is a part of human nature put thrtr by
evolution itself, and you can't escape it.

Rather than those idealistic "we shouldn't do this" type speeches, recognize
those base influences, moderate them and harness them.

That's why both regulated capitalism and constitutional democracies have been
so successful. They moderate and harness base influences such as greed.

~~~
tedunangst
The Mac ads are insulting to the PC, perhaps, but not the PC users. It's one
thing to say "hey, there's a better way" and another thing to say "you're
stupid for picking your way".

~~~
nika
Because he believes himself superior to mac users, the act of saying "hey,
there's a better way" is another way of saying "you're stupid for picking your
way (because there's a better way)" The ideological immune response ties self
esteem to the product choice. Note the comment about "regulated capitalism"
and the reference to "greed" as being a "base" instinct. In his world view, he
is unable to conceive of the possibility that people in government might be
greedy and that their "regulation" is simply a protection racket.

Finally, I never complained that ideology was an effective marketing strategy.
Clearly it is. But I do think it is bad for society because it is anti-
intellectual.

~~~
bryanlarsen
Of course I'm superior to Mac users, I'm a Linux User. (Yes, this is sarcasm).
I do think I made a better choice, that's all.

I highly doubt that I'm unable to conceive of the possibility that people in
government are greedy. I just finished saying that greed is a base instinct
that nobody is immune to. Which is why regulated capitalism and constitutional
democracies are such nice compliments -- you get a chance to boot the crooks
out every 4 years or so. It's far from perfect, but better than the
alternatives.

