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Apple 'fanboyism' triggers same brain reaction as religious zealousness

Written by Andre Yoskowitz @ 22 May 2011 12:50 User comments (16)

Apple 'fanboyism' triggers same brain reaction as religious zealousness

According to a new BBC documentary called "Secrets of Superbrands," MRIs of Apple "fanboys" and people who consider themselves "very religious" were very similar, with the same part of the brain being lit up for both.
In short, Apple "fanboys" and religious zealots have the same cranial reactions.

Furthermore, the documentary goes as far as to compare Apple Stores to cathedrals:

Apple stores often feature stone or other types of austere, simple flooring like a church with products mounted on pedestals like individual altars.


Apple Store launches can also be like religious experiences (via BI):

The scenes I witnessed at the opening of the new Apple store in London's Covent Garden were more like an evangelical prayer meeting than a chance to buy a phone or a laptop.



Inside the store, glassy-eyed staff were whipped up into a frenzy of excitement, jumping up and down, clapping and shouting. When the doors finally opened, they hysterically "high-fived" and cheered hundreds of delirious customers flooding in through the doors for hours on end.


The documentary will be released soon on the BBC.

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16 user comments

122.5.2011 13:28

Same can be said about most fanboys.

222.5.2011 13:48

Exactly. It doesn't matter if it came from even somebody other than Apple, apparently somebody had done some serious research to be this crafty to get into person's mind.

322.5.2011 18:25

Well, I just found yet another topic for my next blog... wish me luck, or damn me into oblivion (I'm a big boy now, I can take it). I might actually get, what 158 readers?

If nothing else it should piss my brother off. He's an Apple fan.


422.5.2011 21:22

"Fan boys and religious zealots have the same cranial reactions."

I think their trying to say it triggers stupidity in a nice non-demeaning way. I could've told these so called researchers this without having to waste money.

523.5.2011 00:42

Originally posted by ROMaster2:
Same can be said about most fanboys.

Most people ignore that part when they are being hypocritical fanboys themselves.

623.5.2011 05:28

Since I care less about any Religion; I guess....I care less about Crapple !

723.5.2011 13:43

I don't know , the way I read it ..
to much of anything isn't good for you ... be it the bible or Koran or the Apple.. its just not good for you to be that devoted to it.. if we all were the world would have ended last Saturday and any problems with apples next anything just needs a rubber.... on it...to make it all better... ok I had my fun but really people its just what we believe to be true even a broken clock is right 2 times a day... slow down unplug put down the holy book of your choice and relies, we are just caught up in the latest and greatest version. of what ever makes us tick, but remember not everyone will agree with us so slow down and be happy it works for you just really the rest of us don't want you to share all your thoughts... (we may think your a little crazy)

823.5.2011 17:24

See, i knew Apple fan-boys were brain damaged !!!

924.5.2011 03:23

Quote:
Apple 'fanboyism' triggers same brain reaction as religious zealousness
as does any defense against an attachment whatever it may be. some reactions are just more violent than others humans being what they are.

1024.5.2011 11:06

Originally posted by DXR88:

as does any defense against an attachment whatever it may be. some reactions are just more violent than others humans being what they are.
You might want to be a bit more exacting in your declaration here. I get what your saying (or at least I think I do), but I don't agree with your blanket statement. The article itself is just a quick 'blurb' to get the information out and not a good source to determine the subtle nuances of the full scientific study the went into the declaration itself.

If I could be so bold as to 'bolster' your statement... an 'individual' is probably no more fanatical than an any other given the circumstances, be it abortion, religious or computer preference debate, but get a rebel rousing asshole in front of crowd of like minded individuals; get all their mental cylinders firing in unison and revving in high gear and now you have a biased test result.

Violence has little to due with it unless the original 'trigger' has given the 'hive mind' the go ahead to behave violently. This is usually done by behaving violently and then the behavior being echoed through the rest of the group. Besides, where 'violence' became introduced into the forum topic seems a little vague anyway.

1124.5.2011 13:46

Originally posted by LordRuss:
Originally posted by DXR88:

as does any defense against an attachment whatever it may be. some reactions are just more violent than others humans being what they are.
You might want to be a bit more exacting in your declaration here. I get what your saying (or at least I think I do), but I don't agree with your blanket statement. The article itself is just a quick 'blurb' to get the information out and not a good source to determine the subtle nuances of the full scientific study the went into the declaration itself.

If I could be so bold as to 'bolster' your statement... an 'individual' is probably no more fanatical than an any other given the circumstances, be it abortion, religious or computer preference debate, but get a rebel rousing asshole in front of crowd of like minded individuals; get all their mental cylinders firing in unison and revving in high gear and now you have a biased test result.

Violence has little to due with it unless the original 'trigger' has given the 'hive mind' the go ahead to behave violently. This is usually done by behaving violently and then the behavior being echoed through the rest of the group. Besides, where 'violence' became introduced into the forum topic seems a little vague anyway.
you miss understood the way i was using the context of violence.

for instance if i where to say apple sucks balls i may get the following response.

No it doesn't apple rules.

or

Apple doesn't suck, you suck big hairy goat turds.

one is more violent then the other. but both are reactions in defense of an object.

my original point was that we as a race have a need to defend something with undying loyalty. it maybe of significance like Cultural value's or it may be something minuscule like a beer.

the fact is we all something that if you poke it just the right way will make us go into a frenzy

1225.5.2011 12:56

Ha ha ha ha.

Fantastic......and for those wanting to (fanboyishly) focus on Apple here it's plainly not just Apple fanboys, all fanboys whatever their chosen brand are just as sad/deranged.

(and undoubtedly the political zealot nutjobs too)

This message has been edited since its posting. Latest edit was made on 25 May 2011 @ 12:58

1325.5.2011 13:21

Originally posted by Interestx:
Ha ha ha ha.

Fantastic......and for those wanting to (fanboyishly) focus on Apple here it's plainly not just Apple fanboys, all fanboys whatever their chosen brand are just as sad/deranged.

(and undoubtedly the political zealot nutjobs too)
Kind of what I was trying to say earlier...

Without having seen the BBC broadcast, it just seems to me that the 'experiment' to be depicted on screen is going to be a bit biased. Poke a sharp stick in a bee hive and you're going to get your ass stung. All but the clinically retard 'should' know this. Here in the US, both the Republican party and whatever this Tea-Bagger movement bullshit is is making the religious zealots of the Taliban look like freshly sodomized timid choir boys.

Now having written that, you could turn a flower chewing, peace coddling hippie into a brain munching killer just as easily with the proper motivation as well. All it takes is pushing the right buttons. That's why I'm not going to punch the Apple Boy's cards on this one... Other than my brother on my blog, just cause I'm that kind of dick & cause... well... he needs to get out of the house every now & then.

1425.5.2011 13:30

Originally posted by DXR88:
...some reactions are just more violent than others humans being what they are.
Did you mean "virulent" then?

1525.5.2011 13:30

some people go nuts and act irrational due to there beliefs.whether its about apple products or religion or anything else in life.

163.6.2011 09:09

That explains why I'm so happy.

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