Review: The Cult of Mac
by Magnus
Not so long ago I asked on the site whether we Apple users could be considered a cult (
http://www.emiratesmac.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=2229). And I should really say Mac users because that’s what it is all about. There may be people obsessed with iPods but as a whole, Apple culture is about the Mac. Leander Kahney, in this book, goes through all facets of Apple and Mac culture, covering the whole scale from users that think Macs are just simply better computers, to the obsessive fans, and everything in between. This is a funny book to read, and at times you can’t help but go “do people really do that?” at something you read, even if you’re the most dedicated Apple fan. It seems no matter how much you’re into Apple, there’s always someone else who is even more so. Take the examples of tattoos and haircuts in various Apple themes. Kahney has dedicated an entire chapter to this particular issue. The Cult of Mac is a book that any self-respecting Apple fan should have in their collection. It’s more about entertaining the the already convicted than trying to explain to those who don’t already believe.
SIDEBAR
The Cult of Mac sells in the US for around $30. Leander Kahney keeps a blog with the same name as his book (
www.cultofmac.com). He has also published The Cult of iPod.
QUOTE
“To Mac users, Apple represents everything that Microsoft isn’t. Apple innovates; Microsoft copies. Apple puts out solid products; Microsoft puts out buggy ones. Apple represents creativity and individuality; Microsoft represents business and conformity. Apple is the scrappy underdog; Microsoft is the big, predatory monopoly.”