It means something that I feel dirty for just typing the word iPhone. I think I need to go take a shower and scrub myself all over with my free (with new 2-year contract) Verizon cellphone.
I've kind of guessed that iBacklash is on the way -- what with the iPod's fast rise to popularity and the overall brand gaining a growing share of the electronics market.
What's happening is the indie/emo/artsy original Apple-philes are starting to get pissed off. Their spidey senses have been telling them for a while now that the unwashed masses are dying to get their dirty little paws on those pristine white (or black) Apple gadgets. Once YOU, the public, have jumped on what used to be an "Indie-only" bandwagon, that once hott item or band or movie is No Longer Hott (except Indie kids don't say "hott," especially with two ts).
That's about the time they come up with a lame-ass excuse for changing their minds that sounds even more Indie than the original trend.
"No, I don't drink coffee at Starbucks anymore. I've seen you there every morning for the past week. You make the line longer and your very presence takes the store's Cool rating down at least 10 notches. I used to be alone in my love of coffee shops; it sucks that you like them too. You smell and I hate you ... Um ... I mean ... I can't stand the corporateness of it all and want to Stick It To The Man by refusing to drink his stupid classist coffee!"
Other irate iBacklashers are holier-than-thou types: "How DARE you pay that much for technology when the third world doesn't even have regular coffee shops, let alone Starbucks!"
Another common sentiment is that waiting in line for 12 hours (or more) for something like an iPhone is just pathetic. "What kills me is that most of them are grown people!" said one woman I overheard at a coffee shop today (not Starbucks, but it was a chain store).
So is iBacklash it's own phenomenon yet? I tested my theory by checking for anti-iPhone Facebook groups. Turns out there are several anti-iPhone groups so far. My personal fave is "Any iPhone I see is going to be in a body of water within 10 minutes."
There are still far more Apple-lovers out there than Apple-haters, so I think I'm just in time to claim that I'm predicting the trend.
I call I-told-you-so rights here and now for predicting a strong wave of iBacklash in the near future. Support me by joining my Facebook group of the same name. I accept both Paypal and Starbucks gift cards.
Also check my iPhone listing on ebay.
(A longer, sanitized version of this post was published in some SNP newspapers)
8 comments:
I like your blog, it's pretty funny stuff even if I am one of the iLovers. I can't wait until my Verizon contract expires so I can get my hands on one of those shiny new phones. Just out of curiosity though, why did you buy an iPhone just to sell it right away?
Say hi to David for me since we'll probably never see each other again.
I think the funny thing about apple is that they've somehow managed to convince the indie/anti-corporate crowd that they're somehow NOT a multi-billion dollar corporation. It's unbelivable and I have no clue how they did it, but they did. It's like they've managed to convince everybody that the entire corporation is made up of twentysomething hipsters with $40 haircuts who just sit around all day listening to Bright Eyes and "thinking outside the box." That may or may not have anything to do with your post, but I definitely see where you're coming from.
I just want to play with one for ten minutes. I think that would satisfy all my cravings.
Daniel, You can play with an iphone at an AT&T store. Hope there's one near you!
Hah. I duct taped my 3rd Generation iPod to my Samsung phone and it does the same thing. Take that Apple.
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