Do liberals like Apple Macs, while conservatives shun them?

203 Comments

“Conservatives are so PC. Not PC as in ‘politically correct,’ though they certainly have more than their share of those who patrol the language for any nuance that gives off hints of liberalism. PC as in PC,” Devilstower writes for Daily Kos.

“No one has any doubt that PCs running some flavor of Microsoft Windows dominate the computer landscape as much as dinosaurs did the Jurassic plains. Little Unix systems pop up here and there, as do many less well known systems, holding down small niches in the computer ecosystem,” Devilstower writes.

Devilstower writes, “And then there is Apple.”

“The scampering mammals of the IT landscape, Macs have sometimes come close to extinction and even now hold down just less than 5% of computer sales. Hardware wise, that 5% is not so bad, considering that the PC world is divided up amongst Dell, HP, Gateway, Sony, whoever owns IBM’s name this week, and a thousand others. Apple is solidly among the top brands,” Devilstower writes.

Devilstower writes, “But on the software side, the share of the market held by Apple’s OS X operating system looks tiny beside Microsoft’s behemoth. It’s even smaller on conservative web sites. When it comes to visitors to Instapundit, OS X visitors make up only 2-3%, suggesting that conservatives are less likely to go for the Apple brand than the general public. On the other hand, Daily Kos statistics show that between 15% and 25% of visitors to this site are using Macs — an astounding 5x times the general population of these computers. If you were at YearlyKos last time around, you could spot more Macs at breakfast than you’d find in an Apple store.”

Devilstower asks, “So here’s a question: why? Why do liberals like Macs, while conservatives shun them?”

In the full article, Devilstower explores four theories:
• The Fiscal Conservative Theory
• Conformists vs Individuals Theory
• The Hip vs Tragically Unhip Theory
• The Artists vs. Sausage Makers Theory

Full article, with, oh, about 700 reader comments, here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Gandalf” for the heads up.]

MacDailyNews Take: Devilstower might be surprised at just how many “conservative” Mac users actually exist. Especially “fiscally conservative” Mac users. It really depends to the definitions you’re using for “liberal” and “conservative.” But, certainly in the opinion of most, Mac users are generally considered to be at least a tad more left of center than Windows PC sufferers. Forget about Apple’s usual quarterly guidance, the last time we looked, Al Gore was sitting in Apple’s boardroom, but we couldn’t find hide nor hair of Newt Gingrich. What do you think? How do you label yourself, if you do?

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203 Comments

  1. Dear Guility (sic),
    It is too bad that this simple article has to turn into such a diatribe for many. But I must respond.
    I have been to Iraq. Have you? I took my Powerbook to Iraq and wowed the locals with their pictures on iPhoto. Have you? I have talked to Iraqis about Saddam dipping their loved ones in acid. Have you? I have had Iraqis thank me profusely for my service in liberating their country. Have you? What you see on liberal media is not what is really happening in Iraq. Most of our troops are building roads, schools, hospitals, etc. 80% of the violence is within a 20 mile radius of Baghdad. We must stop that violence, but we’re in a war! I’m proud of my service. I’m proud to have gone to Iraq. I’m proud to be Mac.

    Reply

  2. Interesting point, revealing IP addresses of all threaders. How would this lack of anonymity preserve the right to privacy, you know, that same thing that you hold so dear and precious yet you condemn the Bush administration of violating? Why let a little thing like the right to privacy interfere with your “liberal” desire to collect personal information of U.S. citizens? Will you develop a liberal McCarthyism black list? Hmmm. May I call you “Joe”?

    Also, what about the “names”? Obviously, it is the substance of the threads that offends you. Oh, that’s right! You are humiliated by the threads that contradict your thinking because you can’t muster an intelligent response. Too bad. Well, maybe you just don’t understand the question much less comprehend the problem. Sorry, even I can’t help you there, you’re just going have to learn to deal with reality yourself even if it requires you to endure some painful and long-needed introspection.

    Reply

  3. There are many highly intelligent people on both sides of the political fence, almost all of whom are good people, who just don’t see eye to eye on certain issues.

    The most intelligent of these share several characteristics:

    • They don’t bash those on the other side of the fence for their beliefs, but only for their actions;

    • They are willing to put the greater good ahead ahead of partisan politics;

    • They are willing to work to accomplish a good goal with anyone also willing to work for that goal;

    • They use Macintoshes.

    Although I am a conservative (not a neo-con) and have been a registered Republican for over 30 years, I highly respect many who are styled “liberals” though I sometimes disagree with their opinions. If more on this forum proceeded from (a) respect for others and (b) acknowledgement that their opinion just might be wrong sometimes, I think we’d all get along better.

    (Of course, this is just my opinion, and I might be wrong.)

    MW: speak, as in “Speak softly and carry a big stick,” Teddy Roosevelt.

    Reply

  7. The cost of the Iraq war through fiscal 2006 is $319 billion. Who’s paying?

    BIO-

    I have no doubt that your service was exemplary. I also believe what you say about the rebulding effort. No doubt, but there are terrible dictators all over the place who should be removed.

    The point is, why are we there in the first place?
    (Answer: Wolfowitz, Cheney and Rumsfeld still had a hard-on for “unfinished business” leftover from Bush seniors’ tenure. The diversion into Iraq was a calculated lie. There has been a long-standing desire on the part of some to “build a road for democracy in the Middle East”. They actually mean oil.)

    Where is Bin Laudin? Not in Iraq!
    Please don’t tell me “we’re fighting them over there so we don’t have to fight them over here”. That’s bullshit. What, the Sunnis and Shiite are coming HERE to fight their turf battles?
    The 29% of insurgents who are al queda only came to Iraq AFTER we invaded!

    Unfortunately, money resources and lives are being wasted.
    While the Bush administration has made some good inroads, we are WOEFULLY UNPREPARED.

    The hotbed for breeding radical muslim fundementalism is NOT Iraq.

    Reply

  10. This really all boils down to money. When I was poor, I thought like a liberal. I wanted the government to help me. However, now that I’m rich and wealthy, I want to the government to stay out of my business. I now think more like a conservative. I really don’t care how many people die in any war as long as I’m making more and more money. Now, rich or poor, I have always prefered to use Macs because they are the best computers on the market.

    Reply

  11. I think the question itself is totally out of line. I’m a liberal atheist, and I love my Mac. I have a great friend who is a conservative Opus Dei catholic and he loves his Mac (yes, we’re great friends. Weird, uh?)

    The hard fact is, among liberals and conservatives, there are smart ones and dumb ones. Also, among liberals and conservatives, there the brainless sheeps and the thinking leaders. There are computer illiterate conservatives and liberals.

    So, the conservative/liberal choice can not be of any significance when choosing an operating system. What does it have to do with anything? It’s just plain stupid.

    If you agree you want a better OS, a computer that just works, a great quality product, and a great experience when using your computer, you’ll choose a Mac, regardless how liberal or conservative you are.

    Reply

  12. God, am I the only democrat here? ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”tongue laugh” style=”border:0;” />

    All for big government and lower national debt. I’m just a little environmentalist who likes to smile at things like Happy Feet. ” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”smile” style=”border:0;” />

    Reply

  19. If you look back at these kind of politico discussions, you will always find that first mud slinging always comes from a liberal, every time.

    A true sign of a delusional person. And no, I’m not gonna waste my time proving something so completely obvious to someone so completely one-sided.

    Reply

  21. LinuxGuy,

    While I respect all of your posts, and also bond with you on your investment attitudes toward Apple, I have to say this:

    If you think “poisoning all dialogs, even those about non political subjects, with their political agenda.” is something only the “left” does, you are a fool. From my perspective, the “right” does it way more than the “left” but I am willing to acknowledge my own skew and say both sides do it equally as much.

    Reply

  22. Maybe early on, with all of the artist-types preferring Apple Macintosh graphic oriented computers to Windows terminals. But now, everyone is buying Macs, so that old stereotype doesn’t really work anymore. Soon, we’ll all be Mac users.

    I’m a liberal myself, but don’t be hating. 😀

    Reply

  23. Conservative, in the modern American sense, on domestic policy, international affairs, and some social issues. Interesting that, as Macaday pointed, that the libs on this thread first jumped at the opportunity to curse and use foul language towards those with whom they disagree. That’s all that needs to be said about them.
    Recovering Euro,
    XOXOXO

    Reply

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