“Religion…is a belief structure that helps people make sense of the world.”
Björk has stated several times that she isn’t much for religion. Nonetheless, a certain religion is practised on the Volta tour.
This is the religion of Macintosh worship.
I’m a Windows user and I have been made fun of again and again, from the beginning of the tour, just because I don’t worship Steve Jobs.
They have almost succeeded in brainwashing me.
THEY. The Mac Converts!
“Umberto Eco, the Italian semiologist, once famously compared Macs and PCs to the two main branches of the Christian faith: Catholics and Protestants.
“The Mac is Catholic, he wrote in his back-page column of the Italian news weekly, Espresso, in September 1994. It is “cheerful, friendly, conciliatory, it tells the faithful how they must proceed step by step to reach — if not the Kingdom of Heaven — the moment in which their document is printed.”
“The Windows PC, on the other hand, is Protestant. It demands “difficult personal decisions, imposes a subtle hermeneutics upon the user, and takes for granted the idea that not all can reach salvation. To make the system work you need to interpret the program yourself: A long way from the baroque community of revelers, the user is closed within the loneliness of his own inner torment.”
“Eco was joking, but, as some experts have noted, the Mac community does in fact resemble a religion. As do Mac users themselves.”
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April 17th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
While I am not a Mac user, I know several people who are. My observation is that, for the most part, Mac user professions tend to be in the arts arena - photography, music, web design, etc. Artists tend to be more passionate towards their craft. The Mac helps them to create, to be passionate. Why wouldn’t they worship it?
I’m sure you’ve seen the new thin Mac. It’s absolutely beautiful! (Can you tell my inner artist is trying to escape?)
Thank you, by the way, for blogging this tour. It’s been such a joy to travel around the world vicariously through you.
Haedyr
April 18th, 2008 at 12:25 am
oh, i would say Windows is more Catholic, complete with the concept of “original sin” in the form of viruses!
i dont think Mac would even be a form of Christianity; its so right-brained!
April 18th, 2008 at 5:10 am
religion |riˈlijən|
noun
the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power.
i must agree that the mac is pretty superhuman and it controls many facets of our lives in the snowboard world too.
we are at a photo shoot in Colorado right now, and each person is “macing off” in their rooms as we speak… (or type)
iChat, iTunes, which is essential for our iPods we must have for long days on the mountain, road trips and plane rides….
how would we survive without it?! it has become the ultimate communication tool… or a necessary evil…
photo editing, video editing, now everyone seems to have iPhones… and to think that none of this even existed in our childhoods…
a titanium god indeed.
April 18th, 2008 at 7:26 am
Hi Jonas,
I don’t know if this will work but if it does then I will praise the wonders of modern communication.
I attended the show at hammersmith apollo last night (17th), and am attending again this Sunday (20th). I have a book by a man called David Icke that I want to give to Bjork. I was at the front of the barriers, and tried to throw the book onstage in an envelope, but Bjork either did not see it, or thought it looked dodgy! I was furiously trying to point it out to her, which I’m sure just made me look weird. (But what else could I do?!)
On Sunday, I will try again, I’ll make sure I’m at the centre- front of the barriers again (you’ll see me lots of black wavy hair, distinctive south american tunic top)……can you tell her that I’m only trying to get a book to her, or, if you can’t get the message to her, can I ask you to look out for it and pick it up and give it to her? I’m sure you’ll see it fly onto the stage at some point! let me know…….claire.bratt@hotmail.co.uk.
This is a book I urge everyone I know to read, and I sense that Bjork would be very interested to read it too. It gives information about world government, occult secret societies, conspiracy cover-ups, mind control and more, it’s a pretty alternative book/viewpoint but the facts and research of the book speak for themselves….I saw a kabbalah tree of life on one of the ‘flags’ for the stage set, so I’m guessing Bjork already has some interest in these things.
Thank-you!!
April 18th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Windows was made by the Devil.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:31 am
so which one did you buy?
April 18th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
This is the best on the Mac v PC/Catholic v Proddy debate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st8NODoPQ-A&feature=related
With touches of voodoo
x
April 18th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
haha!!! I mentioned this a long time ago, Macs rule!
April 19th, 2008 at 2:33 am
Today is Susulaf’s birthday! I wrote her this poem: Happy Birthday Sue! We love you. Yabba-dabba-doo and Scooby Doo, too!
April 19th, 2008 at 2:46 am
Yesterday I read that Smekkleysa is closing. Today I read, “Björk’s latest single “Wanderlust” will have its nationwide debut as part of National Record Store Day in the USA on April 19.” I hope it doesn’t close on National Record Store Day. Where are they going to store the bell dress now?
April 19th, 2008 at 3:23 am
Thank you, lovely Jen!
“….and necessary voodoo too!”
April 19th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
how can Smekkleysa close??!?!?!
how will the children of the world get their Risaeðlan albums?!?!?!?!
happy birthday, Sue!
i hope you are having a lovely creative time!
April 19th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
btw, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE uses Mac!
http://livedesignonline.com/theatre/sunday_times_0401/index.html
April 19th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I’ve used both Macs and PCs for decades on the job. Macs help you complete projects faster, period.
PCs are cheaper. You get what you pay for. When you need external speakers, sound card, third party mouse, or video card, the savings evaporate. Apple is very responsible when it comes to problems, resolve them smartly over internet, phone, or take-in stores. They also participate in recycling initiatives, pay for shipping in old computers.
Macs are elegant and complete. My IMac has a large, HD video screen, and there’s no big external box; all the operational pieces are combined in the screen itself, except the keyboard, mouse and router, all of which are wireless. Takes up a small footprint on a desk. I can set up anywhere in the general vicinity including back yard, and still be connected to internet.
Apple has the single biggest marketshare of any computer maker. You must understand, PCs are made by a slew of companies, all of which differentiate themselves. While Macs are mostly the same given the same OS; each PC is different than the next, and none of them work half the time. PCs are the darling of informational technologists, because they make their living protecting them from viruses and repairing them when they fail.
Buy whatever you want, because 6 months later it will be obsolete anyway, well, maybe a year for IMacs.
April 22nd, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Hmm…I think with anything in which people feel passionately about certain aspects a religious parallel can be made. I think the Mac and PC debate as you posted has some very fun points, and one can say religion is something intended to improve the quality of life so on the Volta tour the Mac has certainly done that and help explore and reach sublime musical odysseys. Do you think the same point could be made of the reacTable as a more esoteric religious vehicle?