the internet’s ruin begins with gadget fanboys
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

The internet’s ruin begins with gadget fanboys

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today The internet’s ruin begins with gadget fanboys

The internet’s ruin begins with gadget fanboys
Dubai - Arab Today

When anthropologists in the apocalyptic wasteland of the near future look back to try and explain how society began its unravelling, they’ll probably focus on the obvious culprits: unhinged world leaders, ideological fanatics, maybe even rap music.
I hope this column somehow survives into this Mad Max-like world because I’d like to point them toward a different, albeit more likely, culprit: gadget fanboys.
These are the individuals who spend their days patrolling the internet for any mention of their favourite gizmos and gizmo-making companies, only to then pounce on even the smallest of perceived slights against them.
No praise of their chosen gadgets is high enough. Any critiques are surely the products of doltish imbeciles who deserve all manner of the harshness the fanboys delight in serving up.
These are the people who have been spewing vitriolic hatred online since well before anyone had ever heard of Twitter, Gamergate or the concept of fake news. It’s fair, then, to consider them the progenitors of internet-driven divisiveness, also known as one of the biggest problems in the world today.
Anyone who writes about technology is more than familiar with such individuals. I’ve experienced the enmity of fanboys - they can be female as well, but studies have found they are usually male - many times.
Years ago, for example, a Nintendo fanboy wrote in a forum that I should have my hands cut off so that I’d be unable to write anything more. That was in response to a poor review I’d given a game.
More recently, someone took to a BlackBerry forum to ominously ask "what to do" about me for some perceived negativity I’d directed at the company. Fortunately, the responses ranged from "nothing" to "ignore him," but it’s disconcerting to know there’s someone out there wondering what should be done about you.
Constructive feedback is good. No one knows everything on a topic or gadget, so well-mannered and good-intentioned comments can be helpful. But fanboys don’t have any interest in helping anyone. Their sole purpose is to push their team and to shout down anyone who doesn’t support it.
Fanboy-ism isn’t endemic to just technology and gadgets, or journalists, of course. People develop heated opinions and blind loyalty for everything from music and movies to politics and sports. Science tells us much of these agreements, which now commonly turn into online anger, stems from the same places.
Social identity theory suggests a person’s sense of self evolves from the groups he or she belongs to. It is primal tribalism that manifests as support for a sports team, political party or gadget maker. Supporting one side inevitably breeds opposition to others.
The concept of "sunk cost fallacy" also comes into play when dealing with gadgets. Simply put, when you spend a good amount of money on something, you often have to convince yourself after the fact that you made the right choice. That can lead to over-inflating its pluses and glossing over its flaws.
There is also the element of supporting the underdog. Popular in sports, the phenomenon also manifests in gadgets. In my experience, Nintendo, BlackBerry and Apple have tended to engender the strongest such support.
All three have at some point been the incumbents of their respective markets. But they’ve also been the underdogs who have at times pugnaciously taken on bigger or better-resourced opponents.

Source : The National

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

the internet’s ruin begins with gadget fanboys the internet’s ruin begins with gadget fanboys

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

the internet’s ruin begins with gadget fanboys the internet’s ruin begins with gadget fanboys

 



GMT 10:06 2012 Saturday ,28 July

Querrey advances at ATP LA Open

GMT 21:15 2017 Thursday ,01 June

Trump condemns deadly Kabul explosion

GMT 02:15 2017 Thursday ,24 August

Is your country on the Qatar free entry list of 80?

GMT 19:48 2016 Monday ,03 October

Controversial boxing champ Tyson Fury retires

GMT 08:20 2015 Tuesday ,08 December

PC market woes show no sign of easing

GMT 17:27 2017 Tuesday ,25 April

20 Yemeni soldiers killed, injured in explosion

GMT 11:52 2017 Saturday ,30 December

OIC condemns Mar Mina Church attack

GMT 00:03 2017 Saturday ,25 March

Arab Meeting to Examine Anti-Corruption Methods

GMT 13:12 2017 Thursday ,20 April

Deputy premier meets Arab League chief

GMT 14:13 2014 Friday ,10 January

Opel Astra GTC

GMT 18:27 2016 Tuesday ,02 August

Turkish Foreign Minister arrives in Islamabad

GMT 11:27 2016 Tuesday ,13 December

Saudi woman arrested for challenging social norms

GMT 19:56 2017 Thursday ,09 March

Qatar Pavilion Opens at ITB Berlin

GMT 23:34 2013 Thursday ,07 February

New BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo

GMT 12:57 2017 Friday ,13 October

JPMorgan open to digital money if regulated

GMT 04:38 2017 Friday ,10 March

ADNOC opens fifth ADNOC Xpress

GMT 10:30 2017 Friday ,10 November

BDF military contingent honoured

GMT 17:37 2017 Tuesday ,24 January

China jails former Sinopec president for graft

GMT 19:34 2017 Sunday ,14 May

Austria centre-right calls for snap elections

GMT 14:54 2014 Saturday ,29 November

Wall cladding, wallpaper, fabric and wood!
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday