Iim sure that Steve Jobs would prefer that I not let it be known that I use his computers.
Rush Limbaugh, during a Dec. 2001 radio broadcast
If you have any doubt about who controls our culture, consider that Larry Flynt thrives while Dr. Laura Schlessinger struggles.
Tammy Bruce, The New Thought Police: Inside the Leftis Assault on Free Speech and Free Minds
According to Republican shill Rush Limbaugh, he earned Steve Jobsi ire last month: he publicly let it be known that he uses and swears by Apple products.
"Iim sure that Jobs isnit too thrilled when he is approached at cocktail parties," Limbaugh mugs, "and hears my name mentioned in the same breath as his company and products."
These comments were uttered on air a few weeks ago, during which Limbaugh opined about Jobsi reported argument that a ruling demanding Microsoft donate Windows PCs to American schools was a laughable "penalty" that would only strengthen the monopoly that the Department of Justice was supposed to rectify -- not to mention erode Appleis bread-and-butter command of the education market. During this monologue, Limbaugh mentioned his Apple Cinema Display and Power Mac G4.
It wasnit the first time. Limbaugh is a well-known Apple fan and die-hard Mac user. Ditto for George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, probably not at the same level of Limbaughis exuberance. But, guess which of the three aforementioned American politicos has the greatest chance of receiving Steveis heartfelt gratitude for supporting the Apple brand? Did you guess Clinton? As Ed McMahon would say, "You are correct, sir!"
Itis no secret that Appleis iCEO leans toward the Left of the ideological spectrum -- not that there is anything wrong with that, but I have a problem with it, nevertheless.
Sure, Apple is Steveis company, and he can and will do whatever he wants. But there are millions of people out there who tune into Limbaugh, and advertising on that broadcast is virtually money in the bank, in terms of the return on investing in radio ads on that show. I hate the fact that Apple is known as a liberal company.
I should preface all this with the fact that I donit subscribe to either of the major political parties (I consider myself a classical liberal: I assign the highest value to free speech and personal liberty, above any political agenda or party shibboleth). I hate taxes, welfare and affirmative action, yet I believe that women and minorities still get screwed in general. I support gay rights, yet donit believe that the federal government should extend them special privileges, maybe even marriage rights. In other words, I hold views that can be labeled both liberal and conservative. Donit get me wrong. Iim not a "moderate," either. I believe self-described political moderates are spineless jellyfish who stand for nothing and spend inordinate amounts of time trying "to just get along."
Iive often felt that Apple only caters to the liberals, even though many non-liberals "Think Different" just as much as the average Mac user, maybe even more. Many of my conservative-leaning friends resonate with what Apple preaches more than the "progressives" ever will, yet they are continually dismayed to see and hear the erroneous belief that they arenit a "typical" Mac user.
In the past, I have argued that Apple should market itself to the minorities among us -- the blacks, hispanics, etc. -- arguing that Apple is hypocritical in its marketing, claiming to think different, yet caters to the same country club set that the rest of Corporate America is accused of catering to. Today, I extend that argument to the realm of political demograpics, which is something that Iive done before; Limbaughis comments merely begged that this observation be repeated. The stereotypical Mac user is seen as the artist with the black finger nail polish, green hair and tree-hugger mentality, but not the exec with the double-breasted suit, golf clubs and preference for shrinking the federal government.
I know this all is a minor point, but it deserves attention. Is a liberal mindset synonymous with the Macintosh spirit? I think not. Is ignoring Mac users like Rush Limbaugh -- both actual and potential -- a form of cutting the nose to spite the face? I believe so.
Iim all for growing the Mac user base. But I think it will take reaching out, reaching beyond the pool of prospectives that we are used to. It will be more than the education market and the creative markets. Apple knows this. Iim glad that Apple is morphing into a consumer-technology company, a company for us mere mortals, us average consumers -- you know, "the rest of us."
I just hope that the word "average consumer" has a broader definition than what I fear that it does when included in the Apple marketing lexicon.
Fin.
Rodney O. Lain is is a "flaming" lesbian. When heis not ogling Ellen Degeneres, Rodney writes his iBrotha column for The Mac Observer, as well as the occasional editorial. Rodney lives in Minnesota, where he is an IT supervisor for The Man at a Fortune 50 company.