Hacker News Reader

Comment by europeanguy | Hacker News Reader

These fanboy people are disturbing. I recently met an apple fanboy for the first time and it's unbelievable the mental gymnastics he used to explain how everything apple does is amazing. This is even though his his iphone, which is only 3 years old, is sluggish as shit. Thats not a problem according to him, because it's an intentional design decision by apple.

Some people pick a brand and it becomes their identity.

View on HN

Yes instead everyone should be numb and cynical to everything /s

I’m not a Tesla fanboy, but what’s wrong with being one? If someone is getting enjoyment from something in life, isn’t that a good thing? Is it rational to love the sports team that just happens to be where to live, regardless of circumstance? Most aesthetic decisions in life aren’t “scientific” and cold.

I'll bite. Tying your identity and self-worth to a corporation that will not reciprocate, and in many cases will start specifically extracting more money from you, is bad both for your pocketbook and self-esteem. It's a milder case of Stockholm syndrome.

It's fine to be a fan of something. It's probably not fine to suspend your critical thinking skills, and applaud actions that specifically do you harm.

Does Beyoncé reciprocate fandom when you’re into her? Does the Mona Lisa reciprocate when you’re a fan of that painting? Fandom is always one way, whether to a person, object, country/group of people, team, company, etc.

Fanboy-ism in of itself isn't an issue. It's when someone starts deriding other options without honest consideration for differing considerations that it becomes obnoxious.

I think of it a lot like sports. Ppl see some product/company as their team, and identify with it. Of course they’re coming in with that perspective to any conversation.

Hey, don't let me stop you. I'm not advocating for you or anyone to NOT be a fanboy. In a capitalistic society, the existence of fanboys makes the world better of the rest of us.

How could his 3 year old iPhone be sluggish as shit? Mine is 3 years old and still feels as snappy as when I purchased it, usually they get sluggish around the 6-7 year mark, in my experience.

Now realize people do that with politics, science (climate change), etc.

I have also observed that the intensity of someone's opinion is often mirrored in the intensity of their opponents contrary opinion, and if they argue about it long enough both of them will soon drift towards irrational fanatism on either side of the topic.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com