Are Apple Users Lefties?

Dirk Pilat - 2001.06.14

Hello, my ever so fast growing gathering of hard-core Mac UK fans. Thanks for dropping by on this oddest of all Low End Mac columns, where some strange doctor from the Scottish west coast rambles about the state of affairs in the homeland of "first past the post" democracy (in this sentence is an oxymoron - can you spot it?) and fizzy, tasteless lager.

As you might have heard, this country recently elected another set of Members of Parliament to represent us in the House of Commons and rule us fairly and justly. As before, it showed that this country is deeply divided into right wing Conservatives, left wing (or at least they used to be left wing) Labourites, and even more left wing Liberals.

Interestingly enough (don't worry, the Apple bit comes in a minute) this deep split replicates itself in the broadsheet press: there's the left leaning papers (Independent, Guardian) and the right to ultra-right (Times, Telegraph).

If you look through the computer and Internet features, the conservative press denies the existence of Apple: Everything is Windoze and Wintel, Linux is the OS for loonies, Apple doesn't exist or should be warned of.

On the other hand, you'll find colourful full page features about the introduction of OS X, the new iBook, and holy Steve's latest whim in the Guardian and the Independent.

How come? Is this just a British phenomenon, or are Apple users around the world a bunch of liberal left-wingers? Is it the concept of "being different" that attracts people with social-democratic and green ideas, or does it mean that being creative automatically means being a member of the communist party? Is it maybe Apple's "hippie" history?

I would be interested in your opinion - write me the solution to this political conundrum, and we'll publish the best comments on this very server!

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