• Zeppo@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    I guess this is based on the idea that iPhones are expensive or exclusive? Or rather, some people think that iPhone owners think they’re elite for having what is actually the most common phone in the US? They haven’t been the most expensive phones on the market for at least 7 years.

    • alvvayson@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Americans flex about the weirdest things.

      The most common truck, the most common phone, food from the most ubiquitous fast food joint, having merch from the most popular artists and sports teams.

      Those are their biggest flexs.

      Yeah buddy, great flex with your Taylor swift hoodie, Starbucks frap, iPhone 12 in your Ford F-150.

      • D1G17AL@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Its especially confusing because for many, many years, and even still today, American’s are pushed to be UNIQUE and whenever anyone is UNIQUE then people criticize them for enjoying or doing things outside whatever is ubiquitous for whatever thing. Its ridiculous honestly.

        • Hyperreality@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          Advertising. Blame Freud’s American nephew Edward Bernays.

          The father of PR, pioneer of propaganda and advertising, and an epic cunt.

        • AVincentInSpace@pawb.social
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          1 year ago

          You should always be yourself*.

          * as long as you are attractive and all of your quirks are endearing and socially acceptable.

        • theneverfox@pawb.social
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          1 year ago

          I used to find it extremely confusing. I think my mistake was, growing up I adopted the values our society says they care about… turns out, our values aren’t actually freedom, or a fair society, or inventing/creating things (unless a megacorp does it)

          It’s all doublespeak - every time a politician expresses a value, their actions are probably about to show the opposite

          For example, by loudly insisting we’re the land of the free we don’t consider the fact we have by far the largest slave population in the world. You can literally rent slave labor, bill the state to house them, and hand them a bill for their living costs when they get parole…

          I could rant about this all day, it’s insanity when you start to look at this all up close

      • CeruleanRuin@lemmings.world
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        1 year ago

        For all its boasts about “independence” and “freedom”, the thing America values most is conformity.

      • HeavyRaptor@lemmy.zip
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        1 year ago

        If you think about it, it just proves the ‘genius’ behind these companies advertising strategies. They have managed to convince a large percentage of the population that their mass market products a rare, unique and something to be desired.

        • CeruleanRuin@lemmings.world
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          1 year ago

          Is this the new Godwin’s law? That every thread will culminate in someone bringing up school shootings for no fucking reason?

          • 30p87@feddit.de
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            1 year ago

            As long as America will come up as a topic, which is likely yes.

            • CeruleanRuin@lemmings.world
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              1 year ago

              I mean yeah, it’s a huge goddamn problem and our national shame, but that doesn’t mean it’s appropriate to derail every thread with it.

    • cheery_coffee@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      Conversely, this is also because of Android owners with a chip on their shoulder taking everything as if it’s some affront to them.

      I’ve got a friend who always shows up with a phone at 5% and asks to borrow an iPhone charger. She’s not flexing, she’s just always on her phone and direct charge it.

      • HeartyBeast@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Note to phone users of all makes, I really couldn’t give a fuck what colour your chat bubble is.

      • Zeppo@sh.itjust.works
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        1 year ago

        I think that’s the real reason. It’s been 10 years since I saw anyone think they’re special because they have an iPhone but still run into this concept that iPhone users think they’re elite. Perhaps that’s true for some tiny percentage of apple fanatics, but for the average person, it’s just the phone they prefer or the phone they have.

        I’ve been to bars and begged them humbly to help me charge my phone and never once have I thought “IPHONE, yeah! You heard me!”

        • Alto@kbin.social
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          1 year ago

          Talking with younger family members, the iPhone elitism mentally is still alive and well in middle/high school. There’s a very good chance you simply aged out of of where people give a shit

          • Zeppo@sh.itjust.works
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            1 year ago

            I was already over 25 when the first iPhone was released, so maybe. I have heard about anti-“green bubble” discrimination. I guess I had a couple girlfriends in the past few years who thought it was lame that I had an Android phone at the time, but I don’t know what their reasons were. I mean, it was a Galaxy S9, pretty nice phone, so it’s not like I looked poor or something.

        • Honytawk@lemmy.zip
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          1 year ago

          The elitism is also alive whenever someone refers to their phone as an iphone.

          They are purposely spelling out the brand of their phone, as if that matters somehow.

          You got the same with Samsung users. They refer to their phone as a Samsung.

          It is a phone, or a smartphone. Giving free advertisement to a giant corporation will not grant you anything other than the contempt of those around you as it makes someone seem like a douche.

          Same with ipads, call them tablets.

          • Zeppo@sh.itjust.works
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            1 year ago

            If someone asked me what kind of charger I need I’d say “iPhone” but other than that or specifically discussing phones I’m not sure how it would come up. But sure, Apple marketing has been extremely effective. It seems like the movement to hate Apple is stronger than the one to love it, though, in terms of the number and passion of people in both positions.

            I could picture someone calling their Google phone a Pixel but other than that, I can’t think of anything else with significant name recognition. Maybe in niches, devices like the Fairphone. Anyway personally I call my IPHONE “my phone”. I can’t imagine asking my girlfriend “hey, did I leave my iPhone in the living room?” unless I had multiple phones and had to distinguish which one.