I never thought I would see the day when someone would have the heart to destroy an Apple iPhone, nevertheless shoot it then burn it. The viral video, “iPhone Owner Gets Revenge with Handgun and Fire”, is an outstanding dramatization of a suppressed iPhone user that felt he had to commit a 187 on the number 1 selling phone in the world. The song, My Body is A Cage by Arcade Fire, is the main element that brings out the emotion in this video, which creates the mood of the clip. The interpretation that I got from the clip, was a distressed iPhone user that was upset over Apple’s overly controlled application setup.
This clip is an ideal example towards John Palfrey’s theory regarding Identity. The shooter stated, “From now on I am a PC, where I have my freedom”. That is when he switched his Identity from being a new-era simple Apple user, to a cheaper, customizable, “free” PC user. Anybody that owns any type of computer or smart phone can relate to this topic. We’ve all seen the conflicting commercials from both companies. Apple sells the dream of a no-virus sleek, convenient world, and PC bounces back with the pocket friendly, all-in-one bang for your buck type of deal. So what does this all mean? If you buy a PC you’re a cheap freedom fighter. Or if you buy a Mac you’re automatically more sophisticated. In today’s world, it’s hard to create your own identity when companies keep try to make it for you. At the end of the day they’re not selling computers, their selling identities. The irrationality of someone shooting their phone from frustration is the comic relief we get from our own personal reality of our cell phones.
Avetik Zorabian
I think this is also a great example of a user who certainly falls into the category of an active audience member. This person has clearly been feed information from a social institution (Apple in this case) about what it means to be "cool" or "hip" and as a result purchased the iPhone. However, they soon realized all the implications of this decision and rebelled. This person has created new meaning to owning an iPhone. Instead of it making you "cool", it portrays you as statistic of the masses, a drone to advertising. This video is representative of a taste culture that views the iPhone in a negative light. Not because it is faulty or any less of a technological innovation than it claims to be, but because it takes our individuality and freedom of choice away from us. This person is able to express themselves better in the world of the PC and therefore the only answer was to turn their backs on the prescribed world of Apple and let it burn.
ReplyDelete-Victor Soto
I definitely agree with "sotovm." This video ridicules the sophisticated society that we live in nowadays. Apple has certainly made users feel that by using their products consumers are up to date with the "coolest" gadgets on the market. The creator of this video really bashes the identity of those who feel the need to be a sheep and follow Apple's movement. Certainly, the viewer understands that the person in video is definitely not part of the apple culture, revealing his taste culture to be the rebel who goes against the norms. Apple user's have gained dominance in the past few years, making PC users feel like the minority. This person is not afraid to say that he is part of that minority and he doesn't give in to Apple's scheme.
ReplyDelete-Ara Nazarian