5.5.11: In the recent 15th season premiere of South Park (Episode #210 "HUMANCENTiPAD"), there is clearly an animated version of a Mark Rothko painting hanging in the background of the 'iconic' shot seen above, which is set at Steve Jobs' lair. This episode, like many SP eps of the last 2-4 years, was desperately trying to make 'a point' that, very frustratingly, fizzled out. I was left wondering however if the decision to include the Rothko was just a random one (possibly by one of the animators) or if it had any deeper meaning, something beyond "Steve Jobs is a rich asshole who probably owns a Rothko." Like does the notion that Rothko made these (seemingly) simple, not-much-going-on paintings that sold for a 'shit ton' of money have any parallels to what they were trying to say about Apple? There is something there in terms of appreciating the nuance of design over functionality and affordability, which is what Apple products are all about. And I think this show was trying to convey that, only it got lost in all the overzealous jokes that didn't work. (And don't get me started on this week's episode: what was that shit? It was setting up to be one of their most stupid, most boring episodes, but then it felt really, truly Advanced in the end, like they took the jokes out even further but actually tied it together.)
Now, to shift gears solely to Apple, and the general perception of Apple product users, I want to make two points:
1. If you buy PC-only shit and non-iPhone smartphones, that's fine. But know what the hell you are doing if you are going to pooh-pooh 'foolish' Apple folk. Cuz if your Dell gets a virus and destroys your HD 18 months after you got it, because you are a clueless, porn-guzzling monkey, guess what? You aren't saving any money. Apple is no question a 'status product' company: they create sleek, overpriced things, and even if you 'only' use them because of their ease, stability and pretty design, you can't avoid what having them says about your 'status' (or desire for) in society. But it's just a fucking computer and it's just a fucking phone, relax everyone. Our money has to disappear somewhere.
2. I can't condone the 'tracking controversy' but I also can't figure it out. I believe--if we are truly entering an age where, between Apple and Google and etc., tech companies are somehow 'in cahoots' with the government--that we probably have nothing to worry about. If you are trying to track everyone, you are tracking no one. Like I was in Pittsburgh the other week. You know what I did in Pittsburgh? Went to a museum, drank beer, tried to go to a baseball game that got rained out. I am fundamentally against the idea of 'being tracked' but I am not fundamentally against the idea of the theoretical person 'doing the tracking' being bored out of his fucking mind. Maybe I'm not giving enough credit to the secret supercomputers and what they mean in terms of control (or future control), but fuck it: watch me. Watch me do absolutely nothing. You win?
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