Are you a “fanboy”?
Fanboy button - carocat_1983
Is it possible to not like something only because someone, or a group of people, like it? If one of your friends came to you and said “I love Product XYZ you absolutely have to try it!” would you be turned off by their enthusiasm for it?
Recently I’ve had a conversation with someone who reacts exactly in that way when they see someone, or a group of people, like something too much. They refer to these people as fanboys or zealots and are turned off by anyone showing too much enthusiasm for any one thing.
Personally I believe everyone is a “fanboy” of something at some point in their lives. Perhaps you have a favorite television show, car manufacturer, software application, band, or actor - no matter what it is that you choose to like, you like something. Can’t we all just learn to be happy for one another when we’re happy to have something we like?
Have you ever felt put off by a “fanboy”? If so, please explain. If not, what are you a “fanboy” of recently?
June 19th, 2007 at 8:26 am
It’s not that I don’t like something because someone else likes it, it’s more that a situation is awkward and uncomfortable (in my opinion) when you don’t share as much interest in something as someone else. When they seem to boast about it so much yet you don’t see any reason why, or don’t agree with them, it’s an odd feeling trying to talk to them.
June 19th, 2007 at 8:45 am
I like when people are enthusiatic about something! Good for them, good for the product. And it’s always interesting to find out WHY people just love something.
What is a bit annoying, is people who want you to adopt their view. And if you don’t they, oversell it. Some people who - everytime they find something new and cool - try to make their friends like it just a s much as them. For any price.
Enthusiatic good. Car salesman bad.
June 19th, 2007 at 8:55 am
Ah, the Fanboy discussion. A debate that has raged for centuries. People hate fanboys for being fanboys but act like fanboys in their hatred of fanboys. I think this ‘culture’ can be compared to many o’ social situation in that people find their cliques. On the Internet that has a lot to do with how you do things, and what you use to do them. But most of all it has to do with how enthusiastic you are with your methods and it comes down to how you’re received for telling others about it, regardless of whether or not your intentions of fanboy-ism or pure spread-the-word-ism. Personally I’ll let a fanboy be a fanboy until the day he dies if he wants, it doesn’t bother me a bit, but if he’s got a good tip, I’ll listen.
June 19th, 2007 at 9:01 am
Bryan Culver: I think I understand a bit better now. Perhaps the best thing to do, in that case, is change the topic of conversation to something that both people find interesting?
Oyvind: Very well said, and I completely agree.
Jon Christopher: Good advice. I’ve found good information in the oddest of places - so never discount the fanboy for having good ideas now and then!
Thanks for your comments so far.
June 19th, 2007 at 10:24 am
I think there are a couple of things going on with “fanboy haters” or put another way, those uncomfortable with the enthusiasm exhibited by others.
I think this is a great topic that is really about human nature and the society we live in. I’m going to write more about it on our company blog and link back here later today. But for now, here’s a summary.
1) Idea of Scarcity. This is the idea that there’s not enough of something to go around. So if you have it, that means I can’t have it or I can’t have as much of it as you do. The idea of scarcity can lead to resentment.
2) Group Mind. This relates to a feeling of being powerless which can also lead to resentment. If all your friends are really excited about and love something, and you don’t, then surely your opinion counts less than theirs and and perhaps there is something wrong with you. Almost everyone I know loves “Lost” but I don’t get it. My opinions on “Lost” must therefore be less important than everyone else’s.
3) Making Comparisons. I have a car and you have a car. Different Makes and Models but similar list of features. They both get us where we want/need to go. But, MAN you love your car. You’re excited to tell anyone that will listen how much you love my car and why. Hmmmm…. My car is similar but I sure don’t love it as much as you seem to love yours. Perhaps I made a mistake buying my car? Why am I not as excited about my car as you are about yours? These aren’t the questions I ask out loud. Instead, I exhibit self-doubt, confusion, and most overtly, resentment about your enthusiastic excitement about your car.
I’m out of time. I’ll go into detail later today and post a link back here.
The issue of disliking fanboys, or anyone enthusiastic about what they’re doing, is usually about our own self-doubt, our own resentment, or our making up stories about scarcity and comparisons.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Shane: Excellent overview of your thoughts! I can’t even tell you how much I think your thoughts are right on too. I’ve seen many people that fit each specific scenario too.
Thank you very much for taking the time to write this comment and I look forward to your post.
June 19th, 2007 at 11:14 am
For linkage’s sake d-; Source of all this.
June 19th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
I’m a fanboy of a bunch of things, like Lasagna, Apple stuff and Ladies.
I think it’s cool if someone is really into something, it’s awesome when I’m excited about something so when someone else is happy about XYZ that’s great for that person and should be enjoyed.
June 19th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
When the word fanboy comes up, I always think Apple.
While I somewhat agree with you Colin. I love Mac’s, yet unlike a fair amount of Mac users that I meet, I can tell that there are problems and I won’t be “I love Macs, they’re so leet, nothing ever goes wrong with them, EVER’. I see this so much. Hell, I’ve even done it.
If Mac’s could play games like PC’s did, and could be upgraded like PC’s can, for the same price. I’d go ALL Mac. But the thing is, they can’t. I’m not upset that I have to use a PC, even when a lot of zealots look down their nose for owning a PC.
I want an iPhone, but it has MANY problems. First off the biggy, at&t uses EDGE, which at best is at the bottom end of 3G broadband phones. Even worse it relies on not many users being in the area, the ratio of quality is dependant on the amount of users in the area. Poor Silicon Valley ei.
Brand loyalty is not a bad thing. I go for HP printers, every time for example. I noticed you spoke up about the Apple keynote, but a lot didn’t.
The problem is, Apple are a great company but not flawless as so many think. Read this: http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=macs_cant
That’s what gets to me the most, Fanboys usually take a position with their company, and more often than not, would defend them on any situation, where they’d usually insult another company for doing the same thing as theirs did.
June 19th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
Josue: Exactly. And I am going to strive to do the same even more now.
Zach: Although you are speaking about a very specific case here - your point is well taken and was actually stated by Oyvind, Jon, and Shane already - just not in such specific terms.
June 20th, 2007 at 10:11 am
[...] Yesterday, Colin Devroe sent me a link to his blog post “Are you a ‘fanboy?’” [...]
June 20th, 2007 at 10:14 am
Well, 12 hours late. Better late than never. Yesterday got too crazy to post to my own blog about this issue.
Here are my full thoughts on the broader subject: Colin Devroe asked, “Are you a fanboy?â€.
June 20th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
I have no problem supporting the products I use and think are great:
Gmail, flickr, YUI, Ruby on Rails, VW, Apple, Nokia, Microsoft and many more.
I don’t care for the company (to me that’s the downfall of a lot of zealots) but rather the “tool” that they produce - that’s what I’m far more likely to talk about.
June 23rd, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Pop music is my guilty pleasure but I try to hide the fact that I do because I refused to be associated with teenyboppers.
But you love the backstreetboys too right?
June 25th, 2007 at 1:41 pm
[...] So I suppose the very first reason for me getting an iPhone is because it is from Apple. Call this being a fanboy if you want, but I’d like to classify this as being a happy, loyal customer of a company who [...]