Blog Template Theology of the Body: Umberto Eco on Macatholicity

Monday, May 15, 2006

Umberto Eco on Macatholicity

The fact is that the world is divided between users of the Macintosh computer and users of MS-DOS compatible computers. I am firmly of the opinion that the Macintosh is Catholic and that DOS is Protestant. Indeed, the Macintosh is counter-reformist and has been influenced by the ratio studiorum of the Jesuits. It is cheerful, friendly, conciliatory; it tells the faithful how they must proceed step by step to reach -- if not the kingdom of Heaven -- the moment in which their document is printed. It is catechistic: The essence of revelation is dealt with via simple formulae and sumptuous icons. Everyone has a right to salvation.

Of course, I've known this all along. But it's true. Being a Mac user is precisely like being a Christian. It's better in every way from being in the darkness of PC-ism, but impossible to experience from the outside. Once you make the leap of faith into a Mac, you'll wonder why you didn't do it much earlier, but alas it's a leap that most people don't make until they've reached the rock-bottom of endless system crashes, frustrating third party software/hardware, etc., etc.

I've actually subtly skewed Eco's (hilarious) point, but oh well. Read it all here. Came to me via my brother Hardy.