Quote from: Hzilong on February 12, 2022, 01:36:47 PM
Well, that picture, if real, is rather dystopian.

They made a study, years ago, about the religion-like relationship that people can have with some brands.

First they studied real religious people, from various religions. Their brain activity was monitored while they were exposed to random images. When symbols or images associated with they religion appeared there were both strong and very specific spikes.

Then the researchers studied people with a strong affection for certain brands of products and they got similar results - with, specifically, Apple getting the same level of intensity that Catholics experienced when seeing the Holy Virgin or such. No other brand (Microsoft, Disney...) got the same. This led to a more in-depth study about Apple as a form of religion.

(I would like to remember where I read about this. It was very in-depth and I read about this study more than one time, so it must be in one of my books).

It would be interesting to perform the same study on Wokeists. Just imagine the embarrassment if low to no spikes were actually registered when exposed to images of diversityinclusivityequality. It would mean that the specific individual is only paying lip service to the Mob - possibly out of fear. Actually, I would extend such a study to the monitoring of the level of fear caused by this "religion".

A lot of people now use (often passive) membership in various fandoms as a substitute for the traditional pillars of identity-like religion and family.  At the same time, the SJW/Woke/Elect movement treats politics as a fandom. 

While eye roll inducing, I'm not sure if this is nefarious messaging in-and-of itself, or merely an expression of wider social trends. 

Quote from: Reckall on February 15, 2022, 04:40:32 AM

Quote from: Hzilong on February 12, 2022, 01:36:47 PM
Well, that picture, if real, is rather dystopian.

They made a study, years ago, about the religion-like relationship that people can have with some brands.

First they studied real religious people, from various religions. Their brain activity was monitored while they were exposed to random images. When symbols or images associated with they religion appeared there were both strong and very specific spikes.

Then the researchers studied people with a strong affection for certain brands of products and they got similar results - with, specifically, Apple getting the same level of intensity that Catholics experienced when seeing the Holy Virgin or such. No other brand (Microsoft, Disney...) got the same. This led to a more in-depth study about Apple as a form of religion.

(I would like to remember where I read about this. It was very in-depth and I read about this study more than one time, so it must be in one of my books).

It would be interesting to perform the same study on Wokeists. Just imagine the embarrassment if low to no spikes were actually registered when exposed to images of diversityinclusivityequality. It would mean that the specific individual is only paying lip service to the Mob - possibly out of fear. Actually, I would extend such a study to the monitoring of the level of fear caused by this "religion".

I'd be interested in seeing the source, but there seems to be a lot of research on Apple as a religion. One of these?
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325206581_Comparing_Apple_and_Religion_Perspectives_Related_to_Brainwaves
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283503016_Religiosity_in_the_Abandoned_Apple_Newton_Brand_Community
https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1164&context=ama_proceedings

Oh, totally. I saw this sort of toxic cultish behavior during my years in the WW fandom, before the company was bought and effectively dissolved. They treat the game books like holy writ and attack you for daring to make homebrew that defies the holy canon. That was one of the reasons I left. If anything, that behavior has gotten even worse now.

As had been said "kill it with fire" or "nuke it from orbit" are not exaggerations.  Cultists like this should probably just be killed so they can not contaminate the gene pool.  Those whose lives only have meaning through a hobby or a brand or a product are of no value to society. The problem has been that society has been too tolerant for decades, to the point that we're at today.  Have a passion for something? Great. Let it turn into something that prevents you from being a productive member of conventional society? You need an intervention.  Intervention fails? Time to be recycled into carbon for new humans.

Quote from: RPGPundit on February 15, 2022, 03:57:28 AM

Quote from: Cat the Bounty Smuggler on February 14, 2022, 04:38:04 PM

Quote from: RPGPundit on February 14, 2022, 02:24:09 PM
I learned through life experience: never join any of the cults that don't readily admit they are one!

I feel like there's a very fascinating story behind this. I hope you'll decide to share it someday.

If you don't mind me asking, does the OTO play a big role in it?

No, I was never in the OTO, though I had a lot of friends who were.

Thanks for answering. I've never been in the OTO either but have known a few people who were. The picture they painted for me was... less than enticing.

Quote from: RPGPundit on February 10, 2022, 08:18:26 PM
The #ttrpgfamily hashtag on Twitter is trying to sell a fantasy to lonely gamers, as a means of strengthening wokist control.

As if they don't already have total control? They got the whole damn 92% scared of them.