Googlism - Worshipping the Google god
Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007;
-- Janet Meiners |
When in extreme profound adoration or reverence to something, people are known devote a lot of time and attention to it. Religion is one of those areas. And if you’re wondering what this has to do with online marketing I’ll get to the point. Some people worship Google and one has started a church about it called The Google Church.
Is Google God? It asks. Is God female? I ask. I’m not going to take that on, but in the Church of Google she is. She organizes the world’s information. She is everywhere. She is always expanding. She doesn’t forget either (a trait I love mostly and hate sometimes). We turn to her when we are in need or want answers.
Feeling lonely? Type it into Google and see what other’s advice. Cheaper than therapy, less intrusive than your priest, and always available. But like God you don’t often hear a voice. It’s internal. You get a list of answers and you can choose the one that helps you must. So there is no claim of absolute truth here, you’re free to worship in other churches too.
Here’s another parallel. Some people see Google as a threat: a threat to privacy, a threat to competition. Just like some may see God’s rules as restrictive.
According to Google trends, the term “Google” is searched for more than the terms “God”, “Jesus”, “Allah”, “Buddha”, “Christianity”, “Islam”, “Buddhism” and “Judaism” combined. We are always calling to her, each time we type in those keywords.
Actually the Church of Google is more for laughs and happiness through Google. It’s founder Matt MacPherson, calls it Googlism. He claims that in 2005, a minister within the church miraculously received an A on a paper written at the last minute. He used Google for help.
We missed their religious holiday but it was this month, on September 14th, the day Google.com was first registered. It’s all in good fun - and to be clear, it’s more about adoration for Google than about religion.
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Category: Google
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October 3rd, 2007 at 10:26 pm
The favicon is my favorite part. The “google” favicon with a golden halo above it haha.
October 4th, 2007 at 4:38 am
*chuckle* .. that’s got to be the funniest thing I’ve heard today so far !
October 4th, 2007 at 6:38 am
Google has become part of the English language. It is quite usual to ask or be asked “have you googled it?” or, “Don’t trouble me, google for it”. A classic case of a trade-mark/brand becoming generic! Somewhere down the line, there is likely to be conflict of interest in usage!
October 4th, 2007 at 6:43 am
The answer is 42.
October 4th, 2007 at 7:05 am
Why Google isn’t God
- “Feeling lonely? Type it into Google and see what other’s advice.”
The truth of the matter is that Wikipedia ranks 1st for “loneliness”. Thus, the info comes from the social site, Google just refers you to it.
-God is merciful and forgiving. Google isn’t. I wanted to get a clean slate with my AdSense account. Not a chance of that happening any time soon.
-Hell is more credible than Google Hell (supplemental index).
Although I will accept that one of the closest things to heaven on this earth is to work at the Googleplex.
October 4th, 2007 at 7:20 am
Google knows everything about me, I can prove that. That makes it more God than any others around, I humbly note.
October 4th, 2007 at 10:34 am
OMG!(google)I love it!
October 4th, 2007 at 11:36 am
Thou shalt not linkbait!
October 4th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
[...] business partner, Janet Meiners, recently did a post on Marketing Pilgrim that talked about a new religion—Googlism. Of course, this is a spoof [...]
October 5th, 2007 at 9:30 am
What would life be if google wasn’t around? here’s my take.