To give a sense of how the Mail provokes such devotion, and such antipathy, here are six irresistible stories — plus a classically pointless, a subtly sexist, and an archetypically manipulative one.
The famed linen cloth preserved in Turin Cathedral has provoked pious devotion, scientific scrutiny, and morbid curiosity.
Orange Juice had the tunes, arch, witty lyrics that could conceivably have provoked Morrissey-like devotion, and in the lush-lipped and befringed Collins a frontman who might conceivably have provoked teen mania.
Her minimal, stark, chic and wearable clothes have provoked near-nerdish devotion in the fashion industry.
As I listened to the superbly assured performances here, I missed the electricity that provokes both hostility and fierce devotion when Mr. Carter's music is played in New York.
But for others, the levels of devotion have to be provoked by something more than cotton and thread.
Devotion to the 1st Amendment should also provoke grave concerns about Thiel's open-checkbook funding of Hogan's lawsuit against Gawker.
And while watching parental sacrifice can be an uplifting and occasionally thought-provoking experience, the sight of a mom warping filial devotion to her own ends -- with the kids sometimes getting their own back in return -- can be downright fun.
With such jarring elements clashing on screen, it's perhaps unsurprising that Under the Skin has provoked both forceful boos and cheers, the heated antipathy of some viewers and critics apparently spurring the passionate devotion of others.
Other characters commonly express lessons learned from the antagonistic actions Cartman commonly provokes; this has resulted in these characters giving their opinions on issues such as hate crime legislation, civil liberties, excessive religious devotion, the stem cell controversy, anabolic steroid use, the "right to die" debate, and prejudice.
