Apple founder Steve Jobs, who did not care to share his physical pain induced by pancreatic cancer as much as he did his creativity and innovation to which he dedicated his life, died at a relatively young age of 56. In the face of things, it’s a great loss. However, he leaves behind a telling message, an inspiration – ‘life is worth living’. He proved what Swami Vivekananda said: ”…how long is this life for? As you have come into the world, leave some mark behind. Otherwise, where is the difference between you and the trees and stones?” (Vivekananda’s impact will be there for centuries to come, though he, too, departed young at 39). In the materialistic world, Jobs’ message rings loud and clear: ‘anything is possible if you dream and work for it.’ More than his iphone, ipad or Pixar animation, his message is much more impacting and lasting.
I say in half-jest that I blame Thomas Alva Edison for insomnia and Henry Ford for making us live on roads. Edison’s light bulb and gramophone keeps us awake at unearthly hours to celebrate Nature’s hidden power. Ford’s dream was to harness the power of machine to allow us to roam the earth at cruise control. Similarly, Jobs’ ideas and innovations have and will significantly change the lifestyle for better or worse, and the responsibility lies on the users’ generation of tomorrow.
Socialists may say it’s all about profit. Traditionalists may argue that he is responsible for spoiling the kids. You are walking on the street, eyes glued on your iphone or listening to choicest music without carrying a huge machine or watch Toy Story on ipad. The fact is, Jobs neither invented computer nor the iphone. He showed us how to harness the power of machine a happy blend of aesthetics and creativity in perfectly designing those to become our inseparable friends.
I remember seeing an Apple ad on a highway in Boston: A photo of Gandhiji and a message ‘Think different’. Jobs redefined marketing by ‘thinking differently’. His mantra has been: Consumers don’t know exactly what they want; it’s the job of the innovator to give something to them so that they can’t live without it and a premium was attached to quality to sustain the inextricable bond.
Jobs was a meditating and evolved soul and accepted death as described by the Upnishadic seers: he was influenced by Indian spiritual thoughts from an early age ; long before the end came, he had embraced it gracefully. Let’s not pray for only Jobs’ soul but also for a future when we may find many more like him, who can use technology to bring about far-reaching changes in our societies to weed out hunger, diseases and illiteracy in the world at large. Twenty-first century needs to be powered by Edison’s bulb — an epitome of knowledge and cutting edge iphones will make more sense in a world where there is no place for hunger, diseases, violent separatist ideologies, homelessness and attendant social ills. Let there be thousand Jobs to wipe off millions’ tears, end bloodshed and simultaneously harness the power of nature to liberate and for making life a celebration.
