While I Was Away…
October 10, 2011
{Image from NYDailyNews ~ credited to Kevork Djansezian/Getty}
I was in Rome last week the day Steve Jobs died. I woke up, turned to look at my husband – who had obviously been awake for a while – and he immediately told me the news. Like so many longtime Apple devotees around the world, we had been following all the stories and updates about his health and gradual departure from the day-to-day operations at Apple from months, so this wasn’t necessarily a great shock, but it saddened us deeply nonetheless. My husband and I have been using Apple computers and products since the mid nineties, and I even remember the long-ago day it was announced that Apple stock was a mere $3 per share – during the time when Jobs was not involved. Not long after that, Jobs returned to Apple, and, well, you know the rest – his trajectory now being well-documented in all the recent articles, tributes and CNN specials about his life and impact on the world.
I found it striking that Jobs died just as the Occupy Wall Street protests were building up. I couldn’t help but wonder what the world would look like today if Jobs had spent his time and energy being angry and organizing protests instead of focusing on his ideas and working his ass off. I understand that this capitalist system of ours is flawed, that there are greedy people engaging in immoral acts solely for their own financial gain. I get it. But there are also innovators, entrepreneurs, artists, and visionaries doing extraordinary work and making profoundly positive impacts on the world with the help of the Wall Street. Steve Jobs took Apple public, made lots of money, promptly got ousted from Apple, and then created a little company called Pixar. Bill Gates took Microsoft public, made lots of money, and has since focused his energies on global philanthropic projects that have saved and improved countless lives. You know who else is a capitalist? Oprah.
Steve Jobs did not come from wealth. He did not finish college. He was adopted. He started his business in a garage. His is a story that is only possible in a free market and capitalist economy – a story of someone with an idea and a willingness to do the work to make it real. This is what is possible in the United States. As frequently as I get disgusted by the behavior of individuals who let their lives and souls get corrupted by dollar signs (and I’ve seen this up close and personally under various circumstances, and it is abhorrent and disheartening and bewildering), I have also grown weary of all the blanket generalizations and accusations flying around the media these days – that capitalism is evil, that money is evil, that anyone who is “rich” or “on Wall Street” or a “banker” or whatever is evil, corrupt, greedy, and bad. No one today would dare make such sweeping derogatory statements about women or Asian Americans or yoga instructors, yet there seems to be a no-holds-barred free for all against anyone who actually thinks this capitalist system of ours has a few redeeming qualities.
I imagine I might ruffle a few feathers with all of this, but after having traveled to countries where their citizen’s right to earn a living doing what they love (or earn a living doing anything) is stripped from them at birth, I’ve developed a bit of a patriotic streak. And as a longtime admirer of Steve Jobs’s passion, work ethic, and unwavering commitment to his vision and ideals, I can’t help but want to stand up to all the capitalist-haters and ask them to, just for a moment, consider the possibility that sometimes, with some individuals, this system works, for the benefit not only of whoever does something such as take their company public, but for all of us.
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” ~ Steve Jobs
Amen to you. I am a wife, mom, artist AND am conservative-leaning. Mostly in the fiscal sense. I tend to be more liberal when it comes to social issues. But, thank you. Thank you for pointing out that all money-makers are not inherently evil. We need jobs. People are at their best when they are being productive and earning a living / contributing to society in some way. Ideally, we might all get to do what we love. That isn’t always possible, but, hopefully we get to do things we love when we are not at our jobs. I work 1/2 time (which is very important for my family because of the money as well as the benefits, eg., health insurance). It is not my dream job. However, it stimulates my brain, feeds my confidence and provides me the funds to keep up with my addiction to creating art! Anyway, thank you for your perspective. From my point of view, your thinking is right on the mark.
Christine, I hope you DO ruffle some feathers! We need to hear statements like these and I am so glad you wrote this, you have expressed what I’ve been unable to put into words. Thank you! xo
Bravo Christine! Well said!
Standing Ovation!
Oh, you made me smile with this post. Look at you, ruffling feathers all over the place … and you do it so graciously, alongside your firm conviction. I love that.
I was really helped by this post of yours. I would never have put the two incidents together (that of Steve Jobs passing and the Occupy Wall Street protests), but I love that you have a mind that would make a connection like that. I also really appreciate the perspective you shared here. I am one who has become less and less patriotic over the last couple years, but this post here of yours? It redeemed some of that back in my heart just now. Thank you.
xoxo,
Christianne
Very well said Christine! I too appreciate your perspective and ability to make correlations I hadn’t thought of. Thank you for sharing!
So my feathers arent ruffled, and I am glad to hear your viewpoint and offer mine.
When I think about the Occupy Wall Street folks I dont think about them just being angry protesters (although I think they/we have every right to be). I am forever grateful for Steve Jobs and the amazing legacy he has left us. I am also grateful for the Occupy Wall Street folks for being out there when I cant do it – having a 9-5 job to do. I saw a really great youtube clip from Fox News interviewing someone. They really are about making a change and getting the media (and I certainly agree with you that they tend to make things black and white) to present another side to the story.
I dont see all bankers or corporations as bad, but there is a LOT that is broken right now and desperately needs fixing. Bottom line for me is I see them as standing up for a positive change and thats an important part of democracy. I also believe that without a middle class we wont have a democracy and that is certainly worth fighting for. Just my point of view – thank you for letting me share.
amen!! you’re spot on!!
I urge you to consider what will happen to innovation when all government money is dried up for research and only goes into defense spending and bank bailouts. After all, the computer industry was developed mostly through the space program at a time when government invested in research and development and public funding for education was much more prevalent.
At the moment, the only industry that is really growing is the financial industry and they produce NOTHING.
Love this post…mostly because it’s a feather ruffler and those are never easy to write!
All that being said…most of the educated folks I know who are “occupying” aren’t opposed to capitalism…as much as corruption…and the truly intelligent and committed ones know there is a big difference!
As a proud American I’m all for rock solid companies that create jobs for the people getting tax breaks etc… Innovators should be rewarded for creating that kind of economic growth…but greedy crooks and lobbyists who influence the way the government works scare me. Call me naive but I want to believe that people still have the power to affect policy, not profits.
But most of all I’m just so F#$$%^& grateful to live in a place that allows us to assemble and shout out when we have something to say. Unbelievably blessed in every way.
xoxo
Thanks for posting this!
I tend to get nervous whenever there are protest movements that are built on an “Us vs. Them” premise, because it’s never that black and white. I wish that instead of raging against “the one percent,” everyone could work together to influence the hearts and minds of those who have the resources to make big change.
hi christine,
maybe i don’t get it, but my impression of the occupy wall street protests is that they oppose the bail out of wall street. which wouldn’t have happened in a truly capitalist society.
i have nothing at all against capitalism. i agree with most of what you said about the opportunities it provides, and the hard work that it demands. i was convinced of its beauty by a friend who teared up while describing its philosophy.
but these protests, as i understand them, are less about capitalism than they are about the corruption of TRUE capitalism, and maybe even fraud. even if there wasn’t an actual crime, some hypocrisy is revealed when the government will intervene to help failing banks at the expense of individual people. i think that’s what people are so angry about.
those are my two cents.