News flash: Steve Jobs was a genius

[Robin S]

Last night a documentary called "Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview" was broadcast on New Zealand television (on Maori Television, which is about the only free-to-air channel worth watching here).

Now I am very far from being an Apple fanboy and I knew almost nothing about Steve Jobs going in. I haven't seen any of the biopics from recent years. I was tossing up whether to even turn on the TV but thought I would give it a few minutes. Well, I was glued to the screen throughout and now I completely get why this guy was exceptional.

He's obviously very intelligent but you expect that. What blew me away was the clarity of his thinking and the general manner in which he communicates. Here he is answering questions off-the-cuff and the answers he gives are so concise and insightful and just go straight to the crux of the issue. And when he is asked a question about something he hasn't previously clarified his own thinking on he doesn't just blurt something out like normal people - he pauses and thinks and then answers. That is a rare quality.

This is 70 minutes of unedited interview but it is fascinating stuff. There are goodies in there for people interested in computer science history, but also highly recommended for anyone with an interest in management or even general self-improvement.

 

 

[arjen]

This video is also worth checking out. How to responsive to an insult. Again the thinking... No blurting... And a great answer. 

 

[szabesz]

I do not know what makes a genius but Steve Jobs was a rather controversial character. Sometimes he was more like maniac. He was rather good at expressing his thoughts, sure.

http://fortune.com/2008/03/05/the-trouble-with-steve-jobs/

"Jobs’ personal abuses are also legend: He parks his Mercedes in handicapped spaces, periodically reduces subordinates to tears, and fires employees in angry tantrums. Yet many of his top deputies at Apple have worked with him for years, and even some of those who have departed say that although it’s often brutal and Jobs hogs the credit, they’ve never done better work."

 In my point of view, a "true genius" has no moral issues to begin with. After all she/he is supposed to be a "genius", right?  

[SamC]

The Steve Jobs book was good too. Didn't enjoy the movie though, lots of shouting and just found it pure boring. I think he was a very unique man indeed.

I totally understand the fanboy stuff, buying into Apple is like joining a community, there's a feeling that goes with it, it's not 'just a product'. The old keynotes were exciting to watch and still are.

Personally I use android/iOS/OSX/Win10/Linux as I just can't be tied down. I get FOMO if I stick to one system for too long.

[arjen]

20 hours ago, szabesz said:

I do not know what makes a genius but Steve Jobs was a rather controversial character.

There is often a thin line between madness and genius. For example Einstein has his dark side too. I'm glad they are not my father. We can learn from the good and the bad.

[szabesz]

5 minutes ago, arjen said:

For example Einstein has his dark side too.

Well, he is even more controversial than Jobs. Einstein, the Plagiarist: https://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/esp_einstein.htm

I do agree that they do not seem to be the best fathers ever

Back to Steve(s). Once I was lucky enough to meet Steve Wozniak in person.  Well, he would be a better choice if you had to pick a father...