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Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

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Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#51

Post by bgarbiak »

glhaynes wrote: post #38
bgarbiak wrote: post #19

In my mind Jobs was the kind of guy that soils his sneakers while running, not while peacefully walking. The image painted by Gruber here is a kitschy one - and kitschy is probably the adjective least fitting to Jobs and his creations.

Jobs famously would take people on walks and talk with them.

I didn't mean that literally. All I'm saying is that a hypothetical portrait of Jobs I would made would be closer the today's apple.com welcome page: simple, elegant, almost raw and in some magical way both sterile and emotive - like most of the Apple's products. 'A melancholic, warm family photo took in a sunny day' seems like a thing from a different culture - but maybe Jobs privately was closer to that picture. Certainly Gruber knows better than me.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#52

Post by danilocampos »

jarek wrote: post #42
danilocampos wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Life is a lot more enjoyable when you accept, as I've just mentioned in a cousin, that people exist for their own purposes and not your pleasure. Some people express their feelings in saccharin ways. Okay. And? Does it make those feelings, or those people, less valid that they're more Hallmark than Bob Dylan? Death is difficult. Cut people a damn break.

I'm human. I judge people and form opinions based on their behaviour. I'm not denying them the right to those behaviours. Sometimes I can't resist voicing my opinions. If you don't, I'm really happy for you. I'm confident 99% of commenters didn't know Steve Jobs personally. If his death is difficult for them, it's a problem they themselves have created.

> If his death is difficult for them, it's a problem they themselves have created.

That's, uh, a... Penis thing to say.

People form attachments to those they've never met because humanity doesn't require reciprocal contact for personal impact. I knew Jobs only through his work, words and passion. I make my salary, doing a job I absolutely love, because of things he decided had to be built.

I will endlessly be in his debt for the world he helped create and the example he so consistently set. His passing tears at me more than I ever would have guessed.

It is not a problem I created. It's a man who earned my respect and admiration, gone. Forever.

That is something so profoundly difficult for me to process, entire systems of ritual and belief were created thousands of years ago in an attempt to address the helplessness.

Human impermanence is hard.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#53

Post by swombat »

jarek wrote: post #43
swombat wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, given his influence, yeah, it kind of is. The fact that you bump into articles about him everywhere (even on my blog! http://swombat.com/2011/10/6/steve-jobs ) kind of demonstrates that.

Oh, sorry. I'll go hide in my house while the funeral takes place in my backyard. edit: by the way, "If you read this far, you should follow me on twitter here" - classy.

It's not so far fetched as you seem to think. The Internet is not your backyard, it's ours. It belongs to all of us. So if you go on the web today and visit places where geeks (many of whom are touched by this event) hang out, expect to see people talking about it.

If you don't like it, get out of our backyard - you're welcome back after the funeral.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#54

Post by jarek »

danilocampos wrote: post #52
jarek wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm human. I judge people and form opinions based on their behaviour. I'm not denying them the right to those behaviours. Sometimes I can't resist voicing my opinions. If you don't, I'm really happy for you. I'm confident 99% of commenters didn't know Steve Jobs personally. If his death is difficult for them, it's a problem they themselves have created.

> If his death is difficult for them, it's a problem they themselves have created. That's, uh, a... Penis thing to say. People form attachments to those they've never met because humanity doesn't require reciprocal contact for personal impact. I knew Jobs only through his work, words and passion. I make my salary, doing a job I absolutely love, because of things he decided had to be built. I will endlessly be in his…

> That's, uh, a... Penis thing to say.

Yes. Doesn't make it any less true.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#55

Post by bmelton »

bgarbiak wrote: post #19

In my mind Jobs was the kind of guy that soils his sneakers while running, not while peacefully walking. The image painted by Gruber here is a kitschy one - and kitschy is probably the adjective least fitting to Jobs and his creations.

That is of course contradicted by the many, many tales of how much Steve Jobs enjoyed walking, and in particular, walking for long distances.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#56

Post by bmelton »

jarek wrote: post #54
danilocampos wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If his death is difficult for them, it's a problem they themselves have created. That's, uh, a... Penis thing to say. People form attachments to those they've never met because humanity doesn't require reciprocal contact for personal impact. I knew Jobs only through his work, words and passion. I make my salary, doing a job I absolutely love, because of things he decided had to be built. I will endlessly be in his…

> That's, uh, a... Penis thing to say. Yes. Doesn't make it any less true.

No offense, but it doesn't make particularly MORE true either.

That humans have emotions isn't a solvable problem, or generally, even a problem at all. It's those emotions that allow us to strive for more, that allow us to love those that are close to us, that allow us to form long and lasting relationships, that allow us the compassion for charity and the will to help the world. In some cases, yeah, it causes us to perhaps have fondness, or perceived attachment to someone we haven't met.

Regardless, many view Jobs as an inspirational figure. I personally know of more than one successful entrepreneur who would say that something Steve Jobs did was their motivation for starting a company, or excelling at what they did, or gave them the insight that made their company more successful.

I myself am not an overly sentimental person, but I recognize that "If his death is difficult for them, it's a problem they themselves have created." is a line of completely trite bullshit.

Sympathy isn't a problem, and even if it were, it likely isn't one any of the people could have avoided making, even had they so consciously chosen to try.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#57

Post by danilocampos »

jarek wrote: post #54
danilocampos wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If his death is difficult for them, it's a problem they themselves have created. That's, uh, a... Penis thing to say. People form attachments to those they've never met because humanity doesn't require reciprocal contact for personal impact. I knew Jobs only through his work, words and passion. I make my salary, doing a job I absolutely love, because of things he decided had to be built. I will endlessly be in his…

> That's, uh, a... Penis thing to say. Yes. Doesn't make it any less true.

It has the virtue of being both dick and untrue, as I dedicated the rest of my comment to explaining.

It's okay. We don't have to agree. I can only say that when human impermanence next strikes closer to your squishy bag of feelings, those around you will show more compassion than you've shown here. Good luck, fellow traveler.

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#58

Post by FrojoS »

shabda wrote: post #25
jgrahamc wrote: post #13

Many years ago a colleague, Steve Holtzman, suddenly discovered he had colon cancer. Within a year he had faded away (it seemed almost literally) and was gone. He had money and access to the best doctors, but he wasn't vigilant (he had ignored odd weight loss and bowel trouble) and so it was too late. Although Jobs didn't die of a "man's disease" there are lots of men killers out there that can be stopped if you look…

In January 2009 I was Stage 5 chronic kidney disease, in July 2009 I had a kidney transplant. Looking back there were so many telltale signs that I had over the last six months, which I was ignoring as I was busy building my startup. A regular health check has the potential to catch a problem like this. I now nag each of my friends and family in having an annual health check. Its the best time you can spend. This was…

I'm curious about the the eye thing. Did you just need glasses? It wouldn't ruin your eyes if you could see well enough form the first row, would it?

Re: Daring Fireball: Universe Dented, Grass Underfoot

#59

Post by anon808 »

mechanical_fish wrote: post #33
mapleoin wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funnily I got the exact opposite impression. I thought it was cheesy and kitsch.

I should track down the actual post in which JMS (the "Babylon Five" guy) pointed out that even Shakespeare has only about a 50% approval rating. Meanwhile, I'm not sure you could conduct a proper tribute to Steve Jobs without throwing in a little kitsch. Have you seen the "1984" ad? The "Think Different" ads? Steve Jobs' taste was not constrained by a self-conscious fear of cheese. ;)

It's only cheesy if it's not sincere.
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