A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs • Hacker News Board

Re: A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs

#41

Post by Alex3917 » Sun, Oct 30, 2011, 10:18 PM UTC

powertower wrote: post #23

seanmccann wrote: post #6

OH WOW. OH WOW. OH WOW. One can only wonder what he was referring to. Such a well written piece.

In the Buddhist tradition, being aware and clear minded (no grasping to life, no desires, no regrets, no fear) during the end of the self, while being in a meditative state, is the greatest feeling you can experience. It seemed to me like Steve got to that place he was referring to when he last talked to his wife. > He told me, when he was saying goodbye and telling me he was sorry, so sorry we wouldn’t be able to be…

More specifically, there is an enormous importance placed on dying well. Read The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying for a really good explanation.

Re: A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs

#42

Post by Fluxx » Sun, Oct 30, 2011, 10:55 PM UTC

seanmccann wrote: post #6

OH WOW. OH WOW. OH WOW. One can only wonder what he was referring to. Such a well written piece.

For me I interpreted it as him being somewhat conscious as the feeling of your body dying comes over you and you pass. I have no idea what that would actually feel like, or if that's what happened/is possible, but the thought of being awake and experiencing that feeling gives me chills.

Re: A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs

#43

Post by latchkey » Sun, Oct 30, 2011, 11:24 PM UTC

What is more amazing is how quickly someone registered his last words.com

Re: A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs

#44

Post by javek » Sun, Oct 30, 2011, 11:28 PM UTC

technoslut wrote: post #7

mstroeck wrote: post #2

1) This is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read. 2) I finally realize what has always fascinated me about him. He was ALWAYS working, with every single breath he took. He seems to have found a way of taking the hazy concept of "work" as it is commonly understood, and elevating it to a more in-focus ideal form through which to understand and shape his life.

The 2nd point you made reminds of Beethoven and how he overcame deafness to write some of his most brilliant pieces. He was incredibly passionate about his work and it was reflected in his music. It's amazing to see read this story and to realize that maybe Jobs' most important inventions, the iPhone and iPad, came at a point of extreme illness where most others would've quit. Passion drove everything he did and defi…

As a side note, in a way it's misleading to speak of Beethoven "overcoming" deafness. All of the master composers were so well-trained at their craft that they could hear the music in their head without "trying it out" on a piano or other instrument. By the time Beethoven was deaf being able to hear was superfluous as far as composing was concerned...

Re: A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs

#45

Post by mechanical_fish » Sun, Oct 30, 2011, 11:44 PM UTC

javek wrote: post #44

technoslut wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The 2nd point you made reminds of Beethoven and how he overcame deafness to write some of his most brilliant pieces. He was incredibly passionate about his work and it was reflected in his music. It's amazing to see read this story and to realize that maybe Jobs' most important inventions, the iPhone and iPad, came at a point of extreme illness where most others would've quit. Passion drove everything he did and defi…

As a side note, in a way it's misleading to speak of Beethoven "overcoming" deafness. All of the master composers were so well-trained at their craft that they could hear the music in their head without "trying it out" on a piano or other instrument. By the time Beethoven was deaf being able to hear was superfluous as far as composing was concerned...

We know that Beethoven himself was tremendously depressed by the onset of deafness and thought of it as a terrible misfortune to be heroically struggled with:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heiligenstadt_Testament

But we also know that he gave himself excellent pep talks and then kept going for another thirty years, writing great stuff long after his deafness was far worse than it was in 1802. So, yes, it seems that Beethoven eventually came to agree with you!

And, come to think of it, as I remember Beethoven's biggest complaints about deafness centered on loneliness, and on his fear that nobody would want to hire a deaf composer. I don't actually recall him complaining that his work might suffer. So that's another point in favor of your argument.

Re: A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs

#46

Post by dicroce » Sun, Oct 30, 2011, 11:49 PM UTC

nagrom wrote: post #31

mparr4 wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

which book? I've never read any of his before

YT was in Snow Crash and I think that HT should be HP: Hiro Protagonist. Although I don't remember that quote in the book.

YT was also briefly in "The Diamond Age". :)

Re: A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs

#47

Post by jfb » Sun, Oct 30, 2011, 11:53 PM UTC

I always thought of him as a sociopath. It's nice to read an insider's take that isn't suffused with narcissism and loathing, although I always did figure him for a jerk for parking that Merc in the handicapped space every. goddamned. day.

Re: A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs

#48

Post by theFco » Mon, Oct 31, 2011, 12:01 AM UTC

davidu wrote: post #36

mrb wrote: post #35

Beautiful eulogy. However either it, or Jobs' biography, is erroneous about who called Mona to let her know she had a brother. This eulogy claims a lawyer called Mona. But the biography, in chapter 20, claims it is Mona's mother, Joanne, who called: """ [Joanne] had never told Mona that she had a brother, and that day she broke the news, or at least part of it, by telephone. "You have a brother, and he's wonderful, a…

Either version is true enough.

I love this idea of true enough, as some things we won't know, but either version shall do for us. Thank you it was a nice feeling.

Re: A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs

#49

Post by jimbokun » Mon, Oct 31, 2011, 12:02 AM UTC

jfb wrote: post #47

I always thought of him as a sociopath. It's nice to read an insider's take that isn't suffused with narcissism and loathing, although I always did figure him for a jerk for parking that Merc in the handicapped space every. goddamned. day.

I really found this eulogy quite moving and beautiful and gave me an appreciation for a Steve Jobs that has not been captured by any of the other things I've read about him since his passing.

But the part about going through 67 nurses did give me a little chill. My heart goes out to those poor 64 people who tried and failed to care for him up to the level of his demanding standards.

Re: A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs

#50

Post by notagain2 » Mon, Oct 31, 2011, 12:11 AM UTC

antr wrote: post #5

i've cried reading this article. god bless sj

that was an incredibly moving eulogy. I just so happen to be about a quarter the way through his biography, and its an interesting contrast to read about "young" ambitious steve vs steve in the sunset of his life. Mona really hit on something when she said we die in the middle of many stories. Im interested to read some of her work now.