I come to bury Jobs, not praise him.

[DonCoquixote]

The fact is, Steve Jobs combined many aspects of villain and hero in one.
Was the one person that kept IBM, then Microsoft, from defining the whole computing experience, yes?
Was he same person that did not allow third party software, and that charged a lot for his wares? Yes.
Was he the person that showed that design and artistry indeed still had a value in technology, yes?
Was he the one that actually introduced computers to schools, donating computers, giving kids access to technology they would not have had?, yes.
Did he also fall for the bullshit about teacher's unions?, yes.
Was he also someone that enabled snobbery and let people isolate themselves in little consumer packaged worlds, yes.
Was the fellow who assembled his stuff in China, sadly, yes.
Was he the one whose devices brought about a more mobile media, one that was used to great effect in the Arab Spring, and in OWS, where people with camera phones report news that even the New York Times runs scared from?, Yes.

Perhaps the real villainy is our idea of heroism. Truth be told, Heroes and Heroines do NOT come in perfect packages. The only thing that makes a hero different from a villain is that, for one crucial bit, they decide to commit to a standard, an ideal. They then continue on, showing persistence, even though common sense tells them no. Furthermore, the Hero or Heroine realizes that it is NOT their OWN individual actions or deeds that pack the punch, but the way those deeds INSPIRE and ENABLE people to do their OWN HEROICS. The way you know the Hero has done their work is because there are other following suit, making virtue spread like a benevolent virus.

It does not matter if Jobs was a hero or villain, what matters is that he showed that heroism was, and IS, still possible. Sadly, on the internet, there are many people, of ALL sorts, of ALL creeds and ALL backgrounds, who settle for doing cheap shots on one another and complaining, knowing they will NEVER be called out to offer their own solutions. THOSE types are the people we need to attack, NOT people who at least made some effort.

[justiceischeap]

1. Hmmm, so what I think you're saying is that he was human? nt

[DonCoquixote]

7. Human

But one that had a lot to teach that is getting overlooked in the whole debate about his virtue.

[lumberjack_jeff]

2. Well said. n/t

[seabeyond]

3. and maybe he is neither hero or vilian. and that is fine, too. i dont see we have to label him as

such.

he seems more man. and that is good enough.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

4. He was a man, not a devil or god, and all men have feet of clay

[pintobean]

5. Your post doesn't match the subject line.

[DonCoquixote]

6. it does

but you will not see it that way, oh well.