Video: Steve Jobs' Stanford commencement speech
"Stay hungry, stay foolish." Speaking in 2005, the Apple CEO offers advice to students.
By Samira Shackle Published 06 October 2011 12:03
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10 comments
Condolences to his family and loved ones. Clearly a remarkable man and one who has left his mark on the world. This speech is full of thoughtfulness and care and learning.
And Oswald: please understand that spiritual wisdom is not dependent upon religious belief. "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking." Just for example.
The main criticism I would offer of Steve Jobs is that unlike Bill Gates he has not been known for making donations to charity and was apolitical. WIth all the wealth at his disposal he could have and should have done more. Had he put all his billions into research about the complex and undisclodes health he was afflicted with, we might have a cure by now and Steve Jobs would still be alive. It just goes to show that bening a billionaire counts for nothing if the sciecne isn't there. He seemed to be more interested in telling everybody you can make it to the top; when in reality that notion is completely untrue. As for Apple products, I would argue that technology devlopment is such that if it was not Steve Jobs it could easily have been some other techno bod. By the way their customer after care service model is awful.
The main criticism I would offer of Steve Jobs is that unlike Bill Gates he has not been known for making donations to charity and was apolitical. WIth all the wealth at his disposal he could have and should have done more. Had he put all his billions into research about the complex and undisclosed health problems he was really afflicted with, we might have a cure by now and Steve Jobs would still be alive. It just goes to show that bening a billionaire counts for nothing if the sciecne isn't there. He seemed to be more interested in telling everybody you can make it to the top; when in reality that notion is completely untrue. As for Apple products, I would argue that technology devlopment is such that if it was not Steve Jobs it could easily have been some other techno bod. By the way their customer after care service model is awful.
To me the more interesting story about Steve Jobs was that he was abandoned by his American birth mother and Syrian father. I believe it was that inner sense of abandonment which drove him on to phenomenal success!!!!
Haunting and inspirational.
Not the moment for carping remarks from @Maxinemf. A remarkable man, who will be truly missed.
I pray for Steve Jobs' soul. As smart as he was, it appears he lacked spiritual wisdom. In his speech he claims that "no one has escaped death". All of his knowledge, intelligence and vision, all of his contributions can not save him now. I only pray that in the last moments of his existence his spirit opened to the truth. As Jesus our Lord and Saviour has said "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"
To be fair, Steve Jobs did contribute to charities but did so privately. Additionally, it is important to note that he accepted only a single dollar in salary each year since 1998 and chose not to enrich himself further. He worked for the love of it.
I am profoundly saddened and wish only the best to his family.
@GK, yes he could have made much more money if he wanted. His spirituality and philosophy meant that cash probably meant less to him than many other billionaires. I believe his autobiography will say quite a lot. An astonishing life by perhaps the greatest American business leader of the last 50 years.
To those sad and pathetic people attacking him for Apples poor corporate record of giving, get your facts and morality straight about the man before you speak ill of those you don't know.
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