iDeath: Steve Jobs, an Unpopular Critique

PERHAPS THE BEST SUMMARY I heard in relation to the impact of Steve Jobs came from a Canadian journalist who summed up Steve Jobs life with the techie term, 'disruptive innovation'.

Through that 'disruption' Steve changed the world for the better.

iTunes, the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad, the iMac, etc ~

I certainly don't do Windoze…

THAT SAID, all was not well with the much-ballyhooed man who was synonymous with Apple Inc.

In the end our habits own us, and we shouldn't be too surprised that Steve's habit of inter-personal severity owned him, and the resentful petulant man who was forever upset with underlings that failed to impress, but more so upset by being put up for adoption as a baby, later refused every opportunity for amends to be made by the once offending, now, contrite.

Through the years, Steve nursed his rage against his biological father.

Steve did forgive his birth mother for the great heave-ho, and later acknowledged a daughter he too initially rejected—but forgiving an aging father with outstretched arms proved to be too much, too overwhelming for the fastidious nerd who changed the world. And who—eventually learned to take regular showers.

Still, I guess being surrounded by paid accolades who bow to your every whim at 1 Cupertino Loop can set one up with a false dichotomy, whereby your petty personal viewpoint is always right, and the whole rest of the world is terribly wrong.

Except, Steve's father, John Jandali, wasn't another computer or software brand, he was, well—his father.

The man who gave Steve life.

Yeah, that guy.

Whatever false, morally relative construct Steve used—throughout the long years—to shield himself emotionally from his father, will, happily, never replace that seemingly innocuous and obvious command to honour one's father and mother. And with that eternal directive, came the general, temporal promise, of a long life.

Or could it be, as it is in most cases where father-son, father-daughter estrangement occurs, the divorced/separated/offended mother fuels the on-going separation and hostility of her offspring—against their biological father. I do not mean Clara Jobs here. I mean Joanne Carole Schieble, Steve's biological mom.

Or was it a tandem thing? Mother and daughter (Mona Simpson) against John Jandali? This is also often the case.

Steve, and his biological sister Mona (the other offspring of John and Joanne) became best friends after having not known each other until their late 20s. Such can be the fall-out from adoption, and disappearing into the night. After their brother-sister relationship solidified, Mona encouraged Steve to reach out to their mother, now Joanne Schieble Simpson, and Steve later invited Joanne to some Apple events. Mona paved the way for Steve to reconcile with mom, Joanne. However, Joanne had likely so sabotaged Mona and John's continued relationship, from the earliest of times, that the foundation had already been laid for Steve to later follow suit. And so, he too, joined with Mona in rejecting father John.

Good one, Joanne. Good one, Mona.

Divorced fathers this is likely the most famous example you will ever have, of the effects of the negative power-play, your former spouse can exert over your mutual offspring.

If its a stormy break, she'll turn the kids against you, forever.

It's her one final way to hurt you.

Hurt, unstable mothers, are working behind the scenes, sabotaging your chances to keep an ongoing relationship with your son or daughter. The provincial family courts in Ontario, Canada are quite wise to the potential for this extended Mommie-dearist tactic and strongly encourage mediation.

Courts elsewhere—not so much~

Steve Jobs: Incredible visionary! Spectacular inventor!

Good son?

Well, two out of three, ain't bad.

Closing off a homily one Sunday at Mass, I remember one of our parish priests noting, that whatever disasters befall us—short of death—we never did have the right to expect perfect parents.

But apparently, Steve still did.

Good-bye, Steve.

Thanks for the presents.

Your dad never had your presence, but he has one of your iPads. And he lined up like everyone else to get one.

Roll that image through the theatre of your mind, folks.

The closest John Jandali (Steve Job's father) was able to get his son—was to buy one of his son's products—from one of said son's stores.

ABSOLUTELY disgusting. Monumentally saddening.

While Steve Jobs, being a Buddhist, never had access to the treasure trove of Christian admonishment to act otherwise, still the moral law is written on the hearts of all men—even those outside of the influence of Christian revelation.

Still, Jobs loved the Beatles, and he should have, at least, listened to them.

"For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder"
(Hey Jude)

How many letters and postcards from father John Jandali (through the years), went unanswered, Steve?

I hope someone in the Jobs or Simpson family will FINALLY take the high road and reach out to John Jandali, Steve's estranged (not-by-choice) father in these, his twilight years.

But since we're dealing with Buddhists and pagans here—don't hold your breath.

You can't reason with pagans.

The world may praise Steve Jobs all they want. And he certainly deserves their praise—for the amazing Apple products that were brought to fruition under his leadership—for those eager, and consuming masses.

But, and there is always a but… Steve's final denial of his father, even from his deathbed, certainly gives me, great pause~




(Photo: Apple Canada Head Office, take pictures here and security comes out to meet you!)