Friday, October 7, 2011

Steve Jobs

The death of Steve Jobs impacted me more than I thought it would. I actually wept, not once, but twice. Having never met him I had the sense that I knew him, and what I knew about him I really liked.

Since his death I have heard comparisons between him and Thomas Edison and Ben Franklin. I really don't know if you can compare because it is like comparing apples to oranges. But I do know this, that he was one of the great visionaries of our times. He had great ideas and knew how to develop them and bring them to market. I must say that I love my MacBook, and my iphone 4. Steve Jobs was on the cutting edge and was always running ahead of his competition. He not only knew how to develop products, but he also knew how to sell them.

What I am saddest about is that we lost one of the great Americans who is iconic as he related to the free enterprise system. He truly showed us how to do it. He took Apple from the edge of non-existence and turned it into the largest and most profitable corporation in America. He was also a great employer. Five thousand work at Apple in Cupertino, and now there are the numerous Apple Stores around the country. I have yet to be in an Apple Store that is not packed with customers.

I say to those of you who may feel disenfranchised by capitalism and the free market system, Steve Jobs is a shining example of how it works. The protesters on Wall Street this week ought to be ashamed of themselves. Their demonstrations are only telling me that they don't think they have what it takes to make it on their own. That they are jealous of those who have worked hard and become successful. They want someone else to do the work, pay their taxes, so that they in turn can get their government handout. That is not the way America is supposed to work. The sickness of entitlement is screwing up our economy. The protester is biting the hand that feeds him.

America provides abundant opportunity for anyone who will work hard to become successful. Believe me, most who have become successful have worked hard and taken risks that have paid off.

Anyway, Steve Jobs, I will miss you and so will America.

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