Walter Isaacson’s 2011 biography of Steve Jobs ends with a narration of what transpired during the Apple co-founder’s memorial service. During the service, an unaired version of Apple’s “Think Different” commercial was played, with Jobs serving as the narrator instead of the personality that originally undertook the role when the ad was in circulation. In its entirety, it reads:
“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes/ The ones who see things differently – they’re not fond of rules. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things. They push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
While not entirely written by him, the script of the ad perhaps best captured the core of who Steve Jobs is. Indeed, almost 9 years after his death, Jobs’ influence still reverberates in Silicon Valley, his old stomping grounds, and in the many business leaders and executives who have cited him as an inspiration.
Exploration of Jobs’ psyche
To this date, Isaacson’s biography remains the definitive account of Steve Jobs’ life. The only biography authorized by Jobs himself, Isaacson began gathering material for the book when his subject was still alive. With the amount of access he had to Jobs, Isaacson’s work plays much less like a simple narration of life events, but an exploration Jobs’ psyche and how this affected the identity of Apple.
Starting from his birth and adoption as a young boy, to his initial departure from Apple, his triumphant return, and his eventual death, Isaacson throughout the book identifies overarching themes that have emerged in Jobs’ life.
Apple’s emergence as an extraordinarily creative tech company, for example, traces its roots to Jobs’ exposure to the liberal arts and eastern spirituality during his younger years. Jobs positioned Apple not just as a computer company, but a creativity and innovation company. Isaacson recounts how Jobs often described himself as living in the “intersection of technology and the humanities” and applying the principles of art and sophisticated design to any product Apple engineered.
Thinking differently
Isaacson also masterfully chronicles how the counter-culture era in the United States shaped Jobs as a “rebel” entrepreneur, personifying Apple’s mantra of “Think Different” by going against conventional wisdom in developing the company’s products. Jobs wasn’t content with just positioning Apple as another specialist engineering recruitment agency (as much of Silicon Valley was); He wanted Apple to be a trailblazer that went against the grain.
But perhaps what truly sets Isaacson’s book apart from other accounts is how he ties in the themes of Jobs’ life with lessons for industry and society. Looking at how Apple’s innovative products have disrupted and revolutionized industries, we are given a glimpse into what companies should do to really innovate and contribute substantially to society.
Isaacson also positions Jobs’ life as a cautionary tale for the pitfalls of mercurial leadership. While Jobs is seen as a visionary, his early days at Apple also show how he often made unrealistic demands from his employees, which may have not been necessary for the results that he wanted.
Overall, Isaacson’s “Steve Jobs” is an important chronicle of one of the 20th century’s most important figures. Like its subject matter, it is written with elegant, but powerful simplicity that is sure to offer important takeaways for its readers.
