pavyedav | boredom and inherent curiosity, in one

I’m obviously writing about this a little late, but better late than never, since there’s no way I couldn’t talk about Steve Jobs. As a techie and admitted Apple fanboy, I idolized Jobs because of what he stood for, how he did things, and what he accomplished. The man was a legend in the tech industry. It was a sad day for the world when Steve Jobs passed from pancreatic cancer last week.

Steve Jobs was basically a nerd’s Michael Jordan. He was someone all tech geeks could look up to. He made engineering and technology sexy, just as MJ made a dunk graceful. MJ made a fadeaway jumper look easy, and Jobs made churning out beautiful and functional products look easy. He was known to be a prick, as was MJ. He demanded excellence from those around him, and rarely exhibited patience for those who did not have the same drive or competence as he did, just like MJ. 

Nerds (and I am a proud one) are able to look up to Jobs because he showed that you can do work with a computer and still be relevant. Jobs proved you can be successful without needing athletic ability, killer good looks, or even legitimate social skills. He had drive, vision, and intelligence, which can lead you to, as he put it, “the B-club” (billionaires). Jobs gave hope that being a nerd can be cool, programming can be rewarding, going through roadblocks can be instructional, and having passion for an idea can be extremely lucrative.

Jobs, in fact, is more relatable than MJ ever will be because Jobs started off as an average Joe like everyone else in the world, while MJ was born with god-given athleticism (obviously not to say that MJ didn’t work extremely hard to become what he did, but you know what I mean). Steve Jobs is an inspiration for all of us. He will be missed but never forgotten.

Aside: My grandmother passed away a few months ago from cancer, so this disease hits far too close to home. Cancer is unbelievably merciless. I urge everyone to contribute and support all research looking to help treat various forms of cancer. Please support any way you can.