The sins of Jobs, visited upon the next generation
The next generation being two recently ousted corporate assholes, Scott Forstall of Apple and Steve Sinofsky of Microsoft. Let us pause to appreciate a rare moment for justice: both got their comeuppance.
Both followed in Steve Job’s footsteps, styling themselves as indispensable visionaries who are entitled to set aside usual expectations of respectful treatment in the workplace, on account of their presumed manifest importance.
Thing is, Jobs was an asshole but also something of a world historical figure, who not only revived Apple, but saw the world revolutionized by his innovations within his unfortunately short lifetime. That doesn’t justify his mistreatment of others. It does explain why people would be willing to tolerate him as on balance a force for good.
Both Forstall and Sinofsky had major successes, but probably overestimated their importance, both real and perceived. I’m guessing that both crossed a line: people became unwilling to regard them as on balance a force for good. “He just isn’t worth it,” as they might have put the idea.
Call this a blow for justice in a world in which assholes have been running out of control. Could it be a harbinger of moral progress, because cooperative people are increasingly saying “enough is enough”? Because cooperative dispositions are increasingly what makes for success, even in corporate life? I don’t know. I hope so.
