FAKE LAST WORDS!
Since early November 2015, several social media sites and blogs have been circulating a fake essay on happiness and the mis-pursuit of wealth touted as the Last Words of Steve Jobs.
Some highlights of this fake essay are reproduced below:
Steve Jobs’ Last Words
I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes, my life is an epitome of success.
However, aside from work, I have little joy. In the end, wealth is only a fact of life that I am accustomed to.
At this moment, lying on the sick bed and recalling my whole life, I realize that all the recognition and wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled and become meaningless in the face of impending death….
Now I know, when we have accumulated sufficient wealth to last our lifetime, we should pursue other matters that are unrelated to wealth…
Should be something that is more important:
Perhaps relationships, perhaps art, perhaps a dream from younger days
Non-stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me.
Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost – Life.
Whichever stage in life we are at right now, with time, we will face the day when the curtain comes down.
Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends.
Treat yourself well. Cherish others.
On the face of it, it make a good, albeit emotionally-touching read.
The fact is that Steve Jobs never said these words. Not even close.
Here are some facts:
On the evidence of the eulogy by Steve’s sister, novelist Mona Simpson, who was present during Steve’s last hours, we know what Steve Jobs’ final words really were. This eulogy was published in The New York Times on 30th of October 2011. In that eulogy, she described Steve’s last moments as follows:
But with that will, that work ethic, that strength, there was also sweet Steve’s capacity for wonderment, the artist’s belief in the ideal, the still more beautiful later.
Steve’s final words, hours earlier, were monosyllables, repeated three times.
Before embarking, he’d looked at his sister Patty, then for a long time at his children, then at his life’s partner, Laurene, and then over their shoulders past them.
Steve’s final words were:
OH WOW. OH WOW. OH WOW.
No one since his death in 2011 until November 2015 said anything about these purportedly last words that suddenly appeared on the net this month.
Steve Jobs official biographer, Walter Isaacson, who met regularly with Steve during his last three years of life and had over 40 exclusive interviews with him, makes no mention of the fake essay in Steve Jobs’ biography. Nor do any other books about Steve Jobs mention this quote. If Steve Jobs really wanted this wisdom to be circulated to wider public, he would have at least mentioned about it to his biographer or family members or anyone at Apple Inc. We have no evidence of it at all.
From all available evidence, it is clear that…
Steve Jobs was not afraid of death, as he made it very clear in his memorable 2005 Stanford Commencement Address: “Death is very likely the single best invention of life…Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life…Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”
Steve Jobs did not pursue wealth; he pursued an abiding dream and a compelling vision–to make a dent in the universe. It is common knowledge that Steve Jobs salary at Apple was $ 1. He had not been awarded any new equity since 2003, despite being its largest individual shareholder. His annual salary had been $ 1 since 1998. Top Apple executives, including Jobs, were/are employed at will, without severance or employment agreements, tax reimbursements or supplemental retirement benefits.
Thus from all accounts and intents, it is clear that Steve Jobs did not pursue wealth as an end, as the fake quote falsely mis-appropriates. Steve Jobs pursued a vision for Apple that was much grander and larger than any wealth of the world.
Hence, this falsely attributed set of quotes presented as Steve Jobs’ last words were NOT his last words.
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