Great Steve Jobs email on the marvelous nature of human activity

Thanks, John Sherrie:

Lew,

I know you were fond of Steve Jobs. You once referred to him as “the great man of Apple,” and I’ve always loved that turn of phrase. I came across this email that Steve Jobs wrote to himself in 2010. Apparently he would do that as a way of keeping track of things that came to his mind.

“I grow little of the food I eat, and of the little I do grow I did not breed or perfect the seeds.

I do not make any of my own clothing.

I speak a language I did not invent or refine.

I did not discover the mathematics I use.

I am protected by freedoms and laws I did not conceive of or legislate, and do not enforce or adjudicate.

I am moved by music I did not create myself.

When I needed medical attention, I was helpless to help myself survive.

I did not invent the transistor, the microprocessor, object oriented programming, or most of the technology I work with.

I love and admire my species, living and dead, and am totally dependent on them for my life and well being.”

The original source for this is the new Steve Jobs Archive: https://stevejobsarchive.com

When I came across this on Twitter I quote tweeted it and added my own commentary: “Incredible piece of writing from Steve Jobs. He was a man who understood the remarkable, spontaneous, enriching wonder that is the free market and the division of labor. We should all marvel at this as he did.”

Just thought you’d find that interesting. Thanks for all of the work you do, Lew!

The Best of Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.