The Legacy of Steve Jobs

Jan 13

Steve Jobs: the man, the myth, the legend. He was a visionary who not only changed the way we use technology, but also how we view it. He was the man who brought us the Macintosh in 1984, revolutionizing the personal computer industry and introducing the world to the power of graphical user interfaces. He was also the mastermind behind the iPod, iTunes, and the iPhone, making it possible for us to carry our entire music collection in our pocket and have access to the internet at the touch of a button. He introduced the world to the iMac, a sleek and colorful all-in-one computer that combined form and function in a way that had never been seen before.

But Steve was more than just a tech genius, he was a master of persuasion, a guru of salesmanship, the king of the "Reality Distortion Field." For those unfamiliar with the term, the "Reality Distortion Field" is a term coined by Bud Tribble, one of the early Macintosh developers, to describe Steve's ability to make people believe almost anything. He was a master of persuasion, and could convince anyone of almost anything, even if it was completely implausible. Like convincing people to pay $500 for a music player with no buttons. Or convincing people to pay $1000 for a phone with no headphone jack.

He was known for his charismatic speeches that could convince even the most skeptical of individuals that his ideas were not only possible, but inevitable. This ability to bend reality to his will was a key factor in the success of Apple and many of its products.

One of Steve's key partnerships during his time at Apple was with designer Johnny Ive. Together they developed the iconic design language that Apple products are known for today. From the colorful iMacs to the minimalist aesthetic of the iPod and iPhone, Johnny Ive's designs were a major factor in the success of Apple's products. It is said that Steve and Johnny had a bromance like no other, they were so close, they could finish each other's sentences. They were like Batman and Robin, but instead of fighting crime, they were fighting for design perfection.

Steve's influence extended beyond just technology. He was also a major player in the animation industry as the CEO of Pixar. Under his leadership, Pixar produced some of the most successful and beloved animated films of all time, such as Toy Story, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles. It is said that the secret to Pixar's success was Steve's ability to create a "Reality Distortion Field" for animation, making people believe that talking toys and fish could be box office hits.

But Steve wasn't just a tech genius and master of persuasion, he had a softer side too. As detailed in the book "The Bite in the Apple: A Memoir of My Life with Steve Jobs" by Chrisann Brennan, he had a sweet and romantic side that not many people knew about. He was a hopeless romantic who would go to great lengths to make his loved ones feel special. For example, he would surprise his wife with a bouquet of flowers every week, just because. Awwww... that's sweet!

Steve's drug use also played a significant role in his life and his ideas. It's said that his experimentation with LSD in the 70s helped him think differently and see the world in a new light. Who knows what kind of technology we would have today if Steve hadn't dropped acid and had a mind-blowing experience? Perhaps we would all still be using Blackberries and messaging each other on Friendster.

Steve Jobs was a man who changed the world in more ways than one. He was a visionary who introduced us to the power of technology, a romantic who loved his loved ones deeply, a drug enthusiast who helped shape his ideas, and a master of the "Reality Distortion Field" who could convince anyone of almost anything. He will always be remembered as a legend in the tech industry, the animation industry and a true icon of our time. Rest in peace, Steve. You will be forever missed, but never forgotten.

Watch this video introducing the Mac Studio and Studio Display.

Ian Maisel

When I was in high school I worked as a movie theater projectionist, acted in my school plays, and published a series of autobiographical comic books that I sold at music and bookstores. I’ve always loved entertainment, and at Brown University I double majored in Visual Arts and Modern European History because the history teachers told the best stories.

My career began at an artificial intelligence startup company where I worked as a graphic designer and animator creating 3D avatars for virtual personalities. I used a program called Poser that was kind of like a Barbie Dream House for cartoons. My comic illustrations were published in the international edition of Time magazine.

In 2006, I completed a graduate Certificate of Publishing and Communications at Harvard University, where I studied creative writing, acting, and media production. I auditioned for the student theater and was cast in a high-brow Chekhov play and a low-brow undergraduate comedy where I played a California high school guitarist like Keanu Reeves in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.

At Boston College I continued developing my career as a graphic designer and went on to work as an animator at a Jewish nonprofit. In 2008 I left Boston to chase the California dream. I got a job in San Francisco as a litigation graphics specialist for intellectual property attorneys, and I worked on some high-stakes legal trials where I barely slept for a week!

After five years I transitioned into the corporate world and worked as a contract presentation designer at Visa and Bare Minerals. I enjoyed collaborating with senior executives to bring their ideas to life through graphic storytelling and large-scale event presentations. One of my highlights was getting to opportunity to produce an in-house interview with the supermodel Christy Turlington!

In 2017 I took on my first Senior Designer role at Alexandria Real Estate, where I designed high-end investor presentations and art directed photoshoots for major tech companies including Facebook, Google, and Pinterest. The following year I flew out to LA to study video production, and went on to create a digital signage content management system for Alexandria’s 60+ high-tech office buildings across the country.

In 2020 I expanded my focus into social media by producing a video advertising campaign that launched a Visa executive’s speaking career by generating 30,000 social media engagements in five months. Since then I’ve continued designing creative presentations, producing videos, and writing social media campaigns for a wide range of brands including the University of San Francisco and Meta. I love working with high-performance creative teams on exciting projects and enjoy utilizing my creative background to work at the intersection of design, entertainment, and culture.

https://www.ianmaisel.com

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