From CNN:
Apple Computer CEO Steve Jobs personally called the family of a 15-year-old New York teenager to offer his condolences after the teen was killed last week during a fight over an iPod, according to a report published Wednesday.
The New York Times reported that Jobs and the victim’s father, Errol Rose, spoke for a few minutes earlier this week after Jobs’ assistant called the paper asking for Rose’s telephone number.
“Some people talk to you like they’re something remote. He was so familiar. After every word, he paused, as if each word he said came from his heart,” Rose told the Times.
Jobs’ persuasive skills are legendary. At first glance, this seems to be quite a classy move on Jobs’ part.
Knowing that he takes much of what Apple does personally, this incident brought a dark side to a brand that has always tried to stand for making technology accessible to the masses, and I’ll bet Jobs feels this very deeply.
Should other CEO’s feel a sense of personal remorse when tragedies result in part because of their products? And what should they do about it?
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I don’t think this was a ‘result of their product’, it was a result of the basic evils of human behavior fueled by greed and inequality. That’s a much bigger issue than an ipod.
But I give credit to what Steve Jobs did–whether it was truly from the heart or even just pr–what he did was respond as a human being, which helps show that there is indeed another side to this tragedy.
Did Phil Knight ever call any parents whose kids were killed for their Air Jordans? Or was that particular mode of crime just urban legend?
Seamus, I was wondering the same thing when I ran across the Apple story. Don’t know the answer.
That was no urban legend, Seamus, I remember wanting to give my 13 year old leg for a pair of air jordans (ok, so I’d only need one then). If Nike did respond, I don’t think it was enough to have left me with any impression. That was before they felt any pressure to be PC.