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Great lesson: Probably the strongest character trait of Steve Jobs is his absolute lack of fear. While every other CEO in America, it seems, shakes in his boot
by mattparcher 17y ago
Great lesson:
Probably the strongest character trait of Steve Jobs is his absolute lack of fear. While every other CEO in America, it seems, shakes in his boots at the very thought of not having a good next quarter, my experience in knowing Steve Jobs is that, frankly, he could care less about the next quarter. He’s much more focused on the next five years, rather than the next 90 days. But even more than that, it is his quest to change the world, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish that end even if he risks failure in the process.
- hugh3 17y agoI hate to get off-topic but it depresses me so much every time I see someone still failing to realise that the expression is "couldn't care less", which makes logical sense, instead of "could care less", which doesn't.
- jpeterson 17y agoDoes it really matter? I mean, few people will misunderstand that phrase, since it's used so often. Proper grammar is just a transitory convention; what's important is that the message gets across.
- macrael 17y agoIt doesn't matter, the phrase means what it means and when someone uses it, we are communicating. But I think that the issue is not one of grammar but of meaning. Saying you could care less is not grammatically incorrect, it just doesn't seem to mean what the sayer is usually trying to get across. My guess is that time has turned "I couldn't care less" to "I could care less" just by virtue of it being easier to say.
- chipsy 17y agoI've been trying to reduce my usage of idiomatic English lately so that I can communicate better with non-native users. "Couldn't care less" is a kind of idiom, in that a literal interpretation leads you to conclude the opposite of what is meant.
- jarek 17y agoEh? If I say "I couldn't care less about English grammar", in what interpretation does that mean I hold English grammar dear? If you use it right, it means what it says.
- cubicle67 17y ago> leads you to conclude the opposite of what is meant huh? "I couldn't care less" =~ "The value of my caring is so low, no matter how I tried I couldn't make it lower". To me, the phrase and its intent are equivalent, not opposite
- donaq 17y agoIt's just irritating because it makes no sense except when said in a sarcastic tone, which cannot be detected from text.