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Ask HN: Steve Jobs & Cancer - Can we learn from this?
I have this theory on why Steve Jobs didn't listen to his doctors on his cancer.
Quite literally, throughout his entire life, everyone in the world (including his employees and best friends) have been telling him "it can't be done". Everybody. He literally forced people that said "it can't be done" to do it until "it actually can be done". That was his entire life.
I definitely haven't been doing this as long as Jobs did but if I was being told for decades among experts in the field that it can't be done and they finally done it, I'm not sure I can believe a doctor who is also an expert in his field that says "it can't be done naturally".
Should we consider this as something of a warning to us to listen more carefully and actually believe that "it can't be done" or should we consider this more of "those who live by the sword, die by the sword"?
- arn 15y agoI thought this was a good take on it: http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=13682720&postcount=93 http://forums.macrumors.com/showpost.php?p=13682720&post... It's impossible to separate Steve's rejection of cancer treatment from his brilliance as an innovator and CEO. A more risk averse guy, with less of a sense of drive and infallibility would have got the operation sooner. But a more risk averse guy wouldn't have taken on the job of Apple CEO for a second time and rebuilt the company. If a parallel universe was inhabited by 'sensible Steve' who got the cancer op immediately, I'm pretty sure that none of us would have heard of him. What sort of sensible person would continue to work long hours, if they had a great family sitting at home and a billion already in the bank? I wouldn't! So this 'stupidity' is just the flip side of the coin of Steve's brilliant personality. Yes, he died sooner than he should have - but he also accomplished more during that time than most of us ever will.
- adrianwaj 15y agoHe may have died quicker if he jumped into conventional treatment, who's to know?
- zerop 15y agoWhy did Steve Jobs choose not to effectively treat his cancer? http://www.quora.com/Steve-Jobs/Why-did-Steve-Jobs-choose-not-to-effectively-treat-his-cancer http://www.quora.com/Steve-Jobs/Why-did-Steve-Jobs-choose-no...
- jordhy 15y agoLike every artist he died too soon. People to involved in their crafts forget the mundane details of day to day life. They also forget to seek care because they think they are different. But we're all humans.