Genuis by Association
Through no fault of his own, and by all accounts in express discordance with his wishes a recently deceased technologist is being lionized in the press and new media. I was struck by the news as much as the next person but among the myriad of articles written about the man I find a similar thread reappearing. The thread of association.
I find it one of the odder aspects of public mourning. What does it matter that you - the reporter - had a previous interaction with the deceased? I don't understand it. So you had coffee with the guy back in the early days. How does that make you a worthy chronicler of his passing? Perhaps If I'd had met the man I'd have felt the same need to tell the story. I didn't however.
My niggling feeling goes beyond that level of association however. It extends to the fan-boy. I have news for them: liking the product of a genius does not require genius of its own. I too am a convert but I don't hold myself in better regard because of it. I'm simply a leaf on the wind of technology.
My little rant should not be construed to impinge on the power of emulation. I realize imitation and emulation can fuel the spirit of future inventors. I get that. He's a worthy icon for the next generation of technologists.
Anyway, those are my thoughts on the subject. By the by, I have no idea why I needed to write this in language that sounds like I was raised a century earlier than I was but that's the way it came out.
I find it one of the odder aspects of public mourning. What does it matter that you - the reporter - had a previous interaction with the deceased? I don't understand it. So you had coffee with the guy back in the early days. How does that make you a worthy chronicler of his passing? Perhaps If I'd had met the man I'd have felt the same need to tell the story. I didn't however.
My niggling feeling goes beyond that level of association however. It extends to the fan-boy. I have news for them: liking the product of a genius does not require genius of its own. I too am a convert but I don't hold myself in better regard because of it. I'm simply a leaf on the wind of technology.
My little rant should not be construed to impinge on the power of emulation. I realize imitation and emulation can fuel the spirit of future inventors. I get that. He's a worthy icon for the next generation of technologists.
Anyway, those are my thoughts on the subject. By the by, I have no idea why I needed to write this in language that sounds like I was raised a century earlier than I was but that's the way it came out.
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