I almost missed this Steve Jobs interview. Pretty funny. For instance when it's revealed that there are over 300 million copies of iTunes software on Windows computers, Steve says: "It's like giving a glass of ice water to somebody in hell!"
The video shows highlights, the text has most of the interview.
"It's like giving a glass of ice water to somebody in hell!"
ReplyDeleteSadly, if you end up there this will never happen. It's a dark place where the worm dieth not and the fire is never quenched. Where you'll retain all your memories from your life and all the opportunities that were wasted.
The only sounds you'll ever hear are weeping and wailing for all eternity. You'll be seperated from God forever and your loved ones.
You will be tormented day and night. The living death of midnight horror. Repent now for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Romans 10:9)
"Where you'll retain all your memories from your life ..."
ReplyDeleteDoes this mean that if you instead end up in heaven, you will lose these memories? Forget about everything?
"... and all the opportunities that were wasted."
This is crucial, I think. But aren't wasted opportunities wasted regardless of which place you end up in? If the forgetting is the key (see above) that would suggest your life now is insignificant and unimportant since you will be forgetting everything anyway (as long as you end up in heaven). And if this is the case, what are these wasted opportunities then?
Sounds to me the guy is attempting to say this: You shouldn't waste any opportunities now in case you end up in Hell. Because in Hell you will regret those wasted opportunities. However, alternatively you could shoot for Heaven. Then the wasted opportunities don't matter, and in fact you may have to waste some in order to pursue the goal.
I think the guy who wrote (Romans 10:9) wasn't a very clear headed thinker. Or at least he was unable to communicate his case very well.
"It's a [...] place where the worm dieth not and the fire is never quenched."
ReplyDeleteGee, sounds as if somebody finally perfected nature-friendly nuclear energy. ;-)
"You shouldn't waste any opportunities now in case you end up in Hell."
Now, if this were the only reason not to waste opportunities, it would be utterly pointless. Just like being kind to others should be self-evident and spontaneous, not done out of fear from some fiery punishment or in the mercantile hope of some heavenly reward. That wouldn't be the true spirit as I perceive it.
A pure soul creates its own heaven in this very lifetime.
And all it takes for evil ones to know Hell right now, is for them to realize the truth about themselves.
Taken to the extreme, this reasoning suggests it wouldn't take God much power to achieve Heaven and Hell. Just two vast places and a good sorting system. The rest is already ensured by the residents, like a spanish inn where you bring your own food.
I remember a very profound joke:
A man dies. St Peter greets him, saying:
"My friend, you've led a good life, and you've earned your place in Heaven. But in case you're curious about what Hell looks like, you can only have a look now, before you enter Heaven.
- Yeah, sure, I'm curious to cast an eye.
- It's supper time now. A good moment to appreciate the atmosphere", St Peter says, smiling at some secret joke.
He takes the man to a big door, and silently gestures him to look inside. Moaning, weeping and wailing fills a huge room. Myriads of people are seated, in front of big plates filled with soup, the aroma of which is mouth-watering ("the atmosphere", get it?). Each of the damned has a spoon tied to his forearm, a spoon so long it cannot reach their mouth. So the soup is there, tantalizing, but they can't eat a drop. Oh, woe, vey, sorrow!
The man is still impressed when they arrive to the door of Heaven's mess hall, where it's supper time as well. The man enters, and is struck with stupor: the setting is exactly the same!
"Hey, Saint Peter, what gives? These people also have spoons too long for them to eat. Are you sure you've taken me to Heaven?"
St Peter smiles: "Absolutely, my son. Look, something's very different here. They're feeding each other."
I believe this says it all. Fire, steam, forks, boiling oil? Very visual, but totally unnecessary (except to cook freedom fries). Wisdom will settle things perfectly without the need for such fangdangled cornucopia.
But I fully understand that simple people of two thousand years ago would need hugely scary images to get a crumb of the point.
Especially those unimaginative Romans. ;-)
"It's like giving a glass of ice water to somebody in hell!"
ReplyDeleteI'd say it's closer to throwing a bucket of ice water over somebody in a sauna.
Good one, Jeroen.
ReplyDeleteDon't they precisely do that in saunas? Or something of the sort?
ReplyDeleteWell, at least the sauna image will stir less passions.
(Except for that "hot steamy room full of naked people" bit, that is!)