The irony is, isn't Jobs a Buddhist? Isn't that supposed to condone nasty behaviour and advocate being nice to anyone and everyone?
Depends on which sect of Buddhism one practices. There is Japanese Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism, among others. Japanese Buddhism takes a more rigid approach, with very strict guidelines. Mornings begin at 4:30 am in the Zendo for morning chant/prayer, there is no speaking unless absolutely necessary, days are filled with chores such as wood gathering, cooking, gardening, etc. Lunch is served and somedays a tea service with goods brought in by visitors/guests, bed by 9. In Japanese Buddhism, meditation in the Zendo may last from 30-60 minutes at a time, with both knees touching the floor, back upright, left hand over right hand interlocking thumbs (in homage to Buddha) and staying perfectly still and quiet. The main focus is to achieve "enlightenment", which may very from person to person. While meditating, do not try to push out the thoughts that come into your head, but let them flow through you. Make peace with your past, then recognize the present, and eventually one should be able to meditate with a clear conscious, uninhibited by the material needs and wants of the physical world. The Zendo is a long, narrow meditation room with two sides down an isle with Buddha at the end, each individual sits and faces an opposite individual with the head Monks in the front. During meditation the head Monk may walk down each side of the Zendo with a long bamboo stick. While in front of you if you place your hands together and lean forward, this signals the Monk to hit your right and left shoulders twice with the stick. This is a way of recognizing the physical self while meditating, not to awaken oneself but rather unifying the spiritual self with the physical self during meditation.
Japanese Buddhism believes that enlightenment may be achieved during one lifetime - some in a week, month or years. Tibetan Buddhism believes that enlightenment takes lifetimes to achieve. I have little experience with Tibetan Buddhism. I do know that Japanese Buddhism, as strict as it may appear, is one of the most accepting and diverse practices in Buddhism. Many of the Monks and practitioners came from amazingly varied backgrounds. Over my birthday weekend November 12-14 I went to the "Dai Bosatsu Zendo" in Livingston Manor, NY (Catskills) for a four day retreat (some come from all over the world for weeks and even months) and met some amazing people. The head Monk first came to the US from France as a classical flutist and she decided her life path was in another direction. A friend of mine who recommended it met a then 25 year old who was a buyer for a major high end retailer (she wouldn't say but I guessed it was Fred Segal as she lived in LA at the time). She hated her life, she was extremely sought after in the fashion industry and even though did very well she felt her life path was in another direction.
So my point in all this, Buddhism has many differing sects and differing methods but with similar principles: our life paths are predestined, we cannot change what has happened to us, we must make peace with our selves/lives, and focus on finding enlightenment through transcendence. I do not know what sect of Buddhism Steve Jobs practices, if any, but my guess is Tibetan. Buddhism follows a strict vegetarian and organic diet, and most Monasteries are self providing, they grow their own food and maintain their own energy/heat/etc.
