Tim Cook Reflects on His Early Years and Steve Jobs in George Washington University Commencement Speech

[thekeyring]

So the guys Apple watch is on upside down on his wrist?

It can be configured that way.

 

[Rogifan]

And each time he makes these public statements, the hypocrisy is reinforced. As much as Cook likes to summon some memory of Jobs in these speeches, I can't recall Jobs ever making a spectacle of himself with these references to social issues. In running Apple Jobs was as "progressive" as they come, but he led the way by action and example, not empty words. He didn't waste his time pandering to politicians and outside dogooders.

It's interesting, Cook's commencement speech at Auburn was much less political. No references to "social justice" and "values". Of course he gave that speech while Steve was still CEO. Tim was much less openly political while Steve was still alive. If I was a graduate in that audience I think I would've liked to have heard more about Tim Cook's journey from someone just like me to CEO of the most valuable corporation in the world. What valuable lessons did he learn along the way that he can pass on to me. I couldn't care less what politicians he liked or disliked and I have no idea what that has to do with a graduation speech.

 

[JCrz]

It would have been funny if he used a Samsung Galaxy S6 to take a picture of the crowd at the end.

 

[AFDoc]

I don't think it's about shaking the hand of a CEO, but about shaking the hand of someone who just gave a great speech.

LoL keep telling yourself that.... maybe you'll start to believe it.

 

[ErikGrim]

Threads like these sure is a great opportunity to cull the rabble and add to the ever growing ignore list.

 

[jakemb1999]

Upside Down

In the last picture, did anyone notice that the Apple Watch on the guy's wrist is upside down? The digital crown is on the bottom instead of the top.

 

[iTom17]

LoL keep telling yourself that.... maybe you'll start to believe it.

Well, apparently at least 10 others do.

 

[Keirasplace]

I found Tim's speech regarding Apple's role as an enabler of social justice to be utterly ironic, if not hypocritical.

Yes, a camera in every phone in conjunction with social media has enabled victims of oppression to bring their plights to light. But where is the justice for the Foxxcon employees who committed suicide due to unrelenting pressure by their bosses? Where was Apple to demand better working conditions BEFORE the press ran multiple articles on the issue.

Personal values and ethics is another good one. What does it say about the values and ethics of a company that pioneered tax evasion strategies - leaving more of the general tax paying population holding the bag? Or the use of strong arm legal tactics to compete via the courtroom rather than through innovation?

Like many successful CEOs, Tim Cook's ruthlessness, like Steve Jobs before him, is well-known. By definition, ruthless individuals are devoid of compassion; values which are at odds with decisions that focus on maximizing profit. We'll never really know, for an example, if "coming out" was either a PR stunt or a genuine gesture. The point is, it's hard to reconcile what a CEO says before a podium versus what actually occurs in Apple's boardroom.

Speeches by CEOs at educational institutions are often made for two reasons: PR value for the company and increasing the perceived value of said institution hosting the CEO. It matters little who the students nominate at the end.

Prove to me that these guys are:
- Paid LESS than the average Chinese workers (they're paid in fact way more)
- That their working conditions are worse than the average Chinese worker (they're in fact way better)
- That the suicide rate in that factory is higher than the general population of similar countryside workers working in the cities (I'd bet it is less).

Anything else is just self righteous first world condescension and pap.

Quebec has one of the highest suicide rate for young people, is that Apple'S fault too? It must be cause that would make people click more on my link...

Spurious linking of "facts" and taking information out of its context is what the modern so called media (and assorted echo chamber bloggers) have now resorted too.

 

[Benjamin Frost]

In the last picture, did anyone notice that the Apple Watch on the guy's wrist is upside down? The digital crown is on the bottom instead of the top.

That's because he's left-handed; it's on his right wrist. It looks less elegant and is harder to use, but that is the un-Appley compromise that Ive made.

 

[Dennison]

Exactly because a guy with charisma can run a company so much better than one that's a dork. Herp.

Yep. And Steve was definitely a total dork too, just a very different one.

 

[phaedarus]

Prove to me that these guys are:
- Paid LESS than the average Chinese workers (they're paid in fact way more)
- That their working conditions are worse than the average Chinese worker (they're in fact way better)
- That the suicide rate in that factory is higher than the general population of similar countryside workers working in the cities (I'd bet it is less).

Anything else is just self righteous first world condescension and pap.

Quebec has one of the highest suicide rate for young people, is that Apple'S fault too? It must be cause that would make people click more on my link...

Spurious linking of "facts" and taking information out of its context is what the modern so called media (and assorted echo chamber bloggers) have now resorted too.

The wages paid versus the median in China are irrelevant – wages are not the topic of discussion.

The youth suicide rates in Quebec are a straw man – Foxconn has no factories in Quebec.

The working conditions in the plants are abysmal. Roughly 18 Chinese universities that have conducted a study on Foxconn have concluded that it is run in a manner similar to that of a labour camp. Routine abuse has been alleged by many workers which include demands for 36 hour long shifts. One of the suicide victims, Sun Dan-yong, claimed he was beaten by employees and his home forcefully searched after losing one of the iPhone prototypes. Even child labour was cited in one of Apple’s own reports.

Suicide rates as a result of workplace abuse is inexcusable for any American company which values the lives of their employees and holds itself to a higher standard. What was Foxcon’s answer to the suicide rates? They adding netting to prevent their works from jumping off the building; scheduled prayer sessions with Buddhist monks; forced employees to sign no-suicide pledges in addition to legally binding declarations that employees nor their families would sue Foxconn as a result of death by suicide. In other words, the remedies imposed benefited Foxconn more than its employees.

Values? Ethics? Social justice? They're merely words for Apple and the CEO of Apple invoking them at a public speech is hypocrisy at the highest order.

Lastly, the fact that you seem to imply that there is an acceptable rate of suicide within a given threshold is something I personally find abhorrent. Please move to China and sign up for a job at Foxxcon. Let us know how that works out for you. Anything else is, as you put it, is “Spurious linking of facts and taking things out of context”.