By COLlive reporter
British Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks blamed Steve Jobs, the late CEO of Apple, for social breakdown by likening his iPad tablet computers to the tablets of stone bearing the Ten Commandments given by G-d to Moshe.
He was quoted in the Daily Telegraph that a culture in which people cared solely about themselves and their possessions could not last long, and that only faith and spending time with family could bring true happiness.
Speaking at an interfaith reception attended by the Queen this week, Lord Sacks said: “People are looking for values other than the values of a consumer society. The values of a consumer society really aren’t ones you can live by for terribly long.
“The consumer society was laid down by the late Steve Jobs coming down the mountain with two tablets, iPad one and iPad two, and the result is that we now have a culture of iPod, iPhone, iTune, i, i, i.
“When you’re an individualist, egocentric culture and you only care about ‘i’, you don’t do terribly well. What does a consumer ethic do? It makes you aware all the time of the things you don’t have instead of thanking God for all the things you do have.
“If in a consumer society, through all the advertising and subtly seductive approaches to it, you’ve got an iPhone but you haven’t got a fourth generation one, the consumer society is in fact the most efficient mechanism ever devised for the creation and distribution of unhappiness.”
In an attempt to highlight the link between faith and happiness, Lord Sacks pointed out that on the Jewish day of rest, the Shabbat, the devout spend time with their families rather than spending money in shops.
Sacks will be a guest speaker this coming Sunday in New York City at the gala banquet concluding the International Kinus Hashluchim convention that will gather some 4000 shluchim and supporters.
He is not expected to repeat the criticism on Jobs, rather focusing his talk about the Lubavitcher Rebbe, whom he has met as a young confused Jewish student and was deeply inspired to become a leader in the Jewish community.
UPDATE (5:14 PM):
IsraelNationalNews.com is reporting that Rabbi Sacks has issued a statement of clarification in which he explained that he “meant no criticism of either Steve Jobs personally or the contribution Apple has made to the development of technology in the 21st century” and that he “admires both.”
Indeed, Rabbi Sacks added, he “uses an iPhone and an iPad on a daily basis” and “was simply pointing out the potential dangers of consumerism when taken too far.”
100% right
His criticism could be directed to all who have invented IT equipment. Is that the way to go? There are many Israeli IT companies as well as busniesses throughout the world who make a living and who have benefitted financialy from these products. Surely there are much more pressing issues to address.
If Steve jobs was so terrible, why does chabad brand things like Ivolunteer, and the like?
BS:D his point is that relationships have suffered via the lack of interpersonal of these gadgets it’s hard to dispute that but it’s hard to blame one person for that.On the other hand,the spread of the Rebbes words has only happened thru technology.When the Rebbe returns it is hard to imagine that he will stroll into 770 and sit down for a frabrengin, how will it contain the entire world, i imagine that these type of gadgets might be the vehicle for communication.I hope I am wrong
The Rabbi was not making a personal attack, c’mon. That’s ridiculous! Jobs is an icon, a symbol for a way of life, marketing, etc. The Rabbi was using a humorous reference to emphasize his point, and he did it pretty well. Especially when you consider the British mentality and humor. How pathetic of the Telegraph to twist it this way. I think the Rabbi would have to be a lot more biting if he had to discuss the pathetic state of the media…
who read the book knows deep down Steve was a disgusting egotistical abusive human being, but people like his products so they like to whitewash his image.
I think Rabbi Sacks misses the point. The “i” in iPad is NOT capitalized because it stands for INTERNET not INDIVIDUAL. The iPad and iPhone and iMac and iPod are about communication, not about consumerism. They bring technology to the masses so the masses can communicate with one another and so individuals can connect and share things such as knowledge (Sichot, Dvar Torahs, etc.) with each other. Yes, there will always be people tinkering away on their smart phone ignoring everyone else in the room, but there are also people using these devices communicating with each other sharing ideas and… Read more »
this message is easily applicable to the various trends and styles in shlichus, veten lachacham veyachkem od….
If advertisers wouldn’t convince people that they needed something they didn’t have, they wouldn’t make any money.
What does Rabbi Sacks expect them to do?
SO RIGHT, THE WORLD IS MORALLY BANKRUPT…GOT RIGHT TO THE CORE OF THE PROBLEM….APPLE!
SACKS IS IRREPLACEABLE……A GREAT TALMUD CHOCHOM NIGLEH AND CHASIDUS, SCHOLAR, WORLD AUTHORITY ON JEWISH AND LEHAVDIL SECULAR PHILOSOPHY, A DIPLOMAT, INNOVATOR…BAAL SEICHEL, THE LAST GREAT CHIEF RABBI WE WILL EVER SEE, ALL DOWN TO THE REBBE’S BROCHOH IN YECHIDUS. HE SHOULD BE THE MAIN GUEST SPEAKER.
drive a car to bad places or good places so whats the point
“Chief Rabbi of the Brittish Empire” is a political title. Steve Jobs was a businessman. Let Lord Sacks stick to politics, and leave business advice to successful bussiness CEO’s. We have enough mussar sayers here in the USA. We don’t need another one to come from England and give us mussar.
I really dont like to put down the chief rabbi as he will soon be out of a job.But is this really the message to send when Jobs was an inspiration to many people and has just died.I think the chief rabbi would be far better not to attack capitalism but focus on the spiritualism of the British Jews where there are many issues that ought to be dealt with.This has left a bad taste in many mouths.
B’H, A Gut Vokh!
The Rabbi is right on the whole line, and that’s why I was red-faced and amazed to read articles written by Chabad Shluchim posted on Chabad websites praising the dead CEO of Apple as if he was almost the Melech HaMoshiach!