Elezer Habtewold Essays - Steve Jobs, Film, Technology, Business

Elezer Habtewold Dr. Riley Rhet 1302 February 10, 2017 Three stories Throughout history; we have heard and seen many great speeches that are now considered monumental. Maybe it was the way they connected with their audience, or the way the speech was carried out, or maybe even the famous one-liners we all love and remember. Regardless of the reason, these speeches have managed to last countless years and are still remembered today. But even today, momentous speeches are being made by many great pioneers. In his speech at the Stanford University's graduation ceremony in 2005, Steve Jobs delivered a speech that captivated the young and talented graduating class. "Stay hungry, stay foolish," he said as he concluded his speech. That phrase is one that was strategically placed by Jobs in order to create a lasting impression on his audience. By the use of pathos and adequate organization, Jobs does an excellent job of communicating his thoughts and beliefs to his audience in a precise manner. In a fact driven world, it is close to impossible to prove a point without showing an array of facts. However, Jobs relies only on his opinion and past events as evidence. His use of personal stories made a great substitute for the facts that he was lacking. The stories play a huge role in displaying an image of himself that is made to look like the everyday person. He makes it seem as if he is a person that has overcome the trials and tribulations of any other Stanford graduate. For example, Jobs states "I did not have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, it returned Coke bottles for the 5 cent deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night." Jobs also articulates that despite his success, he is just like the average person that goes through the same struggles. If his fame and success did not get him an attentive audience, making himself sound more relatable definitely have. Jobs breaks down the stereotype that rich and succ essful people are just handed the success and money without facing any adversity. Developing this image of himself not only displays the use of ethos, but it also allows him to win the hearts of his audience. This also leads to more credibility and deeper connection with the audience. As a successful businessman, bringing his audience into his personal anecdotes and sharing his advice gives jobs credibility. He tries to convey the message that though he has been through tough times, he has created his own success. This also leads to a deeper connection with each individual member of the audience. Furthermore, Jobs repeatedly exhibits the theme of failure and success, so that the audience is able to understand what it truly takes to be successful. While still preserving simplistic language and wording, Jobs employs analogies and imagery in order to induce understanding and anguish from the audience. One example of this is when he describes an event that devastated him the most; Getting fired form apple. "I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley," Jobs said in dismay. Then, he again retreats to the central theme of the speech by talking about how he has successfully overcome his struggles. Jobs continually states that the reason why he kept pushing because of the love he had for his profession; he practiced persistence rather than abandonment. And that is what led to his many ventures like neXT, Pixar and his regaining of power at Apple for several years before his passing. For this purpose, he voices to his audience, "The only way to do great work is to love what you do". The indication of hardship by Jobs not only creates authenticity, but it also creates a sense of emotional attachment with the audience. Jobs mentions the time he was stripped of his position as CEO of Apple,