The Burden of Innovation: A Message from Steve Jobs

This is a record of an interview with the spirit of Steve Jobs, who sought deliverance at the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre in Australia. He now resides in the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss and reflects upon his life, the global impact of his technological innovations, and his journey toward repentance. This testimony was recorded by the chief writer, Shi Faxin, on August 15, 2017.

Steve Jobs speaks:

"Namo Amituofo. I am Steve Jobs. The internet is like a vibrant, fluttering butterfly, landing here and there, everywhere and nowhere at once. It is a world of illusion, yet its contents are woven so tightly into the fabric of our daily lives that we can no longer distinguish the screen from reality. People have become so accustomed to the rapid consumption of information that they have lost the ability to explore the profound mysteries of their own bodies. In truth, human beings possess many innate instincts that no amount of programming, no matter how sophisticated, can ever replace.

The Apple Phenomenon and the Digital Tide

Look at the Americans. Once, they were obsessed with basketball or American football. Now, a vast multitude is obsessed with Apple. The iPhone, and especially the tablet, spearheaded a revolution in this great technological era. We fundamentally altered the way humanity interacts with computers. Today, one can carry a computer while walking down the street and not feel the slightest inconvenience. The rapid pace of technological advancement has created a 'survival of the fittest' environment; research and production must churn out one or two new products every year just to keep the brand from fading into obscurity.

This rapid cycle of renewal has transformed human life, and the scope of its influence is immense. By constantly accepting external information and becoming lost within it, the human mind has become less clear, less sharp. The visual and auditory stimuli in online images and videos leave people feeling scattered; their ability to concentrate is diminishing, and they seem increasingly dependent on this constant sensory stimulation. It is a state that is becoming harder and harder to stop. This great tide of the era is pushing everyone forward, but this progress is not necessarily in a positive direction—it is merely a way to fill the void of human emptiness and boredom.

The Demon Nature of Ambition

Human appetites are being nurtured to grow ever larger, and the stimuli required to satisfy them must be ever more intense. In the past, people explored literature; in the modern era, people explore how to beat a game. Writing this brings me a sense of sorrow. I have said before that America is the leader of the world. What they love to film most are superhero movies, which are almost always presented with violence, or else they produce romance films that cause young people to harbour fantasies about love at an increasingly early age. These films are sold to the entire world, and in doing so, they have polluted the human heart.

Now, here in the Western Land, I, Steve Jobs, feel a deep sense of regret. To use Western terminology, the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is what you call heaven. The Western Land of Ultimate Bliss is filled with angels; it does not have the chaos of this living world. I, Steve Jobs, feel apologetic toward this world. In truth, the fact that I was controlled by my own creations cannot be blamed on others; it was my own self-righteous personality. It was a form of ambition—a desire to innovate within this world. This ambition was, in reality, a form of demon nature deep within my heart, echoing the dark currents of the universe. This is the law of the universe.

A Plea to the Tech Giants

I, Steve Jobs, the genius who invented the computer, also became the villain who helped disrupt the world. I do not need anyone to make excuses for me. It was the invention of the computer and the vibrancy of the internet that made this world increasingly chaotic and the human heart increasingly complex. I am trying my best to make amends for something. Today, I invite the titans of technology to calmly look at the words I have written. Perhaps you will find them stinging to the eyes or grating to the ears; perhaps you may even think that everything I am saying is garbage. But think about it carefully—every word I speak is the truth of reality. If you explore your own heart, you will know that this is true.

I am trying to change, and I hope that you who are still in this world, you who hold the power, can save all of humanity. Your change could have a profound impact. This generation needs a technological saviour. It could be you, or it could be you. Stand up bravely. You might be treated as a freak, or you might become a target of attack, but you must know in your heart that you are the true saviour of the world. A human life is very short. You who seem so successful in this world—where will you go after you die? To heaven or to hell? A person's life cannot be lived in ignorance.

Forgive my arrogance and my refusal to admit my mistakes in my previous letters. I am grateful to the Hsiang Kuang Pure Land Buddhist Centre for giving me this opportunity to make amends. It is a debt that is very difficult to repay, but I must repay it. This is the boldness that made my business successful, and this boldness must now be used to repay this world.

Namo Amituofo. Signed by the hand of Steve Jobs."