“When you’re young, you look at television and think, there’s a conspiracy. The networks have conspired to dumb us down. But when you get a little older, you realize that’s not true. The networks are in business to give people exactly what they want.”
- February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011
- American
- Entrepreneur, businessman, industrial designer
- He brought to the world revolutionary products that combined technology and design at a high level, such as the personal computer Macintosh, iPhone, and iPad, and also revolutionized the music industry with the iPod, iTunes, and iTunes Store.
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Quote
“When you’re young, you look at television and think, there’s a conspiracy. The networks have conspired to dumb us down. But when you get a little older, you realize that’s not true. The networks are in business to give people exactly what they want.”
Explanation
In this quote, Steve Jobs reflects on the maturing perspective that comes with age and experience. As a young person, he believed that television networks were intentionally dumbing down content to manipulate or control the public. However, as he grew older, he realized that the networks were not part of some grand conspiracy, but rather were simply responding to what people wanted. The networks were providing content that appealed to the masses because they were driven by market demand and the need to generate viewership and profit.
This realization points to the power of consumer behavior in shaping what companies and industries provide. Jobs’ insight also touches on the idea that many businesses, including Apple, must pay attention to consumer desires to succeed, but they should not be entirely driven by them. Apple, for example, often created products that people didn’t realize they wanted until they were introduced, which is a more proactive approach compared to simply responding to existing demand.
This quote serves as a reminder that businesses often mirror the desires and expectations of their customers, even if those desires are not always visionary or progressive. It’s a reflection on how companies balance market trends with innovation—and how, over time, people may come to realize that their own desires are often shaped by what is readily available to them.
