IS TASTE MORE IMPORTANT THAN SKILL?
Arts and technology have always overlapped; the similarities aren’t always obvious unless someone breaks them down for us. Steve Jobs has been the greatest example of this seamless integration between both disciplines. His unique taste and avant-garde vision have led Apple, the company he co-founded, to create revolutionary tech products that changed our world forever. In fact, they are the main reason we can play, work, communicate, and connect in the way we do today, thanks to the impact of the iPhone and their flagship computer, the Macintosh.
Known for founding and propelling Apple to unprecedented heights, his attention to detail and taste set him apart from other founders, or even contemporary artists. For him, taste represents one of the most profound values when it comes to product building. His ventures in NeXT, another technology company he co-founded in 1985, and in animation movies with Pixar Studios, are testimonies to his relentless pursuit of beauty, curiosity, and the meanings behind eclectic aesthetics.
This article delves into the ways in which intuition, a vibrant spirit, and a keen sense of taste can act as conduits to enriching the inherent beauty in humanity. It highlights the significance of trusting these instincts, as exemplified by Steve Jobs, whose vision and approach not only revolutionized the consumer tech world but also bridged the gap between technology and the arts in an unprecedented and enduring way."
Intersection of Art and Technology
Steve Jobs on Microsoft lack of taste in their product, The Lost Interview
Taste can be described as an intrinsic force or energy that is adamantly expressed when it comes to curating or shaping art and elements. Not only is it about beauty appreciation but also represents a perception with no justification. Just like food, your taste buds have receptors responsible for the perception of taste. In art, other senses are stimulated - vision, hearing, smell, and touch. Hence, the subjective aspect of taste.
At his essence, Steve Jobs is an artist as he exemplified this by merging art with technology like no other. He possessed tremendous qualities that other tech founders and thought leaders lack: an immense passion for design, an insanely sharp intuition coupled with a clear vision of the future. His goal was to paint the most beautiful piece of art using technology as his canvas.
Edwin Land on the cover of Life magazine, October 1972.
He envisioned a world where technology would supplement people’s lives by putting an emphasis on life-enriching user experience and simplicity. His obsession with design led him to conferences related to other industries. He admired Italian designs, such as the architect Mario Bellini, and even the pioneering inventor Edwin Land of Polaroid. He had other amazing and avant-garde references. We can also mention Sony, the iconic Japanese technology multinational, and its founder Akio Morita, which made him a huge fan of their craftsmanship and manufacturing process, reinforcing the idea that making was more important than profit.
Steve Jobs on the Cover of Newsweek, July 26, 2004
With the iPod, Steve succeeded in reconciling the past while connecting people to the future. He drew inspiration from the Sony Discman to create a portable device. What made it special is that it was the first single-handed device that allowed you to store thousands of songs on the go. He reiterated that process with the iPhone by combining the iPod’s capabilities, portability, and compactness with a computer’s ability to browse the internet and the communication capabilities of a phone, all in one device.
Steve Jobs on life, interview by John McLaughlin for the Santa Clara Valley Historical Association
These sources of inspiration weren't merely about aesthetic appeal; they were deeply anchored in his lifestyle and approach to product creation. That state of mind influences every purchase decision one could make. From shape, to materials, to colors, and functionality, it’s about galvanizing every attribute that makes a product exceptional and delightful to the user.
Technology shouldn’t be a de facto separate entity from art. Taste extends across every discipline and bridges the gap between people from different backgrounds. For instance, the reason why the Macintosh is a great product is that those who worked on it were artists who also happened to be computer scientists. Through his imaginative foresight, curiosity, and strategic collaborations, Jobs led his company to become a beacon of innovation and coolness in the tech world.
Less but better, a minimalist approach
Rick Rubin on his taste, via the 60 minute interview
Embracing minimalism, Rick Rubin, the iconic music producer and co-founder of the Hip-Hop label Def Jam, aligns with the ethos of 'less but better.' As explored in his well-acclaimed book, 'The Creative Act' he reveals a spiritual dimension to creativity and advocates for internal calibration towards greatness rather than mere imitation. As a thought leader, it should be the number one priority as it pervades every part of the creation process. “Taste is inherent in every decision,” he notes. “The objective is not to learn to mimic greatness, but to calibrate our internal meter for greatness. So we can better make the thousands of choices that might ultimately lead to our great work.” The more refined the taste, the better the decisions. His minimalist approach, much like Steve Jobs', is about refining choices for impactful creativity. Both made minimalism and meditation core aspects of their lives, deeply ingrained in their work.
Known as the 'reducer,' Rick earned this moniker for his ability to strip away the non-essential to highlight artists’ core creativity. Words sometimes get in the way of describing how someone really feels about a piece of art. However, his focus was to simplify records. His journey into meditation deepened his understanding of personal taste and its expression in art. Furthermore, the producer’s lack of expertise in playing an instrument didn’t stop him from becoming one of the most influential producers ever. His confidence remains in his taste, stating, '[his] ability to express what [he] feels helps him a lot.'
Dieter Rams, in ‘Rams’, a documentary produced by Gary Hutswist
A similar parallel can be drawn between Steve Jobs and Apple; without any deep technical expertise in software or hardware engineering, he remains one of the most influential product designers ever. Trusting one of Apple's most brilliant designers, Jony Ive, Steve focused on making less but better products. Jony Ive’s arrival at Apple in 1992 marked a new era for the Cupertino firm. From that point, it began to take another dimension in terms of innovation and recognition. The world finally started to recognize the cool factor in Apple products, and Jony Ive played a significant role in this ascension. The British designer completely revamped the blueprint of Apple’s lineup by establishing a refined design language, heavily inspired by Dieter Rams. The prominent German industrial designer is known for a set of principles he established for design; a guideline to craft good stuff.
Steve Jobs unveiling the first iPhone in 2007, Apple
This design philosophy culminated in the revolutionary iPhone in 2007. Breaking away from the norm of full-sized keyboards and small screens of its competitors, the iPhone featured a single button and a large touchscreen. This design choice wasn't just about aesthetics; it prioritized the user experience. The iPhone's simplicity, ease of use, and intuitive design resonated deeply with users, setting a new standard in the technology world.
Minimalist Home lit by a Tiffany lamp
As a result, both Steve and Rick used taste as a lever for success and cultivated theirs by looking inward, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, quality, and drawing inspiration from the greats. The taste you have is yours and not necessarily wrong, even against external pressure. Additionally, it remains crucial to surround oneself with the work of the greats. It’s about creating something aspirational from inspirational pieces and bringing different universes together.
This stubbornness in the pursuit of creation led them to significantly impact culture and earned them a place on a pedestal. If you have the right company culture, coupled with the right people and the right strategy, you’ll produce the right products, and the bottom line will follow.
