It has been a bittersweet week for visionaries. Steve Jobs, Apple’s genius and trailblazing innovator, succumbed to an old enemy that no amount of technology can defeat; cancer. But this same week saw three remarkable women awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace and Emeritus Archbishop of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu, turn 80.
I found the dictionary definition of ‘Visionary’ :
vi·sion·ar·y (vzh-nr)
adj.
1. Characterized by vision or foresight.
2.
a. Having the nature of fantasies or dreams; illusory.
b. Existing in imagination only; imaginary.
3.
a. Characterized by or given to apparitions, prophecies, or revelations.
b. Given to daydreams or reverie; dreamy.
4.
a. Not practicable or realizable; utopian
b. Tending to envision things in perfect but unrealistic form; idealistic.
Isn’t it interesting that being a visionary is to ‘dream’, ‘fantasise’, ‘imagine’, be ‘idealistic’, but reality does not come into it. To be a visionary is to be someone who lives in the ethereal world, but someone who will never make things ‘happen’. All of the above people have definitely ‘made things happen’.
“He had new ways of doing things, not just improve what we had or do a better version of something, but do it in a totally different way that the world would swing towards.” -Steve Wozniak on Steve Jobs.
Steve Jobs saw the world of technology and changed it. As all good IT geeks, he got a kick out of playing with electronics. But his visions became reality. Nokia used to be the mobile phone king. Now, if you don’t have an iphone, then you belong to that small percentage that hasn’t caught up. People literally look at you strangely. It was the same with the ipod and now the ipad. Jobs was able to get into our heads and fill them with his visions. Not only do we embrace his products, but we understand why they are important and why there is simply nothing else that comes close. His visions have become our way of life. As they used to say in old bad Sci-Fi movies, ‘resistance is useless’.
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, peace activist Leymah Gbowee, and human rights activist Tawakkul Karman also had their own visions; to see women take the lead in countries where women struggle the most. They took risks and took a tough stance against situations which lead their countries nowhere. For Steve Jobs, pushing his ideas was easier, as he was a man. For these women and others like them, they have to fight just to be heard. They have to fight a male dominated, corrupt system and make their visions happen. Their visions aren’t popular to some. Their visions cause pain to themselves and even to others along the way. But they continue the vision, because they know that the vision is right and just. They know that without their vision, thousands, if not millions of people will suffer greater than they ever have.
Finally, the grand old man of South Africa, Desmond Tutu, has turned 80. His vision was of a South Africa free from Apartheid and suffering. Freedom was his buzz word. He was, and still is, animated, enthusiastic and passionate. Like our Noble laureates, he has had to endure hardship and suffering in order to achieve his ideals. Is he happy with his South Africa in 2011? Has his vision become reality? Apartheid is dead, that he is happy with. But he still fights for freedom in neighbouring Zimbabwe, justice for Palestinians and a South Africa that can shine. Visions are dreams. Visions are fantasy. Visions are how we want the world to be, or ourselves to be. Visions are not reality. It takes hard work, suffering, pain and sweat to make them happen. No pain, no gain. The lovely thing about visions is that we can share them. When we share them, they become infectious. Others start to promote our visions alongside us. Before you know it, visions are no longer living in the ethereal world. We are living the vision.
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October 11, 2011
What Makes A Visionary?
Posted by damob under Social commentaryLeave a Comment
It has been a bittersweet week for visionaries. Steve Jobs, Apple’s genius and trailblazing innovator, succumbed to an old enemy that no amount of technology can defeat; cancer. But this same week saw three remarkable women awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace and Emeritus Archbishop of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu, turn 80.
I found the dictionary definition of ‘Visionary’ :
vi·sion·ar·y (vzh-nr)
adj.
1. Characterized by vision or foresight.
2.
a. Having the nature of fantasies or dreams; illusory.
b. Existing in imagination only; imaginary.
3.
a. Characterized by or given to apparitions, prophecies, or revelations.
b. Given to daydreams or reverie; dreamy.
4.
a. Not practicable or realizable; utopian
b. Tending to envision things in perfect but unrealistic form; idealistic.
Isn’t it interesting that being a visionary is to ‘dream’, ‘fantasise’, ‘imagine’, be ‘idealistic’, but reality does not come into it. To be a visionary is to be someone who lives in the ethereal world, but someone who will never make things ‘happen’. All of the above people have definitely ‘made things happen’.
“He had new ways of doing things, not just improve what we had or do a better version of something, but do it in a totally different way that the world would swing towards.” -Steve Wozniak on Steve Jobs.
Steve Jobs saw the world of technology and changed it. As all good IT geeks, he got a kick out of playing with electronics. But his visions became reality. Nokia used to be the mobile phone king. Now, if you don’t have an iphone, then you belong to that small percentage that hasn’t caught up. People literally look at you strangely. It was the same with the ipod and now the ipad. Jobs was able to get into our heads and fill them with his visions. Not only do we embrace his products, but we understand why they are important and why there is simply nothing else that comes close. His visions have become our way of life. As they used to say in old bad Sci-Fi movies, ‘resistance is useless’.
Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, peace activist Leymah Gbowee, and human rights activist Tawakkul Karman also had their own visions; to see women take the lead in countries where women struggle the most. They took risks and took a tough stance against situations which lead their countries nowhere. For Steve Jobs, pushing his ideas was easier, as he was a man. For these women and others like them, they have to fight just to be heard. They have to fight a male dominated, corrupt system and make their visions happen. Their visions aren’t popular to some. Their visions cause pain to themselves and even to others along the way. But they continue the vision, because they know that the vision is right and just. They know that without their vision, thousands, if not millions of people will suffer greater than they ever have.
Finally, the grand old man of South Africa, Desmond Tutu, has turned 80. His vision was of a South Africa free from Apartheid and suffering. Freedom was his buzz word. He was, and still is, animated, enthusiastic and passionate. Like our Noble laureates, he has had to endure hardship and suffering in order to achieve his ideals. Is he happy with his South Africa in 2011? Has his vision become reality? Apartheid is dead, that he is happy with. But he still fights for freedom in neighbouring Zimbabwe, justice for Palestinians and a South Africa that can shine. Visions are dreams. Visions are fantasy. Visions are how we want the world to be, or ourselves to be. Visions are not reality. It takes hard work, suffering, pain and sweat to make them happen. No pain, no gain. The lovely thing about visions is that we can share them. When we share them, they become infectious. Others start to promote our visions alongside us. Before you know it, visions are no longer living in the ethereal world. We are living the vision.
Enjoy your day
Like this: