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Almost 23 years ago, an employee at Apple described Steve Jobs to me as one of the worlds few rock star CEOs. At the time, I didnt understand why anyone would talk about the head of a company in that way. A rock star was an artist who defined the cultural moment and attracted a legion of rabid fans. A CEO was just a CEO, right? In my defense, I was young. I knew little about Jobss personal background or his impact on tech sectorthis was just over a year after Apple had introduced the original iPod, and the device hadnt yet completely taken over the world. Still, I smiled and nodded appropriately. After all, the rockstar CEOs company had just hired me in a sales role. However, over the next five years that I worked for Apple, I came to understand what that person meant. My job at Apple was low-level and non-technicalnothing anyone would find too interesting. Yet when someone discovered that I worked for the company, their eyes lit up, and one of their first questions was, inevitably, So, what is Steve Jobs like? I never met Jobs personally, but I once saw him inside Caffe MacsApples employee cafeteria at 1 Infinite Loop. I recall relaying this mere fact to someone who had asked me if I met him, and to this day, I remember their reply: Count yourself lucky. Very few people will ever be in the same room with a historical figure. They went on to explain that listening to their iPod mini was often the best part of their dayand asked me to tell Jobs, if I ever did meet him, that they were thankful there was someone like him inventing such cool devices. That’s when I realized that Jobs really was a rock starrevered even by complete strangers. Now, 20 years after that encounter, having witnessed how technology has infiltrated every facet of our lives in ways even he probably couldnt have foreseen, I have come to believe Steve Jobs will likely be the last nearly universally beloved tech leader the world will ever have. And thats probably a good thing. The Musk Factor This realization didnt just come out of the blue. Id been thinking about tech CEOs a lot latelyone in particular: Elon Musk. Ill fully admit that back in the early 2010s, I was a big fan of Musk. I admired how he was bringing electric vehicles to the masses and popularizing more climate-friendly means of transportation and energy distribution. It seemed that his products could genuinely change the world for the better. It also struck me that he was, in my then-opinion, the most charismatic tech leader since Jobs. When he spoke, people listened. Like Jobs, he appeared to be a visionaryand that was inspiring. During the early 2010s, I was convinced that he would be the worlds next Steve Jobsa tech luminary who would change the world just as Jobs did and, like Jobs, be nearly universally beloved for it. Boy, was I wrong. Ive never been in the same room as Musk, much less met him, so I wont try to explain what has seemingly happenedwhy he changed so much over the past few years (or decided to reveal his true self). However, seeing furious people across the world picketing at his stores, I am certain that he will never be the next Steve Jobs. And there is no other tech CEO in the running, either. And I believe there are two main reasons for this. Big Techand its role in the worldhas changed For one thing, Big Tech has become fairly toxic since Steve Jobs died in 2011. Silicon Valley used to inspire the general public. Every month in the early 2000s, it seemed like some new product or service was launched that truly improved our lives. However, in the last 15 years, many people feel that Big Tech has begun to cause more harm than good For all their convenience, e-commerce giants like Amazon undermine small businesses, which can be a contributing factor in their closure. When that happens, local communities become more barren, and people struggle to pay the bills. That breeds resentment towards Big Technot love of their billionaire CEOs. Similarly, while social media was once touted as a democratizing force that would unite people and facilitate the sharing of ideas, it is now widely recognized to have negative implications for individuals mental health, serve as a breeding ground for bullying, and is today a significant way misinformation and political polarization spreads. As Pew Research noted, most people also think social media giants have too much influence in politics. Again, none of this is going to endear the CEOs of these companies to the population at large. And the latest tech revolutionartificial intelligenceisnt generating a lot of love from the general public, either. AI is likely to eliminate millions of jobs over the next three years alone. Its also taking the humanity out of art. No wonder a YouGov poll last year found that the majority of Americans were cautious, concerned, and skeptical of AI. If youre the CEO of a company that works on a technology that most people are leery of, youre not going to find a lot of universal adoration. Yet theres another reason why todays tech leaders will likely never achieve Jobsian status. Big Tech is now inextricably entwined with politics and power in a way it never was in Jobss time. Elections are fought and won on social media, wars are carried out with the help of the hardware and software Silicon Valley builds, and Big Tech is spending tens of millions of dollars a year in political contributions and lobbying efforts in an attempt to influence government policy on everything from taxes to regulationsnot to mention curry favor with politicians. Politics and power are, by their very nature, divisive. And America is more polarized today by orders of magnitude than during Jobss early-2000’s professional prime. If you love that Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg were honored guests at President Trump latest inauguration, you can bet that at least half the nation hates it. The Steve Jobs legacy All this is not to suggest that Steve Jobs was a saint, of course. Its been well-documented that he could be difficult to work with and short-tempered in his pursuit of creative perfection. He was beloved as much as he was because he operated in a world before Big Tech was viewed as a Big Villain. And, unlike many of todays tech leaders, Jobs chose toor could afford tokeep his politics private. And he was beloved because nearly all of the products he helped unleash seemed to bring joy to the majority of their users, like the individual I met two decades ago who was grateful to Jobs for the simple everyday pleasure he derived from using his iPod mini. Given how the worldand Big Techs role in ithas changed since Jobss passing, I dont believe well ever have another tech leader as beloved as he was. And, again, I think that is probably a good thing. As much of a fan as I was of Jobs, the deification of any one individual is dangerousespecially in todays environment, where modern tech leaders already wield significant influence over the platforms we use, the narratives we encounter, and even public policy itself. But in Jobs’ time, it was much more palatableand harmless. The person who explained to me that Steve Jobs was a historical figure is now correct. Jobs was a product of a bygone era: a beloved leader in tech.
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As the old folklore goes, if you are feeling extra tired and cranky this week, the upcoming full moon might be to blame. And while you definitely won’t turn into a werewolf, there is some data to suggest the old folklore is true, even if the scientific research on the topic is limited: A 2013 sleep study found that during a full moon, participants spent 30% less time in deep sleep and lost out on 20 minutes of slumber on average. However, skywatchers are in for a treat this weekend, even if they may be missing a little sleep, as a full moon will rise on Saturday night. Here’s what to know about the full moon, and how best to see it. What is the name of the full moon? Typically there are 12 full moons a year, one for every month. Each of these has a nickname given to it by the Old Farmers Almanac, based on Native American culture and other traditional North American historical sources. Aprils full moon is known as the Pink Moon, but this does not refer to the color of the orb. It is based on the flowers that begin to bloom in spring. There are other names for Aprils full moon that celebrate the season. The Algonquin called it the Breaking Ice Moon, while the Lakota dubbed it the Moon When the Ducks Come Back. Even within the same tribe, there were different preferred monikers. The Dakota referred to it as both the Moon When the Streams Are Again Navigable, and the Moon When the Geese Lay Eggs. Anything else to know about the full Pink Moon? Beyond its colorful name, the full Pink Moon will occur just before apogeethis fancy NASA vocab word means the moon is the farthest away from Earth during its elliptical orbit. Because of the distance, the full Pink Moon is considered a micromoon, as it is smaller and dimmer to the human eye compared to a normal full moon or a supermoon. How does Easter play into the full pink micromoon? Full moons are also a tool used by the Christian Church to determine when the Easter holiday will occur. Christmas is always December 25, but Easter is on the Sunday after the so-called Paschal Full Moon. So this year, the full Pink Moon and the Paschal Full Moon happen to be two names for the same celestial event, depending on your religious preferences. This is not always the case. How can you best view Aprils full moon? To catch a glimpse of this cosmic wonder, head outside on April 12. According to the Old Farmers Almanac, the moon will rise at 8:22 p.m. EDT. For best viewing, find a location away from bright city lights. A pair of binoculars or a telescope will help you see more details of the moon. Whats the next celestial event to look forward to? If you need something to look forward to, the night sky has your back. On the evenings of April 21 and 22, the annual Lyrid meteor shower will reach its peak. More to come on this cosmic wonder.
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E-Commerce
Tax Day is right around the corneran annual reminder that without the option to file jointly, singles pay more per dollar earned than married people. Tax advantages are just one of more than 1,000 legal and economic benefits married couples enjoy, a disparity worsened by marketplace and employer practices. Despite its disadvantages, single living is on the rise. While the average age of first marriage was just 21 in 1960, today it has risen to 29. Half the adults in the U.S. are unmarried, and half of them arent seeking a relationship. As many as a third of Zoomers may never tie the knot. But this shift is more than culturalits redefining the rules of personal finance. Freed from the constraints of shared decision-making, single people are earning, spending, and investing on their own terms. And as a behavioral economist who studies single living, I think this could mean big things for the future of money. As more people opt out of marriage, I expect that governments, businesses, and financial systems will adaptjust as they did in response to womens economic independence. The price of singlehood As a lifelong bachelor, I have a cheeky response when filing my taxes: Thats the price of freedom. For many singles, the price is too steep. More than half of singles over 30 feel financially insecure, one survey found, and their economic reality backs it up. For example, singles spend about $5,500 more annually than their married peerswhich adds up to more than $200,000 over a 40-year career. Some of the challenge is mathematical. Married couples split major expenses like housing, transportation, and travel, and rely on dual incomes as a buffer against job loss or disability. Policy amplifies the financial burdens. One-person households are the most common type in the U.S., yet developers still prioritize building large single-family housesdriving up apartment and condo costs. Retirement presents another stark contrast. Singles cant claim spousal or survivor Social Security benefits and solely fund their retirement. Employers design benefits around families, offering spousal coverage, dependent tax breaks and family leave. Single employees tend to shoulder more responsibilities yet receive 3.6 fewer paid days off per year than their married peers. In the marketplacefrom travel to tech and insurancebusinesses often price goods and services with couples and families in mind. Solo travelers often pay single supplements on cruises and tours. Streaming, phone, and retail memberships offer family plans with no option for solo users subscribing as part of a group. Even auto insurance penalizes solo driverstwo-door cars cost 16% more to insure. The costs add up. But the news for singles isnt all bad. The financial upside of going solo I study how singles build financial security through the hallmarks of single living: autonomy and adaptability. An obvious financial factor is the cost of children. While some singles are parents, theyre far less likely than married couples to shoulder the expense of raising a childan outlay of more than $300,000 per child before college. A key advantage: Singles have complete financial control. They choose how to earn, save and spend. Theres less risk of absorbing a partners credit card or student loan debt, covering for reckless spending, or facing the financial fallout of divorce. Career flexibility is another key advantage. Singles can more easily relocate for higher-paying jobs or lower-cost locales , freedom that enables powerful financial arbitrage. Many digital nomads, most of them single, choose countries with lower costs and better quality of life. Singles also have greater control over when and how they retire. Unlike couples, who must coordinate timing and strategies, singles have more freedom to retire early, ride out a down market, or ease into semiretirement. Building a financial system for everyone As a business school professor, Ive seen how slow business and government can be to respond to demographic shifts. The tax system wont change overnightgovernments have long used the tax code to promote marriagebut other policies and practices will evolve. I believe the rise of singles, and the power of their votes and dollars, will make the status quo unsustainable. Scandinavia and parts of Asia are setting precedents. In Sweden, solo adults are recognized as a family of one, with access to housing support, parental leave, and pension benefitsno marriage required. Smart companies will also adapt to recruit and retain singles, who make up a large portion of the labor force. I expect to see an expansion of single-inclusive offerings like caregiving leave, flexible work arrangements, and individual-friendly health plans. Singles also build lifelong support systems outside marriage. Sweden again offers a glimpse of what might be: A landmark court case recently granted life insurance benefits to a platonic partner, proving that legal protections dont have to hinge on romance. Housing remains another legacy system built for couples. While most new developments still prioritize single-family homes, markets like Japan and Hong Kong have embraced lower-cost micro-apartments with shared community spacesan appealing model for solo dwellers. Some U.S. cities are beginning to experiment with similar designs, signaling a shift toward more inclusive urban housing. Chinas celebration of solo living, Singles Day (held every year on 11/11) is now the worlds largest e-commerce holiday, generating more sales than Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined. The company that created it, Alibaba, promotes deals on single-serve appliances, one-way flights, and self-care bundles. Western companies are catching on: Travel brands are waiving singles supplements, restaurants are welcoming solo diners with dedicated seating, and telecom companies are rolling out friends and family plans that dont require a romantic partner. Finally, I believe wealth management will respond to the rise of singles. While Ive found that most financial advice still assumes that people will eventually marry, solo earners need different strategies, such as bigger emergency funds, flexible housing options, and proactive estate planning. Expect a wave of financial products designed for solo living, from retirement tools to mortgages built for one. As singles become the majority in many countries, governments, businesses, and financial institutions will adapt by necessity. The bottom line As an advocate for singles, I am an optimist. Yes, singles pay more on Tax Day, among other challenges. But they also have one undeniable advantage: financial freedom. Singles can do more than survive in a system built for twothey can thrive. Americans are not going back to the 1960s. As solo living becomes the norm, financial systems will evolve. Governments will face pressure to modernize policy, businesses will launch products and services for one-person households, and financial professionals will adapt to better serve solo earners. The institutions that recognize this shift first will shape the futurefor everyone. Peter McGraw is a professor of marketing and psychology at the University of Colorado Boulder This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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