Knowing your Jobs

Stage Manager: House lights down

Lighting set

Cue spot 1, Go.

Standby actor, aaaaand go.

Raydun enters stage right. She walks to the spotlight centre stage.

R:

I was browsing through Netflix a few days ago and saw the film Steve Jobs by Danny Boyle in ‘newly added’.

My partner wanted to watch it because he is a real apple fanboy.

I was only interested because of Michael Fassbender to be honest.

So we watched it.

We watched walking and arguing and arguing whilst walking

All whilst chatting about this computer jargon

and we kept watching.

We watched the main character acting like an absolute prick inevitably picking apart his potential support

And he keeps arguing

With the people that care for him

and his brilliant brain

Proving to be a worse parent by being in his child’s life

Than out.

And we. Kept. Watching.

Why did we keep watching? What is so gripping about a multimillionaire dickhead who stole everyone else’s ideas?

Normally I just try and enjoy a movie, enjoy the acting

And even though this was incredibly convincing

To make a character so dislikable and

Powerful at the same time

And even though the film smoothly swims through

The scenes, which in my partner’s words were

A cascade of intensity

It just made me angry.

Frustrated that someone gets an entire film made about them just for being famous and rich

No matter how badly they treat others.

Furious that the ending that filled my screen was fake family affection

Fuelled by our need as people to feel good,

just to make the man seem more amicable.

Fuck that.

But why did we continue to watch it?

To be angry. To be part of the arguing, to be one of those employees in the film

That would love to shout back at this successful superpower of silicon valley

Who might not be anything like the man he is based on.

Because isn’t watching the struggles about a single man’s life,

In the darkness, where you cannot be judged back,

The ultimate safe space to judge

And feel superior?

After a brief silence, Raydun bows and exits stage right. Apple’s logo appears with its slogan:

“Think Differently”