There is no doubt that Steve Jobs is one of the most influential corporate figures over the last 30 years, and that he deserves credit for his successes. Unfortunately, more often than naught he is single-handedly credited with successes that should be shared with others.

Steven Levy provides some interesting information in The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture, and Coolness. This book describes the iPod's evolution and impact, but by the end there was an overwhelming feeling of having worshiped at the "Church of Apple" — with Steve Jobs as the pontiff and Steven Levy as a bishop.

It is important to remember that Steve Jobs does not personally create the products that we purchase. He is a corporate administrator and a remarkable salesman. Steve Jobs did not invent the Apple II, Mac, Pixar, or the iPod — every one of the major successes credited to him was a team effort involving hundreds, sometimes thousands of people. Without artists, designers, engineers, inventors, marketers, and programmers Steve Jobs would be the corporate leader of an empty office.

The larger culture change indicated by this "corporate administrator worship" is worrisome. Society now rarely takes notice of the artists, designers, engineers, inventors, programmers and their accomplishments. The credit, fame, and the bulk of the money earned is given to the administration. The people that actually get the work done are overlooked by popular culture and the media.

When children grow up and make career decisions, what motivation do they have to pursue anything creative? Our children have no incentive to be anything but another "Steve Jobs." This is a dangerous and counterproductive trend, because there just isn't room in the world for everyone to be a "superstar administrator." After all, if everyone was an administrator there would be nothing to administrate because no one would actually make anything. Isn't that already the problem with _______ ? (fill in the blank)

How many more children would be inspired to be engineers if they saw an engineer on a magazine cover, holding an iPod, and discussing engineering contributions to the technology? More than ever, we need "superstar" engineers, designers, programmers, and generally creative people. The more children see that applied creativity is valued, the more likely they are to pursue related education and careers.

Does Steve Jobs really need to be on the cover of another magazine? Does he really need to be given credit for everything he has ever touched, looked at, or sneezed on?

Giving "credit where credit is due" would inspire learning and careers that youth currently perceive as dead-end, menial, and unvalued. Steve Jobs and others in similar positions have the power to inspire current and future generations to enter creative fields, both in science and culture — but that will only happen if they share the spotlight with others who deserve credit.