The purpose of life narratives has gone beyond mere storytelling in our society. The stories that circulate are carefully designed to maximize sales. A strong example is the release of numerous films about the passed businessman Steve Jobs. Each film released has its own position on his life, however all are generally praiseful of his accomplishments; the main accomplishment being his masterful steering of Apple Inc. In particular, the iPhone and its various models have become a worldwide phenomenon. Coincidentally enough, when the release dates of the newest iPhone models are compared to those of the Steve Jobs films there is a visible correlation (See Table 1).
Knowing that every aspect of these films are tailored for the greatest consumer attention causes skepticism in this coincidence. Would increased public knowledge of the Apple Inc. figurehead have an effect on iPhone sales? It stands to reason that the possibility would be taken advantage of. It also raises the question of whether the release of Steve Jobs’ life narratives after his passing is ethical, and beyond that, whether unauthorized biographies are ethical. Is it following his wishes to promote the company or exploiting a dead man’s life story?
Greater understanding of these marketing tactics is important as we proceed through this “memoir boom”(Schaffer & Smith 1) in the developing world. Sociological experiments have ethical research guidelines (cannot include any physical or psychological harm, illegal acts, or violation of the subject’s trust)(Ritzer & Guppy 96) to promote valid and humane research. The telling of these life narratives should have similar restrictions in the interest of the subject. This argument is particularly crucial in the study of life narratives.
Schaffer, Kay, and Smith, Sidonie. “Conjunctions: Life Narratives in the Field of Human Rights.” Biography 27.1 (2004): 1-24. Project Muse. Web. 4 Oct. 2015. < http://muse.jhu.edu/>
Ritzer, James and Guppy, Neil. Introduction to Sociology. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2013. Print
