--- title: Apple’s Soul Crushing, Creator Destroying Metaphor for what AI is Doing to Society description: "“CRUSH” shows vintage tools of human creativity being destroyed one by one: vintage trumpet, piano, analog cameras, books, paint, and much more." image: https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/Crush%20Apple%20video.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/apples-soul-crushing-creator-destroying-metaphor-for-what-ai-is-doing-to-society#maincontent) [ «  View All Posts ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog) # Apple’s Soul Crushing, Creator Destroying Metaphor for what AI is Doing to Society May 8th, 2024 1 min read By [David Meerman Scott](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott) ![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Crush%20Apple%20video.jpg?width=1500&height=845&name=Crush%20Apple%20video.jpg) In a massive fail, Apple used a truly heartbreaking video to launch its new iPad Pro yesterday. I’m not the only one who is disappointed in a company that was founded to aid in creativity. The video titled [*CRUSH*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntjkwIXWtrc) shows tools of human creativity being destroyed one by one: a vintage trumpet, guitar, and piano, analog cameras, books, paint, an artists’ model, and much more. As a collector of various vintage objects as well as a lifelong creator, this video makes me deeply sad. My wife [Yukari](https://twitter.com/yukariwatanabe) says that for Japanese people, who believe that beautiful objects like those crushed in this video have a spirit, this video is in especially poor taste.  [*Tsukumogami*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsukumogami) can roughly translate that tools and instruments after a useful life of many years receive souls and shouldn't be wasted or disposed of thoughtlessly. And the end result, the video’s payoff, is just a new computer? Really? ![Crush Tim Cook Tweet](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Crush%20Tim%20Cook%20Tweet.jpg?width=450&height=419&name=Crush%20Tim%20Cook%20Tweet.jpg)Apple CEO Tim Cook [tweeted](https://twitter.com/tim_cook/status/1787864325258162239): “Meet the new iPad Pro: the thinnest product we’ve ever created, the most advanced display we’ve ever produced, with the incredible power of the M4 chip. Just imagine all the things it’ll be used to create.” I wonder if Cook even watched the video? I wonder if the marketing team showed it to people outside the Apple California bubble? The several thousand replies to Cook’s tweet are mostly negative. However, the negativity is super interesting. It's not hate. It comes from Apple fans around the world. Its more like a profound sadness and disappointment. This is a perfectly soul crushing, creator destroying metaphor for what AI can do to society. And coming from Apple, a company that should know better, it is especially demoralizing. [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/413105/e5b62938-97f3-40a1-9bc9-f10843b48ec1.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/413105/e5b62938-97f3-40a1-9bc9-f10843b48ec1) [ David Meerman Scott ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott) David Meerman Scott is a business growth strategist, advisor to clever entrepreneurs who are building emerging companies, and the international bestselling author of a dozen books published in 30 languages. David’s high-energy keynote presentations, masterclasses, and virtual events educate, energize, and inspire. Connect: [mailto:david@freshspot.com](mailto:david@freshspot.com) Topics: [ Worst Practices ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/worst-practices) [ Case Studies ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/case-studies) [ Newsjacking ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/newsjacking) [ Fanocracy ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/fanocracy) [ Artificial Intelligence ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/artificial-intelligence) Don't forget to share this post: ## Related Articles [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Pirated%20books.jpg?width=1500&height=1000&name=Pirated%20books.jpg) ### Move Fast and Steal Things: Meta Pirated 53 of My Books and Stories to Train Their AI March 26th, 2025|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/move-fast-and-steal-things-meta-pirated-53-of-my-books-and-stories-to-train-their-ai) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Toyota%20website.jpg?width=1253&height=822&name=Toyota%20website.jpg) ### Automaker Website Frustrations Push Buyers Elsewhere December 10th, 2024|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/automaker-website-frustrations-push-buyers-elsewhere) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Do%20not%20play%20Yamaha.jpg?width=1500&height=1125&name=Do%20not%20play%20Yamaha.jpg) ### Please Do Not Play Without Permission November 12th, 2024|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/please-do-not-play-without-permission) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Teen%20and%20Young%20Adult%20AI.jpg?width=1338&height=886&name=Teen%20and%20Young%20Adult%20AI.jpg) ### Generative AI Not Understood By Young People… Educators Are To Blame July 9th, 2024|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/generative-ai-not-understood-by-young-people-educators-are-to-blame) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_126631127.jpg?width=1500&height=999&name=shutterstock_126631127.jpg) ### Customer Testimonials Are Not Effective Storytelling March 26th, 2024|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/customer-testimonials-are-not-effective-storytelling) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/we%20annoy%20our%20clients.jpg?width=1000&height=670&name=we%20annoy%20our%20clients.jpg) ### We Annoy Our Customers March 5th, 2024|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/we-annoy-our-customers) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_272153462%20copy.jpg?width=1000&height=628&name=shutterstock_272153462%20copy.jpg) ### Legal Caution vs. PR Clarity: University Presidents' Legal Advisors Muddled Congressional Testimonies December 19th, 2023|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/legal-caution-vs.-pr-clarity-university-presidents-legal-advisors-muddled-congressional-testimonies-on-antisemitism) [![Man holding a tablet computer with tip options](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_2328873613.jpg?width=1500&height=1000&name=shutterstock_2328873613.jpg) ### Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should October 19th, 2023|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/just-because-you-can-doesnt-mean-you-should) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/max%20logo%20win.jpg?width=925&height=621&name=max%20logo%20win.jpg) ### Max Mayhem: Warner Bros. 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