---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is the first place I have worked…"
description: "\"“This is the first place I have worked that is going to change the world,” Blankenship said, taking a jab at the sometimes trivial nature of Apple’s ga..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/ashlee-vance-4672_apple_this-is-the-first-place-i-have-worked-th_806625.jpg"
---

#  This is the first place I have worked that is going to…

![“This is the first place I have worked that is going to change the world,” Blankenship said, taking a jab at the sometimes trivial nature of Apple’s gadgets.” quote by Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/ashlee-vance-4672_apple_this-is-the-first-place-i-have-worked-th_806625.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/ashlee-vance-4672_apple_this-is-the-first-place-i-have-worked-th_806625.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/ashlee-vance-4672_apple_this-is-the-first-place-i-have-worked-th_806625.jpg)

> ““This is the first place I have worked that is going to change the world,” Blankenship said, taking a jab at the sometimes trivial nature of Apple’s gadgets.””

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker notes that the company’s impact feels grand, yet its products can seem superficial, highlighting a tension between ambition and everyday utility.

**In simple terms:** A big mission can feel lofty while the actual products seem trivial.

Key Takeaway

Recognize both the vision and the practical limits.

Themes

ambition technology perception

Mood

critical reflective

Type

analytical observational

When to use this quote

- startup culture
- consumer expectations
- tech journalism
- product launches

Key Concepts

innovation brand narrative product design

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance excitement for a mission with realistic product assessment?
- What role does hype play in shaping tech narratives?

A Different Perspective

The quote may overstate the contrast for rhetorical effect; not all Apple products are trivial.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Change the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change-the-world/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/)

## Related quotes

> [“The thing that bound us together at Apple was the ability to make things that were going to change the world. That was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-thing-that-bound-us-together-at-apple-was-the-ability-to-make/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [I didn't want to be an artist in the same place I worked. You could always have people that might feel like you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-khaled/i-didn-t-want-to-be-an-artist-in-the-same-place-i-worked-you-could/)

[DJ Khaled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-khaled/)

> [I've spent over half my life at NBC. This is the only place I have ever worked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-zucker/i-ve-spent-over-half-my-life-at-nbc-this-is-the-only-place-i-have/)

[Jeff Zucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-zucker/)

> [The place that I worked I used to joke about it. There was a, every morning at 10:30 I'd come into work and I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/the-place-that-i-worked-i-used-to-joke-about-it-there-was-a-every/)

[Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/)

> [“However this miraculous place worked, it seemed real enough. The sun was hot, the soda was cold, the sky was blue, the grass was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/however-this-miraculous-place-worked-it-seemed-real-enough-the-sun/)

[Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/)

> [Terre Haute. They used to call it 'Terrible Hut' because it was so wide open. Gambling, red light district, speak-easies. I entertained for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scatman-crothers/terre-haute-they-used-to-call-it-terrible-hut-because-it-was-so-wide/)

[Scatman Crothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scatman-crothers/)

> [What is Apple, after all? Apple is about people who think 'outside the box,' people who want to use computers to help them change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/what-is-apple-after-all-apple-is-about-people-who-think-outside-the/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [“Apple at the core, its core value, is that we believe that people with passion can change the world for the better. … And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/apple-at-the-core-its-core-value-is-that-we-believe-that-people-with/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [Don't underestimate the power of your vision to change the world. Whether that world is your office, your community, an industry or a global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leroy-hood/don-t-underestimate-the-power-of-your-vision-to-change-the-world/)

[Leroy Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leroy-hood/)

> [Larry Kramer wisely realized so early on that to change the world, people have to know you. If they know you and see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-murphy/larry-kramer-wisely-realized-so-early-on-that-to-change-the-world/)

[Ryan Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-murphy/)

> [“if i am not in the world simply to adapt to it, but rather transform it, and if it is not possible to change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-freire/if-i-am-not-in-the-world-simply-to-adapt-to-it-but-rather-transform/)

[Paulo Freire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-freire/)

> [Some women are meant to change the world, while others are meant to hold it together. And then there are those of us who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/some-women-are-meant-to-change-the-world-while-others-are-meant-to/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [If I wanted to change the world, the last thing I would do is write a play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-i-wanted-to-change-the-world-the-last-thing-i-would-do-is-write-a/)

[Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/)

> [Paul Gray - he believed in my art, and I believed in his music. Together, we decided to change the world, and that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-crahan/paul-gray-he-believed-in-my-art-and-i-believed-in-his-music-together/)

[Shawn Crahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-crahan/)

> [If you learn something that changes you, you've made progress. If you learn something that changes others, you've helped change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lanie-lane/if-you-learn-something-that-changes-you-you-ve-made-progress-if-you/)

Lanie Lane

## More by Ashlee Vance

> [“Thought Leadership “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” Book by Ashlee Vance “Take risks now and do something bold.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/thought-leadership-elon-musk-tesla-spacex-and-the-quest-for-a/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

> [“He points out that one of the really tough things is figuring out what questions to ask,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/he-points-out-that-one-of-the-really-tough-things-is-figuring-out/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

> [“Musk sits somewhere on the autism spectrum and that he has trouble considering other people’s emotions and caring about their well-being.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-sits-somewhere-on-the-autism-spectrum-and-that-he-has-trouble/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

> [“He’s less a CEO chasing riches than a general marshaling troops to secure victory. Where Mark Zuckerberg wants to help you share baby photos,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/he-s-less-a-ceo-chasing-riches-than-a-general-marshaling-troops-to/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

> [“sometimes at the Sheraton hotel in Palo Alto.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/sometimes-at-the-sheraton-hotel-in-palo-alto/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

> [“Throughout these early years, the engineers credited Eberhard with making quick, crisp decisions. Rarely did Tesla get hung up overanalyzing a situation. The company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/throughout-these-early-years-the-engineers-credited-eberhard-with/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

> [“When Musk is present, the chats tend toward the absurd and fantastic”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/when-musk-is-present-the-chats-tend-toward-the-absurd-and-fantastic/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

> [“Whereas if they change a rule and something good happens, they don’t even get a reward. So, it’s very asymmetric. It’s then very easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/whereas-if-they-change-a-rule-and-something-good-happens-they-don-t/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

> [“I might have fixed that thing but now I’ve made the person unproductive. It just wasn’t a good way to go about things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/i-might-have-fixed-that-thing-but-now-i-ve-made-the-person/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

> [“Like Steve Jobs before him, Musk is able to think up things that consumers did not even know they wanted—the door handles, the giant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/like-steve-jobs-before-him-musk-is-able-to-think-up-things-that/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

> [“Musk pulled Justine close while they danced, and informed her, “I am the alpha in this relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/musk-pulled-justine-close-while-they-danced-and-informed-her-i-am-the/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

> [“for Musk, the distinction between stumbling into something and having intent is important.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/for-musk-the-distinction-between-stumbling-into-something-and-having/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

> [“Well, we will decide we’re going into production and then a miracle is going to happen,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/well-we-will-decide-we-re-going-into-production-and-then-a-miracle-is/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

> [“You don’t tell Elon you can’t do something. That will get you kicked out of the room”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/you-don-t-tell-elon-you-can-t-do-something-that-will-get-you-kicked/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

> [“Founded in June 2002, Space Exploration Technologies came to life in humble settings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/founded-in-june-2002-space-exploration-technologies-came-to-life-in/)

[Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

[Explore all 91 Ashlee Vance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/)

## More Apple quotes

> [“Neither's the one you get, less you want me to see if your apple's ripe, yet. - Yoren”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/neither-s-the-one-you-get-less-you-want-me-to-see-if-your-apple-s/)

[George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/)

> [“Most people believe the apple merely represented Knowledge. But we know better. It was the Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miranda-beverly-whittemore/most-people-believe-the-apple-merely-represented-knowledge-but-we/)

[Miranda Beverly-Whittemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miranda-beverly-whittemore/)

> [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [“An apple with a rotten core can only last so long,” he”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rice/an-apple-with-a-rotten-core-can-only-last-so-long-he/)

[Morgan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rice/)

> [I'm not only a fan of Apple products, I have stock in the company. I think Steve Jobs has started one of the greatest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kid-rock/i-m-not-only-a-fan-of-apple-products-i-have-stock-in-the-company-i/)

[Kid Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kid-rock/)

> [When Apple introduced its game-changing iPhone in 2007, Nokia was caught sleeping on the job. Although it had actually developed an iPhone-style device -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/when-apple-introduced-its-game-changing-iphone-in-2007-nokia-was/)

[Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/)

> [I like to make pies. That's kind of my new obsession - peach, blueberry, apple, strawberry. I make a really good pumpkin pie with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-saylor/i-like-to-make-pies-that-s-kind-of-my-new-obsession-peach-blueberry/)

[Morgan Saylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-saylor/)

> [I love to eat an apple after a meal, just to cleanse my teeth - they always look polished afterwards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-zeta-jones/i-love-to-eat-an-apple-after-a-meal-just-to-cleanse-my-teeth-they/)

[Catherine Zeta-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-zeta-jones/)

> [Back in my school days, when I would scuttle off with a cheese roll, an apple, a box of Sun-Maid raisins and a Penguin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-khoo/back-in-my-school-days-when-i-would-scuttle-off-with-a-cheese-roll-an/)

[Rachel Khoo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-khoo/)

> [As far as Apple goes, it was a different company every few years from the time I joined in 1984.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-kay/as-far-as-apple-goes-it-was-a-different-company-every-few-years-from/)

[Alan Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-kay/)

> [“You are the apple of Love’s eye.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-paul-kirkpatrick/you-are-the-apple-of-love-s-eye/)

[David Paul Kirkpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-paul-kirkpatrick/)

> [Like a satellite in orbit, Apple is perpetually falling. It just happens to miss Earth every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-dediu/like-a-satellite-in-orbit-apple-is-perpetually-falling-it-just/)

Horace Dediu

> [Positive thinking is so firmly enshrined in our culture that knocking it is a little like attacking motherhood or apple pie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/srikumar-rao/positive-thinking-is-so-firmly-enshrined-in-our-culture-that-knocking/)

[Srikumar Rao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/srikumar-rao/)

> [To the extent that anyone anywhere does anything interesting, the question is: 'Why isn't Apple doing that; why is Apple behind in that?' We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-federighi/to-the-extent-that-anyone-anywhere-does-anything-interesting-the/)

[Craig Federighi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-federighi/)

> [I read the Steve Jobs book, and that kind of changed everything. I've been, like, an Apple geek my whole life and have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/i-read-the-steve-jobs-book-and-that-kind-of-changed-everything-i-ve/)

[G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/)

Browse all 889 Apple quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“This is the first place I have worked that is going to change the world,” Blankenship said, taking a jab at the sometimes trivial nature of Apple’s gadgets.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Ashlee Vance"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/this-is-the-first-place-i-have-worked-that-is-going-to-change-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Apple"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/this-is-the-first-place-i-have-worked-that-is-going-to-change-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/ashlee-vance-4672_apple_this-is-the-first-place-i-have-worked-th_806625.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/ashlee-vance-4672_apple_this-is-the-first-place-i-have-worked-th_806625.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/ashlee-vance-4672_apple_this-is-the-first-place-i-have-worked-th_806625.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“This is the first place I have worked that is going to change the world,” Blankenship said, taking a jab at…” — Ashlee Vance",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Ashlee Vance",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“This is the first place I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/this-is-the-first-place-i-have-worked-that-is-going-to-change-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/this-is-the-first-place-i-have-worked-that-is-going-to-change-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
