Elgan: How to become an iPhone Vulcan

Want to be just like Mr. Spock? Yeah, there's an app for that.

By Mike Elgan

July 11, 2009 06:00 AM ET

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Apple iPhone 3.0

Full coverage: Mobile

Computerworld - Star Trek's Mr. Spock is one of the most compelling characters in all of science fiction. The attributes that made him indispensible to the captain and crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise (not to mention to the lucrative Star Trek franchise) -- his stoic attitude, mastery of logic, accelerated education and physical fitness -- also happen to be key ingredients of success right here on Earth.

Beyond Spock's pointy ears, pneumatic eyebrow and green blood, nearly all Spock's best characteristics were acquired through training and practice. Vulcans are made, not born. And self-made Vulcans walk among us.

Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who crash-landed a U.S. Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson river in January, is clearly a Vulcan. A bird strike at low altitude over a densely populated area of New York shut down both engines of his jetliner. Sullenberger used his "Vulcan mind powers" to compartmentalize his emotional response to the event, and pushed aside all thoughts other than those necessary to safely land the airplane.

Sports legend Tiger Woods has spent his entire life systematically mastering golf and the psychological techniques to concentrate under the pressure of the media's glare and world-class competition. Woods uses his extraterrestrial powers of concentration, and ultra-repetitive training, to make himself the best golfer in the world.

Whether you support or oppose him, you have to admit that Barack Obama won the presidency using Vulcan skills. His preparation, ability to quickly master complex topics, logical argumentation and debate skills and calm under pressure were all key factors in winning the election.

Like Mr. Spock himself, these and other self-made Vulcans acquired a set of attributes through training and hard work. You can, too, with a little help from your iPhone.

Here are the Vulcan skills you can acquire to be more successful in your life and career, and the iPhone features, apps and content that can help you acquire them.

Stoic attitude

Early in the Star Trek TV series, Spock was presented as a member of a people devoid of emotion. We learned later, however, that the Vulcan people were highly emotional, but trained themselves to suppress emotional responses in favor of logical ones.

Stoic philosophers like Marcus Aurelius, Seneca and Epictetus advocated the cultivation of self control, and the control and suppression of emotions. Mr. Spock was clearly a student of Stoicism, and you can be, too.

Need to master the three great Stoic philosophers? There's an app for that -- three, actually. You can buy The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius ($.99), On the Shortness of Life by Seneca (free) and The Enchiridion by Epictetus ($1.99) on the App Store.

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