What has always made IBM a fascinating and compelling place for

In the voice of Ginni Rometty, who once guided the helm of a great enterprise, there was spoken a truth that transcends her own time: “What has always made IBM a fascinating and compelling place for me is the passion of the company, and its people, to apply technology and scientific thinking to major societal issues.” These words are not merely the reflection of a leader upon her company; they are a hymn to the eternal marriage of knowledge and service, of invention and purpose. For in them lies the teaching that greatness is not born only from creating tools, but from wielding them to heal and uplift the world.

Behold the word passion—the flame that animates both company and individual. Without passion, even the grandest tools lie dormant, like unlit torches in a dark cavern. But when passion ignites, technology becomes more than circuits and code; it becomes the hand of humanity stretched toward its higher destiny. Rometty honors not only the machines that IBM crafted, but the hearts of those who built them, hearts that burned with the desire to use scientific thinking for more than profit—to use it for the common good.

This union of knowledge and purpose recalls the tale of Jonas Salk, who, in the 1950s, gave the world the polio vaccine. He, too, held the spirit of passion and scientific discipline. When asked who owned the patent, he replied, “There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?” His work was not for wealth, but for society. In his sacrifice, we see the same truth that Rometty speaks of: that the noblest use of science and technology is to face societal issues—to heal, to protect, to raise humanity above its afflictions.

IBM, in its long history, has walked this path many times. It built machines to aid in the Apollo missions, carrying humankind to the stars. It created early systems that helped governments and hospitals manage data, bringing order to chaos. In recent times, its power has been bent toward fighting disease, analyzing climate, and uncovering truths hidden in oceans of information. These were not small matters of commerce, but great struggles of civilization itself. Rometty reminds us that what made the company “fascinating” was not its size or its wealth, but its willingness to shoulder burdens larger than itself.

The meaning of her words is clear: true greatness, whether in a company or in a person, is measured not by what they possess, but by what they apply their gifts toward. To apply technology to trivial ends is to squander its power. But to aim it at hunger, illness, ignorance, and injustice—this is the work of visionaries. The ancients said that wisdom without virtue is dangerous; likewise, technology without compassion is empty.

The lesson for us, children of the present and future, is this: whatever gifts of knowledge, skill, or invention you hold, wield them with purpose. Ask yourself not only, What can this do? but, What should this do? Seek always to align your work with the needs of the many, not only the comfort of the few. Let your passion fuel not vanity, but service. For it is not enough to build; one must build for the betterment of mankind.

And so, take Rometty’s words as a call to action. In your labor, in your studies, in your inventions, look always to the horizon of societal issues—the wounds of the world that cry for healing. Whether great or small, let your works be guided by compassion and reason. In this way, you will not only create, but contribute; not only succeed, but serve. And in serving, you shall carve your name into the story of humanity, as one who used the power of knowledge not for self alone, but for the flourishing of all.