[mikeash]

It seems impossible to quantify, but it's interesting to think about.

Lots of our tech heroes are assholes in one way or another. Many aren't, of course, but I think at least some of those who are owe some of their success to it.

Steve Jobs seems like an obvious example. Everything I know about him paints him as a total jerk, but a brilliant and inspiring total jerk. My guess is that the same personality traits that led him to change the world a few times also led him to deny paternity of his daughter. It's not too hard for me to imagine an alternate life for Jobs where he never manages to succeed in business (maybe he gets smacked down a little too hard for his phone phreaking activities) and ends up a run-of-the-mill asshole none of us ever heard of.