I think the "advancement of mankind" piece might get you some flak but the basic concept sounds like what Steve Jobs was alluding to. My view of it is that Apple doesn't build technology for the sake of building technology. Every technological investment is married with a deep focus on how it is APPLIED in the real world hence the deep focus on user experience and app ecosystem. I think a good way to look at it is that Apple built the iPod because they LOVE music as a company. I know some people will think it's a marketing gimmick but it's clear that Jobs & Apple are true music fans and to them, the dearth of a player that could hold thousands of songs drove them to think about a solution that could solve that problem.