‘The smartest person in any room anywhere’: in defense of Elon Musk, by Douglas Coupland
He’s the Silicon Valley Übermensch who wants us to colonise Mars and who can wipe out billions of dollars with a single tweet. So what’s not to love?
www.theguardian.com
"It’s interesting whenever Elon Musk’s name comes up and people begin discussing his accomplishments, such as the reinvention of money, automobiles and space travel, there’s always someone who says: “Yeah, but I hear he can be a real dick.”
Take that, Elon.
So then, let’s be totally honest here, because in your heart, you know, and I know, dear reader, that you can be a real dick, too. So can I, and, if we’re being truly honest, so can, say, the Queen. She probably has to be a dick 10 times a week. So since when does being a dick somehow invalidate you as a person? It doesn’t. That’s just stupid. And what’s in it for you to dis someone you don’t know, anyway? Being negative is a stupid person’s way of trying to appear smart without actually being smart. And let’s also be certain about something else: we all hate a goody two-shoes, so come on, what kind of perfect behaviour is it you expect from a person, any person, let alone Elon Musk?
But I hear he treats his employees badly
First, we already discussed this: he can be a dick, so don’t be surprised when he is. Second, people know they’re going to be working with Elon Musk, so they can’t play woe is me if he goes Elon on them. And third, he’s incredibly smart and is used to working with the world’s smartest and most accomplished people, so if you don’t cut the mustard then you didn’t cut the mustard. And here’s something funny he actually said to someone who was pissing him off in the Tesla factory:
“You know, I could be drinking mai tais with naked supermodels, but instead I’m here with you.” He has a point.
But he hurt my feelings and made me feel like I was in an unsafe and triggering work environment
Dear God, is this what our society has been reduced to?
Here are a few readily available facts about Musk:
…He’s a good father with six sons: triplets, twins and one solo. A first son died of Sids at the age of 10 weeks.
…He has been married to two women (his second wife twice).
…He is famous for his need to be in love and for being unable to sleep alone.
…He spent his 47th birthday in his factory fixing robots for 24 hours.
…He loves his mother, who is a top global fashion model at 73.
…He sees no future in fossil fuels.
…He hates visible seams on his products.
…He swears a lot.
…In 2018 his tunnel-drilling company, the Boring Company, sold 20,000 novelty flamethrowers as a publicity stunt. They now sell on eBay at an average of $3,000."
www.businessinsider.com
spacenews.com
