I started paying attention Elon Musk in 2014. Watched probably nearly every interview with him that was then available on youtube in the following months.
To me personally he seems to be a man of integrity and genuine good-will. That's where I'd put my money if I had to.
It seems to me he has been consistent in what he has been saying over all these years. He seems to me to be one of the few people whose words you can take at face value. To my eye and ear Elon's own explanations for his own behaviour most consistently fit the facts.
He is human like the rest of us, and capable of self-deception, biases of various kinds, putting up presona's etc., but in general he seems to me to be far more self-aware, far less biased and far more consistent than the average person.
He seems to me one of the few public people with a clear and consistent philosophy and whose actions closely align with that professed philosophy.
In my view in most cases the most consistent and plausible explanation for his behaviour are his own explanations. It seems to me he is largely honest and accurate in that way.
I suspect many here will vehemently disagree.
What do you think?
Man of integrity and genuine good-will21.9%
Opportunistic amoral businessman43.8%
Evil genius3.1%
Antichrist3.1%
None of the above are close28.1%
32 votes \ 5h left
173 sats \ 1 reply \ @note_bene 17h
He's not really a moral (or even "amoral") actor like you're trying to portray.
He a mildly austistic big-picture systems thinker, but extroverted and inclined to action and risk and at times machiavellian.
Being mildly autistic, he is not as susceptible to groupthink and social consensus. Since the current social consensus is solidly progressive, if you're blue you will view his rebellion as amoral to evil, and if you're red you will view him as having integrity. But really Elon is just following the calculation of his first principles systems thinking, which at root both sides share: human flourishing.
reply
That's what he wants you to think. Or not. I don't know. Time will tell.
reply
Coming from the engineering world (having worked both in the car maker and aeronautical industry), thus knowing what it implies first hand, no one, believe me NO ONE sets to build cars and rockets if the pursuit is solely about money and power. The very fields he is pioneering are all proof needed for his good will. I know what he is doing, the effort it takes and more than anything the mindset it takes, is nearly mathematical proof of his vision and intentions. So I believe in Elon blindly.
reply
You worked in auto and aeronatics? nice job, you have a unique perspective
And before Tesla and SpaceX, he was a co-founder of PayPal.
Elon is not driven by money. He is not power hungry either. He understands that the 1st and 2nd amendments are critical for a free society.
He used to be friendly with the regime until he was excommunicated for purchasing Twitter and not following orders like Zuckerberg.
reply
You worked in auto and aeronatics? nice job, you have a unique perspective
Thank you buddy :) Yes! I was fortunate enough to have that experience!
Elon is not driven by money. He is not power hungry either.
I think he is ambitious, and he understands that his endeavours are only viable if profitable and do give him power if successful. But you do not think about building rockets if your main motivation is money and power. You go to BlackRock if your motivation is money and power.
reply
52 sats \ 0 replies \ @nikotsla 9h
But you do not think about building rockets if your main motivation is money and power. You go to BlackRock if your motivation is money and power
Indeed.
reply
I wouldn't believe in anything blindly. I believe in myself. All my heroes get knocked off the tower eventually. I don't think Elon is what he says he is.
reply
You may not believe gravity exists, yet it exists. You may not believe Elon is making cars yet he is. You may not believe Elon is making rockets yet he is. Would you deny his achievements? Would you deny its impacts? If you do, no discussion on the matter is possible under the mantle of reason, in which case I leave you with your own reality in peace.
reply
Can you prove to me that there aren't people that levitate? I know you cannot. Even if gravity does exist. I don't believe we travel to space, so in my reality, rockets are useless. I believe electric self driving cars for everyone is not the future, so, for me, Tesla is useless. My opinion is he bought Twitter to get more control. That's purely intuition. Most of this is. That's why I say I don't know. I could be wrong about it all. I just don't see what he does that actually helps people. I am open to him being a great guy. He hasn't shown me yet. And the vibe I get from him is...not great. He seems like he is good at tricking people into being hyped about something. And then under delivering. He doesn't do and hasn't done many of the things his claims will suggest. Again. It's just my point of view. I'm me. And I am strange. I know people like to think he I super impressive. And maybe he is. I don't know. I will say he is impressive.
reply
Can you prove to me that there aren't people that levitate? I know you cannot.
Yes I can, with all rigour, in the same way I can prove to you there's no people that can summon energy from nothing.
I don't believe we travel to space, so in my reality, rockets are useless. I believe electric self driving cars for everyone is not the future, so, for me, Tesla is useless.
As I said, if you deny his achievements and its impacts, no discussion is possible on the matter. I leave you with your own reality in peace.
I just don't see what he does that actually helps people.
That's the most definitive statement ending this conversation right now.
reply
Any scientist can agree that you can't prove something doesn't exist. We live in a multiverse. You And I see different futures. Not right or wrong. Just different. It's okay if we see things differently. We may be on different timelines. Likely, we are. And you may be completely right about it all. I'm not telling you how anything is..just telling you about my experience.
reply
10 sats \ 0 replies \ @nikotsla 9h
I like o share a good book to read: The Demon-Haunted World - Carl Sagan, it was a great science communicator.
reply
11 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bell_curve 16h
Do you believe in yourself blindly? lol
reply
Ahh. Sort of. That's faith right? I think God is in all of us. When we kill our heroes we can see the hero in ourselves, feel our connection with the all, source, god, the universe.. all real knowing comes from within... In silence. That's how I feel about it. There is no need for me to seek outer authority on what is real. That's just my take. Maybe it's foolish. #745836
reply
21 sats \ 0 replies \ @Xlindo 16h
As he handles all electronic technology to its fullest, he could use it in BTC. I have no proof but no doubts since Elon owns BTC.
reply
110 sats \ 1 reply \ @Satosora 19h
There was something about him talking with putin privately, l wonder if that will amount to anything.
reply
Should be fun whatever it is. They are both definitely major actors in the play.
reply
Elon musk is a fascinating topic of discussion. Great post.
Asked another way
reply
Autistic, genuinely wants to progress humanity but with poor self-error correcting mechanisms. Also too much ego driven - he could use some humility here and there.
reply
None of the above are close but I must say that he is very concerned about his statements being misconstrued by the MSM. We are all concerned but we have to accept the fact that MSM is the main source of Fake News. Fear of being misconstrued is just nonsense. People will always try to destroy you using your own words to make them feel better for a few seconds.
reply
He is building too many things that require trust in third parties.
Open source is the only way forward as a species.
reply
Elon Musk has demonstrated on several occasions that he is an opportunist. Regarding his renowned companies Tesla and Space X.
Tesla was not created by Elon Musk. The founders were engineers Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, in 2003. It was only the following year, with million-dollar investments, that Elon Musk took over the position.
At Space X there is no denying its merit, as it was its investment that provided
for its brilliant engineers to create something revolutionary. What bothers me is that it seems like Elon Musk developed the technology and his engineers just replicated it.
reply
Is Nazi worse than anti Christ lol
reply
I see a man completely driven by ego and the desire for power and control. The we need to go to Mars narrative is an evil one. One that has us forget that we live in heaven. One that is a complete waste of energy. To me, the man is E V I L. Maybe I am wrong. Time will tell.
reply
What if only some people, who want to go to mars, go to mars. Is this still evil?
reply
No. You do you. But mars is dead and red to me. Deppressing as hell. literally. For me, The whole idea of space is one that keeps us feeling afraid, isolated and alone. Can people even be prepared for what it would feel like to be alone in space or on Mars? I doubt it. I think it would be horrifying. I just dont think it is thought through. And earth is beautiful and real for us all. It's heaven here, if we can see it. But I also believe we live in a multiverse. There is no spoon. It isn't flat or round. In my reality, space doesn't exist as a destination. In yours, you might go to Mars and have a good time. It's all good. I am just speaking from my time space reality. You are allowed to have yours also. In my reality, Elon is clearly not what he says he is. But I don't know anything.
reply
Have you considered that having a backup planet might be a good thing? It takes one unfortunate cosmic or geologic event to wipe us or significantly set us back.
Humanity must hedge those risks and going multi-planetary is the only way forward.
reply