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Hyperloop was conceived by Elon Musk as much as Multitouch was invented by Steve Jobs. I wonder if we as humans need to create an untouchable genius image that

by philtar 10y ago

Hyperloop was conceived by Elon Musk as much as Multitouch was invented by Steve Jobs. I wonder if we as humans need to create an untouchable genius image that we can aspire to, and now that our last one is dead, it's Musk's turn.

astronautjones 10y ago
I don't know about all humans, but western media certainly needs that image to schlep
coldtea 10y ago
Inventions are a dime a dozen. Delivery matters. And thus, it's not bad to idolize those who actually deliver -- even if they got the ideas from elsewhere or there were lots of crappy priors...
- yoo1I 10y ago
  Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't this "Hyperloop" system just some, granted elaborate, set of blueprints and whitepapers, but Musk isn't actually delivering it himself. Rather, other companies are working on it ? But even disregarding that, I think OP was referring to how certain segments of the media hang on Musk's lips, as if he is some sort of tech-messiah. And I don't want to take any praise away from him, the man has done really impressive things. That's not it. It's just that there seems to be a certain type of over-hyping. The idea for magnetic, vacuum-escaped tube travel certainly isn't new. And a last week's reporting of his "we probably live in a simulation"-comment comes to mind as well. That's not a very original thought, yet was widely reported. So yeah, I agree, delivery matters. But it's not just the delivery that's being idolized here.
  - Avshalom 10y ago
    Elaborate is pretty overselling what Musk actually released. It was back of the envelope level engineering and some drawings in that architectural-sketchy style.
  - coldtea 10y ago
    >Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't this "Hyperloop" system just some, granted elaborate, set of blueprints and whitepapers, but Musk isn't actually delivering it himself. Rather, other companies are working on it ? In this case yes. But he has delivered plenty already in other fields. >But even disregarding that, I think OP was referring to how certain segments of the media hang on Musk's lips, as if he is some sort of tech-messiah. Well, same way certain segments of HN hang on PG's lips etc. People like heroes -- and it's not just the ignorant masses or the "media" that do so.

by philtar 10y ago

astronautjones 10y ago

I don't know about all humans, but western media certainly needs that image to schlep

coldtea 10y ago

Inventions are a dime a dozen. Delivery matters. And thus, it's not bad to idolize those who actually deliver -- even if they got the ideas from elsewhere or there were lots of crappy priors...

yoo1I 10y ago
Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't this "Hyperloop" system just some, granted elaborate, set of blueprints and whitepapers, but Musk isn't actually delivering it himself. Rather, other companies are working on it ? But even disregarding that, I think OP was referring to how certain segments of the media hang on Musk's lips, as if he is some sort of tech-messiah. And I don't want to take any praise away from him, the man has done really impressive things. That's not it. It's just that there seems to be a certain type of over-hyping. The idea for magnetic, vacuum-escaped tube travel certainly isn't new. And a last week's reporting of his "we probably live in a simulation"-comment comes to mind as well. That's not a very original thought, yet was widely reported. So yeah, I agree, delivery matters. But it's not just the delivery that's being idolized here.
- Avshalom 10y ago
  Elaborate is pretty overselling what Musk actually released. It was back of the envelope level engineering and some drawings in that architectural-sketchy style.
- coldtea 10y ago
  >Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't this "Hyperloop" system just some, granted elaborate, set of blueprints and whitepapers, but Musk isn't actually delivering it himself. Rather, other companies are working on it ? In this case yes. But he has delivered plenty already in other fields. >But even disregarding that, I think OP was referring to how certain segments of the media hang on Musk's lips, as if he is some sort of tech-messiah. Well, same way certain segments of HN hang on PG's lips etc. People like heroes -- and it's not just the ignorant masses or the "media" that do so.