4 ms·

Everyone wants the future to win, even if they can't articulate what the hell that means, but who wants to disagree with it, because it sounds really cool, and

by crikli 10y ago

Everyone wants the future to win, even if they can't articulate what the hell that means, but who wants to disagree with it, because it sounds really cool, and nobody wants to not be cool. It's easy to take this glowing 10,000 foot view of Musk/Tesla. Get down much lower and there are...issues that smack very much of dangerous, egomaniacal adventurism. Exhibit one is marketing a car that as being able to drive itself, then blaming drivers when the car fails to drive itself. Also, I call bullshit on the idea that Musk isn't sitting on his fortune. It's everyone else's money he's using for fuel...$4.1B in government money IIRC plus god knows how much VC.

themartorana 10y ago
Pure electric cars, pushing towards driverless electric cars. I'm fine with government money being spent on a future free of fossil-fuel-fed explosion engines and human-driven bumper cars.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
btilly 10y ago
Also, I call bullshit on the idea that Musk isn't sitting on his fortune. It's everyone else's money he's using for fuel...$4.1B in government money IIRC plus god knows how much VC. This comment doesn't even pass the laugh test for anyone who knows what happened to him in 2008 when all of his money was tied in his companies and then he got sued for divorce. He literally wound up running 3 companies that were imploding in different ways, and had to borrow from friends just to make living expenses. He pulled everything off by the skin of his teeth, starting with his 4th SpaceX launch getting into space instead of blowing up as the first three rockets did. He will raise money in every way that he can. Yes, this includes finding ways to get subsidies from the government if the government is willing to provide them. But it also includes investing his own money, time and effort. (And risking his life - his roadmap includes colonizing Mars, and he's serious about moving to that colony.)
- studentrob 10y ago
  > And risking his life - his roadmap includes colonizing Mars, and he's serious about moving to that colony Thanks for that laugh. I hadn't heard that one. Let us not assume Musk gave up his fortunes and marriage out of the goodness of his heart. He stands to benefit heftily from Tesla's continued success. Assuming he is all good by himself would leave the rest of us as bystanders which isn't the case. We're all interested in contributing towards systems, both technical and social, that foster autonomous vehicles.
  - btilly 10y ago
    If you haven't heard it, then you haven't paid attention. His standard quip on the topic is, I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact. Those who are lucky enough to tour SpaceX will see lots of people wearing the https://shop.spacex.com/tshirts/occupy-mars-t-shirt.html https://shop.spacex.com/tshirts/occupy-mars-t-shirt.html t-shirt. And their publicly announced aim is to put a vehicle on Mars in 2018. See http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2016/05/03/spacex_announces_a_mission_to_land_on_mars_by_2018.html http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2016/05/03/spacex_a... for an external analysis of the feasibility. (Short version, the goal is ambitious but not impossible. If they don't make it, they'll get another opportunity 26 months later.)
    - studentrob 10y ago
      > If you haven't heard it, then you haven't paid attention I have heard a few hilarious things from Musk, just not that one. What is on Mars that could generate value for a private company? I'm not convinced investors would be on board for that. I understand SpaceX can earn money shuttling things back and forth to the ISS. I do not see the benefit for them visiting Mars until a government decides to set up a base there. If SpaceX can find free money, more power to them.

by crikli 10y ago

themartorana 10y ago

Pure electric cars, pushing towards driverless electric cars. I'm fine with government money being spent on a future free of fossil-fuel-fed explosion engines and human-driven bumper cars.

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

btilly 10y ago

Also, I call bullshit on the idea that Musk isn't sitting on his fortune. It's everyone else's money he's using for fuel...$4.1B in government money IIRC plus god knows how much VC. This comment doesn't even pass the laugh test for anyone who knows what happened to him in 2008 when all of his money was tied in his companies and then he got sued for divorce. He literally wound up running 3 companies that were imploding in different ways, and had to borrow from friends just to make living expenses. He pulled everything off by the skin of his teeth, starting with his 4th SpaceX launch getting into space instead of blowing up as the first three rockets did. He will raise money in every way that he can. Yes, this includes finding ways to get subsidies from the government if the government is willing to provide them. But it also includes investing his own money, time and effort. (And risking his life - his roadmap includes colonizing Mars, and he's serious about moving to that colony.)

studentrob 10y ago
> And risking his life - his roadmap includes colonizing Mars, and he's serious about moving to that colony Thanks for that laugh. I hadn't heard that one. Let us not assume Musk gave up his fortunes and marriage out of the goodness of his heart. He stands to benefit heftily from Tesla's continued success. Assuming he is all good by himself would leave the rest of us as bystanders which isn't the case. We're all interested in contributing towards systems, both technical and social, that foster autonomous vehicles.
- btilly 10y ago
  If you haven't heard it, then you haven't paid attention. His standard quip on the topic is, I would like to die on Mars. Just not on impact. Those who are lucky enough to tour SpaceX will see lots of people wearing the https://shop.spacex.com/tshirts/occupy-mars-t-shirt.html https://shop.spacex.com/tshirts/occupy-mars-t-shirt.html t-shirt. And their publicly announced aim is to put a vehicle on Mars in 2018. See http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2016/05/03/spacex_announces_a_mission_to_land_on_mars_by_2018.html http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2016/05/03/spacex_a... for an external analysis of the feasibility. (Short version, the goal is ambitious but not impossible. If they don't make it, they'll get another opportunity 26 months later.)
  - studentrob 10y ago
    > If you haven't heard it, then you haven't paid attention I have heard a few hilarious things from Musk, just not that one. What is on Mars that could generate value for a private company? I'm not convinced investors would be on board for that. I understand SpaceX can earn money shuttling things back and forth to the ISS. I do not see the benefit for them visiting Mars until a government decides to set up a base there. If SpaceX can find free money, more power to them.