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wow. The hero worship is strong with you. I agree that he has accomplished some pretty cool things, but calling him a "once-in-a-century" or "once-in-a-genera

wow. The hero worship is strong with you. I agree that he has accomplished some pretty cool things, but calling him a "once-in-a-century" or "once-in-a-generation" person ignores all of the other people who have been as or more successful than him in multiple dimensions of success.

kbenson 10y ago
I don't think it's entirely unfair to say he's a "once in a generation" person (once in a century is pushing it), but that has little to do with his actual abilities, and more to do with his perceived abilities. He's got that combination of engineer, businessman and celebrity that people go crazy for. He's the modern Howard Hughes, and people love that. Whether he can deliver on people's expectations or not, he's a rarity. Edit: Whoops, s/fair/unfair/
sixQuarks 10y ago
please name some of these people who have been as or more successful - and don't go by wealth alone. I'm talking disrupting multiple, huge industries with innovative products.
- MegaButts 10y ago
  I think Elon has accomplished a lot, but I think you're ignoring the fact that every one of his companies is still surprisingly risky. Tesla might not get another loan and it could go under in a year. SpaceX has fantastic margins, but they still have significant hurdles with failed launches (although this is true of rocketry in general) and navigating a political landscape. Solar City was going under when Elon saved it by combining it with Tesla, a very controversial move. Elon has yet to run a profitable electronic vehicle company. Elon has yet to run a stable alternative to NASA. Elon has yet to ween the world off its oil dependence. He is working towards all of them and it's great! But he hasn't succeeded in disrupting any of them yet, because all of the alternatives still exist and are as healthy as ever.
  - sixQuarks 10y ago
    you're avoiding the question. Name someone else that has done more impressive things than what Elon has already accomplished.
    - brianwawok 10y ago
      Ben Franklin Thomas Edison Ghandi
      - sixQuarks 10y ago
        are these not once-a-century type of person? Where are Elon's contemporaries? You're reinforcing my point.
      - deleted 10y ago
        [deleted]
      - gordon_freeman 10y ago
        It's 'Gandhi'.
        brianwawok 10y ago
        Apologies, been a while since I played Civ ;)
    - MegaButts 10y ago
      Norman Borlaug, Marie Curie, Max Planck, Henry Ford, Mahatma Gandhi, Bill Joy, Margaret Hamilton. I could go on.
      - sixQuarks 10y ago
        You are just reinforcing my point. You're listing people that are generations in the past, which is exactly what I said. you're grouping Elon into a once-a-generation / once-a-century type of person.
- defen 10y ago
  Steve Jobs personal computer modern smartphone Jeff Bezos Online commerce Cloud computing Wayne Huizenga Waste management Video rentals Auto sales
  - sixQuarks 10y ago
    C'mon, Elon has surpassed all of these guys. Steve Jobs comes the closest, but he was a brilliant designer, not an engineer like Elon. Wayne Huizenga is an interesting character, obvious business genius, but nothing like Elon. Jeff Bezos is brilliant at executing, but he has only really built one company, and is dabbling/nowhere close to what Elon accomplished with space ventures.
    - huxley 10y ago
      Actually Elon isn't an engineer, he has Bachelor of Science degrees in Physics and Economics (Wharton) as well as 2 days worth of a PhD in Applied Physics and Materials Science (Stanford). What I didn't know was that Jeff Bezos actually does have an engineering degree, a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Princeton).
      - sixQuarks 10y ago
        You don't have to have a formal education to be considered an engineer. His bio says "engineer, inventor, explorer" http://www.biography.com/people/elon-musk-20837159 http://www.biography.com/people/elon-musk-20837159
        yladiz 10y ago
        I disagree, being an engineer is similar to being a doctor, meaning you go through training and take an oath before officially becoming one. I wouldn't consider a colleague an engineer if they didn't take the engineering oath.
        snovv_crash 10y ago

kbenson 10y ago

I don't think it's entirely unfair to say he's a "once in a generation" person (once in a century is pushing it), but that has little to do with his actual abilities, and more to do with his perceived abilities. He's got that combination of engineer, businessman and celebrity that people go crazy for. He's the modern Howard Hughes, and people love that. Whether he can deliver on people's expectations or not, he's a rarity. Edit: Whoops, s/fair/unfair/

sixQuarks 10y ago

please name some of these people who have been as or more successful - and don't go by wealth alone. I'm talking disrupting multiple, huge industries with innovative products.

MegaButts 10y ago
I think Elon has accomplished a lot, but I think you're ignoring the fact that every one of his companies is still surprisingly risky. Tesla might not get another loan and it could go under in a year. SpaceX has fantastic margins, but they still have significant hurdles with failed launches (although this is true of rocketry in general) and navigating a political landscape. Solar City was going under when Elon saved it by combining it with Tesla, a very controversial move. Elon has yet to run a profitable electronic vehicle company. Elon has yet to run a stable alternative to NASA. Elon has yet to ween the world off its oil dependence. He is working towards all of them and it's great! But he hasn't succeeded in disrupting any of them yet, because all of the alternatives still exist and are as healthy as ever.
- sixQuarks 10y ago
  you're avoiding the question. Name someone else that has done more impressive things than what Elon has already accomplished.
  - brianwawok 10y ago
    Ben Franklin Thomas Edison Ghandi
    - sixQuarks 10y ago
      are these not once-a-century type of person? Where are Elon's contemporaries? You're reinforcing my point.
    - deleted 10y ago
      [deleted]
    - gordon_freeman 10y ago
      It's 'Gandhi'.
      - brianwawok 10y ago
        Apologies, been a while since I played Civ ;)
  - MegaButts 10y ago
    Norman Borlaug, Marie Curie, Max Planck, Henry Ford, Mahatma Gandhi, Bill Joy, Margaret Hamilton. I could go on.
    - sixQuarks 10y ago
      You are just reinforcing my point. You're listing people that are generations in the past, which is exactly what I said. you're grouping Elon into a once-a-generation / once-a-century type of person.
defen 10y ago
Steve Jobs personal computer modern smartphone Jeff Bezos Online commerce Cloud computing Wayne Huizenga Waste management Video rentals Auto sales
- sixQuarks 10y ago
  C'mon, Elon has surpassed all of these guys. Steve Jobs comes the closest, but he was a brilliant designer, not an engineer like Elon. Wayne Huizenga is an interesting character, obvious business genius, but nothing like Elon. Jeff Bezos is brilliant at executing, but he has only really built one company, and is dabbling/nowhere close to what Elon accomplished with space ventures.
  - huxley 10y ago
    Actually Elon isn't an engineer, he has Bachelor of Science degrees in Physics and Economics (Wharton) as well as 2 days worth of a PhD in Applied Physics and Materials Science (Stanford). What I didn't know was that Jeff Bezos actually does have an engineering degree, a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Princeton).
    - sixQuarks 10y ago
      You don't have to have a formal education to be considered an engineer. His bio says "engineer, inventor, explorer" http://www.biography.com/people/elon-musk-20837159 http://www.biography.com/people/elon-musk-20837159
      - yladiz 10y ago
        I disagree, being an engineer is similar to being a doctor, meaning you go through training and take an oath before officially becoming one. I wouldn't consider a colleague an engineer if they didn't take the engineering oath.
        snovv_crash 10y ago