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How do you know Elon Musk has never had to deal with racism and has no empathy for the experience of an average person? My understanding is that he grew up as a

How do you know Elon Musk has never had to deal with racism and has no empathy for the experience of an average person? My understanding is that he grew up as a fairly average person in South Africa.

azinman2 9y ago
Well that and my guess is race issues have a higher share of collective consciousness in SA. Obviously he’s in the ideal position in the US, however.
thereare5lights 9y ago
Read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk#Early_childhood https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk#Early_childhood and tell me that you think that is the "average" person.
- jdoliner 9y ago
  I did read that actually, there's nothing in there that really screams a non-average upbringing to me. Maybe above average in terms of wealth... but not ridiculously so.
  - thereare5lights 9y ago
    Well, you're free continue believing that is average in the distribution of wealth and socioeconomic status. Those of us that grew up poor or lower middle class will continue believing he grew up privileged as fuck.
    - jdoliner 9y ago
      > Those of us that grew up poor or lower middle class will continue believing he grew up privileged as fuck. And what does that mean exactly? If someone accuses him of racism then they must be right because he's too privileged to have empathy? He's too privileged to understand racism? If you grew up poor or lower middle class in a developed nation then to people living on 30 cents a day in the 3rd world you're privileged as fuck. And we're all privileged as fuck compared to people who had the misfortune of being born 1000 years ago, does that mean they're the only ones who have empathy? That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. But maybe it's because I'm privileged as fuck too.
      - djsumdog 9y ago
        And there are plenty of poor people in low income countries who grow up in hell and are just as psychopathic as fortune 500 bankers. They might run gangs, commit crime and kill those who cross them with little to no remorse. There are also many poor people who do an honest days work, try to help every family member and do their best for their families, villages and communities. Your status doesn't indicate what type of person you are.
      - thereare5lights 9y ago
        > If someone accuses him of racism Who did? I certainly didn't. I said he didn't experience it. So then who are you referring to? > He's too privileged to understand racism? I question the logic of anyone who that read his response to the alleged harassment and doesn't ask wtf he was thinking. That conclusion is a perfectly legitimate one to his handling of the situation. > If you grew up poor or lower middle class in a developed nation then to people living on 30 cents a day in the 3rd world you're privileged as fuck. And we're all privileged as fuck compared to people who had the misfortune of being born 1000 years ago, does that mean they're the only ones who have empathy? That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Ah yes, Reductio ad absurdum rears its head. Makes for a excellent and persuasive argument doesn't it? > But maybe it's because I'm privileged as fuck too. Yea you are, the fact that you got all uppity about it, makes me think you don't appreciate how fortunate you really are.
      - stcredzero 9y ago
        And we're all privileged as fuck compared to people who had the misfortune of being born 1000 years ago, does that mean they're the only ones who have empathy? That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. But maybe it's because I'm privileged as fuck too. If you're privileged enough to have the 1st world problem of too much social media, then you are probably empathically challenged, because social media erodes humanity. (Especially if you are on the side with power, which some might argue is actually the left when it comes to the media.)
    - djsumdog 9y ago
      When you throw around words like privilege, you pretend you know and understand someone's circumstances. I remember defending Randy Ben on Twitter once after he got kicked out of Kiwicon for violation of the code of conduct (they never even said what he specifically did or said that was a violation). This friend of mine, not in tech and not a hacker, goes on and on about how she didn't expect a straight, cis, male to understand, blah blah blah. Just because I'm male doesn't negate my right to an opinion. Just because I don't experience the same things you do doesn't negate my opinion. I wrote an article about this a while ago actually, about the Race to the Bottom: http://khanism.org/people/race-to-the-bottom/ http://khanism.org/people/race-to-the-bottom/
      - thereare5lights 9y ago
        > When you throw around words like privilege, you pretend you know and understand someone's circumstances. When you dismiss words like privilege, you pretend there isn't a difference between people's circumstances. Especially in a case like this when it is beyond obvious that there is a difference. > Just because I'm male doesn't negate my right to an opinion. Just because I don't experience the same things you do doesn't negate my opinion. I wrote an article about this a while ago actually, about the Race to the Bottom: This literally has nothing to do with the subject at hand.
      - XR0CSWV3h3kZWg 9y ago
        Did you feel like you understood what your friend was saying?
- microtherion 9y ago
  Read it, expecting summers in Rangoon, luge lessons, and meat helmets. Was rather disappointed.
- Lanthis 9y ago
  Did YOU read it? "Musk was severely bullied throughout his childhood, and was once hospitalized when a group of boys threw him down a flight of stairs and then beat him until he lost consciousness."
  - thereare5lights 9y ago
    Oh yes, the one thing there that makes him like the rest of us. I can't roll my eyes hard enough.
    - true_religion 9y ago
      What specifically is it that makes his childhood elite?
      - sumedh 9y ago
        How many kids do you know whose dad is an electromechanical engineer, pilot, sailor and whose mom is a model?
- djsumdog 9y ago
  > Musk was severely bullied throughout his childhood, and was once hospitalized when a group of boys threw him down a flight of stairs and then beat him until he lost consciousness. Huh...well according to that book that's sourced, he at least knew about bullying.
  - kamaal 9y ago
    Bullying is not racism. Sure bullying is wrong and leaves victims hurt very badly. For most people bullying ends after a while, when they grow up. Racism on the other hand is superset of things, of which bullying is a part. In a racist set up you have to deal with discrimination day in and out, even if not physical assault, you still have to deal with lost opportunities, economic hardships and social problems for no mistake of yours.

How do you know Elon Musk has never had to deal with racism and has no empathy for the experience of an average person? My understanding is that he grew up as a fairly average person in South Africa.

azinman2 9y ago

Well that and my guess is race issues have a higher share of collective consciousness in SA. Obviously he’s in the ideal position in the US, however.

thereare5lights 9y ago

Read https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk#Early_childhood https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk#Early_childhood and tell me that you think that is the "average" person.

jdoliner 9y ago
I did read that actually, there's nothing in there that really screams a non-average upbringing to me. Maybe above average in terms of wealth... but not ridiculously so.
- thereare5lights 9y ago
  Well, you're free continue believing that is average in the distribution of wealth and socioeconomic status. Those of us that grew up poor or lower middle class will continue believing he grew up privileged as fuck.
  - jdoliner 9y ago
    > Those of us that grew up poor or lower middle class will continue believing he grew up privileged as fuck. And what does that mean exactly? If someone accuses him of racism then they must be right because he's too privileged to have empathy? He's too privileged to understand racism? If you grew up poor or lower middle class in a developed nation then to people living on 30 cents a day in the 3rd world you're privileged as fuck. And we're all privileged as fuck compared to people who had the misfortune of being born 1000 years ago, does that mean they're the only ones who have empathy? That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. But maybe it's because I'm privileged as fuck too.
    - djsumdog 9y ago
      And there are plenty of poor people in low income countries who grow up in hell and are just as psychopathic as fortune 500 bankers. They might run gangs, commit crime and kill those who cross them with little to no remorse. There are also many poor people who do an honest days work, try to help every family member and do their best for their families, villages and communities. Your status doesn't indicate what type of person you are.
    - thereare5lights 9y ago
      > If someone accuses him of racism Who did? I certainly didn't. I said he didn't experience it. So then who are you referring to? > He's too privileged to understand racism? I question the logic of anyone who that read his response to the alleged harassment and doesn't ask wtf he was thinking. That conclusion is a perfectly legitimate one to his handling of the situation. > If you grew up poor or lower middle class in a developed nation then to people living on 30 cents a day in the 3rd world you're privileged as fuck. And we're all privileged as fuck compared to people who had the misfortune of being born 1000 years ago, does that mean they're the only ones who have empathy? That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Ah yes, Reductio ad absurdum rears its head. Makes for a excellent and persuasive argument doesn't it? > But maybe it's because I'm privileged as fuck too. Yea you are, the fact that you got all uppity about it, makes me think you don't appreciate how fortunate you really are.
    - stcredzero 9y ago
      And we're all privileged as fuck compared to people who had the misfortune of being born 1000 years ago, does that mean they're the only ones who have empathy? That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. But maybe it's because I'm privileged as fuck too. If you're privileged enough to have the 1st world problem of too much social media, then you are probably empathically challenged, because social media erodes humanity. (Especially if you are on the side with power, which some might argue is actually the left when it comes to the media.)
  - djsumdog 9y ago
    When you throw around words like privilege, you pretend you know and understand someone's circumstances. I remember defending Randy Ben on Twitter once after he got kicked out of Kiwicon for violation of the code of conduct (they never even said what he specifically did or said that was a violation). This friend of mine, not in tech and not a hacker, goes on and on about how she didn't expect a straight, cis, male to understand, blah blah blah. Just because I'm male doesn't negate my right to an opinion. Just because I don't experience the same things you do doesn't negate my opinion. I wrote an article about this a while ago actually, about the Race to the Bottom: http://khanism.org/people/race-to-the-bottom/ http://khanism.org/people/race-to-the-bottom/
    - thereare5lights 9y ago
      > When you throw around words like privilege, you pretend you know and understand someone's circumstances. When you dismiss words like privilege, you pretend there isn't a difference between people's circumstances. Especially in a case like this when it is beyond obvious that there is a difference. > Just because I'm male doesn't negate my right to an opinion. Just because I don't experience the same things you do doesn't negate my opinion. I wrote an article about this a while ago actually, about the Race to the Bottom: This literally has nothing to do with the subject at hand.
    - XR0CSWV3h3kZWg 9y ago
      Did you feel like you understood what your friend was saying?
microtherion 9y ago
Read it, expecting summers in Rangoon, luge lessons, and meat helmets. Was rather disappointed.
Lanthis 9y ago
Did YOU read it? "Musk was severely bullied throughout his childhood, and was once hospitalized when a group of boys threw him down a flight of stairs and then beat him until he lost consciousness."
- thereare5lights 9y ago
  Oh yes, the one thing there that makes him like the rest of us. I can't roll my eyes hard enough.
  - true_religion 9y ago
    What specifically is it that makes his childhood elite?
    - sumedh 9y ago
      How many kids do you know whose dad is an electromechanical engineer, pilot, sailor and whose mom is a model?
djsumdog 9y ago
> Musk was severely bullied throughout his childhood, and was once hospitalized when a group of boys threw him down a flight of stairs and then beat him until he lost consciousness. Huh...well according to that book that's sourced, he at least knew about bullying.
- kamaal 9y ago
  Bullying is not racism. Sure bullying is wrong and leaves victims hurt very badly. For most people bullying ends after a while, when they grow up. Racism on the other hand is superset of things, of which bullying is a part. In a racist set up you have to deal with discrimination day in and out, even if not physical assault, you still have to deal with lost opportunities, economic hardships and social problems for no mistake of yours.