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It's a lot easier to make billions when you already have millions (like Elon Musk's dad, who joked about how he had too much money in his safe to be able shut t

It's a lot easier to make billions when you already have millions (like Elon Musk's dad, who joked about how he had too much money in his safe to be able shut the door when his gemstone mine was doing well). It's a lot riskier to be an entrepreneur when you're living paycheck to paycheck and don't have a family fortune to fall back on. Extraordinary people also often have extraordinary childhoods. Most teenagers can't borrow their dad's private jet to go sell emeralds to Tiffany&Co, but I imagine that sort of experience comes in handy for a businessman

nine_k 6y ago
The fact that Musk's dad had millions does not imply that Musk himself had access to them; according to Wikipedia, their relations were not very good. But yes, being around people who have businesses and millions does give you certain experience and perspective. Despite that, Musk was heavily bullied at school; apparently dad's money could not buy him a private school, or maybe just a better school. Indeed some childhoods of billionaires are special, like that of Steve Jobs, a highly problematic adopted child who suffered at school so much his working-class family decided to move to get him to another school district. OTOH, neither Mark Zuckerberg, nor Jeff Bezos appear to have had extraordinary childhoods, or family wealth above a normal middle-class level. Many of them, though, were exposed to electronics and computers early, and their parents were wise enough to encourage it, or at least to allow. [Edited: typos.]
Armisael16 6y ago
Musk’s family probably didn’t own an emerald mine. There’s only one source - Errol Musk - and everyone else who’s willing to talk about it denies it (including Elon) https://www.insidehook.com/article/history/errol-musk-elon-father-myths https://www.insidehook.com/article/history/errol-musk-elon-f... The same is true about that drivel about Tiffany.

nine_k 6y ago

The fact that Musk's dad had millions does not imply that Musk himself had access to them; according to Wikipedia, their relations were not very good. But yes, being around people who have businesses and millions does give you certain experience and perspective. Despite that, Musk was heavily bullied at school; apparently dad's money could not buy him a private school, or maybe just a better school. Indeed some childhoods of billionaires are special, like that of Steve Jobs, a highly problematic adopted child who suffered at school so much his working-class family decided to move to get him to another school district. OTOH, neither Mark Zuckerberg, nor Jeff Bezos appear to have had extraordinary childhoods, or family wealth above a normal middle-class level. Many of them, though, were exposed to electronics and computers early, and their parents were wise enough to encourage it, or at least to allow. [Edited: typos.]

Armisael16 6y ago

Musk’s family probably didn’t own an emerald mine. There’s only one source - Errol Musk - and everyone else who’s willing to talk about it denies it (including Elon) https://www.insidehook.com/article/history/errol-musk-elon-father-myths https://www.insidehook.com/article/history/errol-musk-elon-f... The same is true about that drivel about Tiffany.