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To add to this, almost every conversation I have (I am in the US so that may be part of it) includes "Elon is cringe but..." and likely followed by SpaceX is do

To add to this, almost every conversation I have (I am in the US so that may be part of it) includes "Elon is cringe but..." and likely followed by SpaceX is doing fantastic work.

boringg 5y ago
I mean the fact is he is this centuries entrepreneur as Schumpeter defines it. If you compare what he has done versus the rest of his class he's mopped the floor. So in terms of accomplishments he is in his own realm. I agree I do have concerns that things may be changing and his original goals of humanitarian goals (EVs, solar, storage, space travel) are now getting caught up with straight power plays (twitter). I wonder if he has been caught by the twitter validation loop.
jackosdev 5y ago
He's an interesting guy who seems straight out of a science fiction show. Can't nerds like me just think it's kind of cool that someone is actively trying to expand humanity to multiple planets? My read is people find reasons to hate him due to ego, they see someone running like 6+ successful companies when their lives aren't going so well, and go looking for all the moralistic things he must be doing wrong.
- nerdjon 5y ago
  I don't think there is anything wrong with that, I will be the first to give him a lot of credit for the companies he has started. Especially Space and Tesla. There is no doubt that both of those have pushed forward both industries in series ways. I don't think it is all just ego or jealousy. He has made some questionable comments in the past. He keeps going on that this particular purchase is about free speech. He consciously has chosen to be very public with some of his more questionable opinions (especially regarding Covid) on his Twitter. Yes I am very glad that he has started SpaceX and Tesla. I despise the criticisms of billionaires "Wasting" their money on Space. But that does not absolve him of criticisms of him personally outside of those companies.
- gmm1990 5y ago
  Musk has some interesting goals and amazing accomplishments. But I'd also argue he isn't necessarily genuine or correct about electric vehicles/batteries helping the environment. Now a ton of resources and effort get allocated to it and potentially away from things that might be more helpful.
  - panick21_ 5y ago
    What other theortical things could save humanity doesn't matter. Unless you can make the argument that these things CREDIBLY WOULD HAPPEN without Tesla or EVs then its pointless. I would much prefer nuclear over wind/solar/battery. But I know if I argue against wind/solar nuclear isn't magically gone happen. So its fine if you want to argue that US shoud invest 100+ billion in public transport or bikes or whatever. Those things are not gone happen just because EVs don't happen. You are probably right, but EVs are not preventing that from happening. EV are absoulty 100% a huge improvement over other cars and its not close. Even outside of the environment it would have eventually happened, they are just better cars.
- basisword 5y ago
  >> My read is people find reasons to hate him due to ego, they see someone running like 6+ successful companies when their lives aren't going so well, and go looking for all the moralistic things he must be doing wrong. He’s doing cool things, it’s impossible to deny that (especially with SpaceX). But you only need to look at his Bill Gates related tweets this weekend to see why people think he’s an asshole and it’s nothing to do with jealousy. He acts like an edgy 14 year old and it’s really cringey.
  - panick21_ 5y ago
    And that is totally fine. I really don't care if people think he is an ass. But what happens is that people think he is an ass and then they adopt this culture of downplaying everything and making shit up. 'Rockets landed in the 70s', 'He is just a marketing guy', 'Tesla is fake company that is doomed' blablabla I will never disagree with people who don't like Musk, only people who then start to make dumb arguments about him.
    - basisword 5y ago
      I think when you care enough to say those things - and frankly when you care that people are saying those things - you care too much about the person. Focus on the cool techy stuff rather than Musk.
      - panick21_ 5y ago
        But people often bring this up when talking about EV or Space to prove their points. Or bring those things up in discussion such as now about Twitter.

To add to this, almost every conversation I have (I am in the US so that may be part of it) includes "Elon is cringe but..." and likely followed by SpaceX is doing fantastic work.

boringg 5y ago

I mean the fact is he is this centuries entrepreneur as Schumpeter defines it. If you compare what he has done versus the rest of his class he's mopped the floor. So in terms of accomplishments he is in his own realm. I agree I do have concerns that things may be changing and his original goals of humanitarian goals (EVs, solar, storage, space travel) are now getting caught up with straight power plays (twitter). I wonder if he has been caught by the twitter validation loop.

jackosdev 5y ago

He's an interesting guy who seems straight out of a science fiction show. Can't nerds like me just think it's kind of cool that someone is actively trying to expand humanity to multiple planets? My read is people find reasons to hate him due to ego, they see someone running like 6+ successful companies when their lives aren't going so well, and go looking for all the moralistic things he must be doing wrong.

nerdjon 5y ago
I don't think there is anything wrong with that, I will be the first to give him a lot of credit for the companies he has started. Especially Space and Tesla. There is no doubt that both of those have pushed forward both industries in series ways. I don't think it is all just ego or jealousy. He has made some questionable comments in the past. He keeps going on that this particular purchase is about free speech. He consciously has chosen to be very public with some of his more questionable opinions (especially regarding Covid) on his Twitter. Yes I am very glad that he has started SpaceX and Tesla. I despise the criticisms of billionaires "Wasting" their money on Space. But that does not absolve him of criticisms of him personally outside of those companies.
gmm1990 5y ago
Musk has some interesting goals and amazing accomplishments. But I'd also argue he isn't necessarily genuine or correct about electric vehicles/batteries helping the environment. Now a ton of resources and effort get allocated to it and potentially away from things that might be more helpful.
- panick21_ 5y ago
  What other theortical things could save humanity doesn't matter. Unless you can make the argument that these things CREDIBLY WOULD HAPPEN without Tesla or EVs then its pointless. I would much prefer nuclear over wind/solar/battery. But I know if I argue against wind/solar nuclear isn't magically gone happen. So its fine if you want to argue that US shoud invest 100+ billion in public transport or bikes or whatever. Those things are not gone happen just because EVs don't happen. You are probably right, but EVs are not preventing that from happening. EV are absoulty 100% a huge improvement over other cars and its not close. Even outside of the environment it would have eventually happened, they are just better cars.
basisword 5y ago
>> My read is people find reasons to hate him due to ego, they see someone running like 6+ successful companies when their lives aren't going so well, and go looking for all the moralistic things he must be doing wrong. He’s doing cool things, it’s impossible to deny that (especially with SpaceX). But you only need to look at his Bill Gates related tweets this weekend to see why people think he’s an asshole and it’s nothing to do with jealousy. He acts like an edgy 14 year old and it’s really cringey.
- panick21_ 5y ago
  And that is totally fine. I really don't care if people think he is an ass. But what happens is that people think he is an ass and then they adopt this culture of downplaying everything and making shit up. 'Rockets landed in the 70s', 'He is just a marketing guy', 'Tesla is fake company that is doomed' blablabla I will never disagree with people who don't like Musk, only people who then start to make dumb arguments about him.
  - basisword 5y ago
    I think when you care enough to say those things - and frankly when you care that people are saying those things - you care too much about the person. Focus on the cool techy stuff rather than Musk.
    - panick21_ 5y ago
      But people often bring this up when talking about EV or Space to prove their points. Or bring those things up in discussion such as now about Twitter.