3 ms·

Elon Musk hasn't been a South African in a very very long time.

by orangesite 4y ago

vt85 4y ago
blueflow 4y ago
Why not? He was born there. What else would make him South African?
- TheCapeGreek 4y ago
  While he'd definitely make a list of influential South Africans, he has not been part of the culture for a long time, let alone the local tech scene. He's known to not be the biggest fan of his origins. https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/why-did-elon-musk-leave-south-africa/ https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/why-did-elon-musk-...
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
- stonogo 4y ago
  Fleeing your birth country to avoid national service, applying for citizenship in your new host country, and then never returning to your country of origin is a pretty strong signal. Naturalizing in yet another country is a fairly decent emphasis. Not sure what you're looking for. There is more to citizenship than holding passport you haven't used in thirty years.
  - blueflow 4y ago
    > There is more to citizenship than holding passport you haven't used in thirty years. Apply that line of thinking the other way around ("There is more to US citizenship than holding a passport"). Its horrible by implication. I'd prefer if nationality was being seen as bureaucratic artifact and not having more meanings attributed to it.
    - Chris2048 4y ago
      We'd all prefer a world without war too, but if nationality was just a bureaucratic artefact, who'd be left to defend Ukraine?
      - blueflow 4y ago
        Is your country worth fighting and dying for? I doubt it. Neither is Ukraine nor Russia.
        Chris2048 4y ago
        Depends for who it's "worth". Was fighting the Nazis not worth it either?
        blueflow 4y ago
        Dunno but Ukraine isn't.
  - dagw 4y ago
    There is more to citizenship than holding passport you haven't used in thirty years. Unless you're the IRS.
  - eastbound 4y ago
    When your scientists have to flee to become successful, is a pretty good sign it’s not going well. Examples involve Marie Curie who fled to France, but is always considered Polish. Poland didn’t give her a chance to be recognized.
  - andsoitis 4y ago
    According to Wikipedia, he has South African, Canadian, and American citizenship.
- BirAdam 4y ago
  Well, not living there, having other citizenships, and generally putting most of his eggs in the American basket would do it. Generally speaking, I would also note that outside of the Americas jus soli isn’t the norm. In South Africa, jus soli is restricted to partial sanguinis laws where the parents of the individual concerned must be South African citizens or permanent residents. Further, Elon has openly stated the aim to make humans multi-planet, holds multiple citizenships, and views government as a territorial monopoly on the initiation of violence. Based on these three things, I’d say he has little allegiance to any given country, and that he’s more of a nerd who just wants to do stuff without worrying about anything else.

Elon Musk hasn't been a South African in a very very long time.

vt85 4y ago

blueflow 4y ago

Why not? He was born there. What else would make him South African?

TheCapeGreek 4y ago
While he'd definitely make a list of influential South Africans, he has not been part of the culture for a long time, let alone the local tech scene. He's known to not be the biggest fan of his origins. https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/why-did-elon-musk-leave-south-africa/ https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/why-did-elon-musk-...
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
stonogo 4y ago
Fleeing your birth country to avoid national service, applying for citizenship in your new host country, and then never returning to your country of origin is a pretty strong signal. Naturalizing in yet another country is a fairly decent emphasis. Not sure what you're looking for. There is more to citizenship than holding passport you haven't used in thirty years.
- blueflow 4y ago
  > There is more to citizenship than holding passport you haven't used in thirty years. Apply that line of thinking the other way around ("There is more to US citizenship than holding a passport"). Its horrible by implication. I'd prefer if nationality was being seen as bureaucratic artifact and not having more meanings attributed to it.
  - Chris2048 4y ago
    We'd all prefer a world without war too, but if nationality was just a bureaucratic artefact, who'd be left to defend Ukraine?
    - blueflow 4y ago
      Is your country worth fighting and dying for? I doubt it. Neither is Ukraine nor Russia.
      - Chris2048 4y ago
        Depends for who it's "worth". Was fighting the Nazis not worth it either?
        blueflow 4y ago
        Dunno but Ukraine isn't.
- dagw 4y ago
  There is more to citizenship than holding passport you haven't used in thirty years. Unless you're the IRS.
- eastbound 4y ago
  When your scientists have to flee to become successful, is a pretty good sign it’s not going well. Examples involve Marie Curie who fled to France, but is always considered Polish. Poland didn’t give her a chance to be recognized.
- andsoitis 4y ago
  According to Wikipedia, he has South African, Canadian, and American citizenship.
BirAdam 4y ago
Well, not living there, having other citizenships, and generally putting most of his eggs in the American basket would do it. Generally speaking, I would also note that outside of the Americas jus soli isn’t the norm. In South Africa, jus soli is restricted to partial sanguinis laws where the parents of the individual concerned must be South African citizens or permanent residents. Further, Elon has openly stated the aim to make humans multi-planet, holds multiple citizenships, and views government as a territorial monopoly on the initiation of violence. Based on these three things, I’d say he has little allegiance to any given country, and that he’s more of a nerd who just wants to do stuff without worrying about anything else.