5 ms·
This is certainly the image he would love people to have: a humble immigrant from the poor South Africa, hustling his way into the American dream. The reality
by warent 3y ago
This is certainly the image he would love people to have: a humble immigrant from the poor South Africa, hustling his way into the American dream.
The reality is that he is from a wealthy, well-connected, post-apartheid white family. They funded his coming to Canada, the US, University, and getting first business off the ground. The reality is that he has had a silver spoon his entire life.
- JVillella 3y agoWho cares?
- afavour 3y agoMusk certainly does.
- JVillella 3y agoLet me be more specific: why do the people speaking out about his "fortunate" past care so much? As long as it didn't come from something unethical, why does it matter to you? I don't want read between the lines, but it's hard not to think it's a way for people to feel better about their own accomplishments by saying someone else had a massive head start. Whether others do or don't, we should all be trying our best, be grateful for what we have, and proud of where we came from.
- warent 3y agoThere are at least two big points for people to care about. The money did come from something unethical--his family was enriched by segregation; racism; apartheid. That emerald money is dirty and is likely a key reason why Elon would deny its existence. This brings us to the second thing: Elon lying about this. He has demonstrated that he is willing to lie about something this significant, which should do real damage to his credibility and trustworthiness if we are being logical and objective. What else is he willing to lie about?
- 55555 3y agoIs there any business one could have owned in southern Africa as a white person during that period that you wouldn’t rule as tainted and unethical?
- zassy 3y agoNope, they also conviently leave out that Errol was an anti-apartheid member of a city council and actively tried to abloish Apartheid. If Errol is to be believed, his role in the history of Apartheid is probably the most commendable thing about him.
- concordDance 3y agoThe Emerald mine money (whatever small amount it was, likely under $70k given that seems to be the value of the plane he traded for the share) came from Zimbabwe. Its cleaner that Errol's propery money. And Elon was misleading and disingenuous but could still make a case that he hasn't explicitly lied on these things.
- FireBeyond 3y ago> As long as it didn't come from something unethical Ahhh, those historic pillars of morals and ethics, sub-Saharan Africa precious stone mines...
- quickndirty2 3y ago[flagged]
- skeaker 3y agoNot to defend him, but having your parents pay for your education is hardly a rare circumstance. It's not the case for everyone, sure, but it is for plenty of ordinary people. I don't understand why Musk is supposed to be outstanding in this regard.
- xracy 3y agoI think the way to take this comment is "He didn't pull himself up by his own bootstraps. And people need to stop pretending like any of his history means that he did."
- berkes 3y agoMaybe not rare in a very small bubble. That bubble of graduates, for example. But certainly rare given the entire world population. And even rare, within a generic western, white, culture (hardly a fraction goes to university of those, let alone being paid for it by family).
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- warent 3y agoBeing born with privilege is not a choice, and so you are right people should not be shamed for that. The problem is something else. Details here https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35919637 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35919637
- reaperducer 3y agobut having your parents pay for your education is hardly a rare circumstance. Having your father pay for Wharton Business School isn't the same thing as having your father pay for the College of New Jersey.
- concordDance 3y agoHis father claims to have given $115k to his two sons, with the rest being them working and getting student loans.
- mensetmanusman 3y agoPeople will a silver spoon their entire life usually don’t end up well. It’s why wealth typically leaves a family after only three generations.
- eecc 3y agoYeah, and you had an authoctonous whose family bankrolled him all the way up to the White House and all you got was the Second Gulf War! And daddy’s boy even managed to drive into the ground all the businesses that he laid out for him to manage. Musk’s track record is at least better than that
- concordDance 3y agoThis is bullshit. There is no evidence his family was wealthy by American standards. Errol has claimed in the interview with the Sun to have helped his sons at uni to the tune of $115k and gave them a $28k loan (as part of a $200k round of seed funding) for their first business. The only sources on the emerald mine are the Musks, where the claim is they acquired a share of an informal mine by trading in a small plane they owned (likely a $70k Cessna). Errol Musk went bust in the 90s and there's no evidence of any other family wealth flowing to Elon. There is no evidence they had any useful connections to speak of and no evidence any family gave more than a fraction of his uni (half of $115k) and business ($28k) funding. People endlessly repeat random rumors they've heard which grow in the telling. People should go read the original sources wherever possible, such as the Sun article: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/22104496/elon-musks-dad-errol-emerald-business/ https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/22104496/elon-musks-dad-errol-...