3 ms·

I’m not unaware of his behavior since, but people are complicated, so is ‘growth’, and I try to resist the urge to see only one side of the equation.

jrflowers 2y ago
This makes sense. “Growth” can be skewed if you only look at a person’s words and actions. The side of the equation that we imagine in our minds has be weighed equally lest we take a combination of a person’s own words about their values and thoroughly documented and uncontested accounts from others as being somehow reflective of a person’s character.
- h0l0cube 2y ago
  > “Growth” can be skewed if you only look at a person’s words and actions I guess my point is that his words and actions haven't been one sided. e.g., He assists Ukraine, but he also supports Trump who has implied he will withdraw US support and force a 'peace', which likely will be at the expense of Ukrainian territory and embolden Russia to make future incursions in neighboring countries. He kickstarted the battery and electric mobility revolution, but he isn't really that concerned about the environment or conservation. I'm sure there's plenty more contradictions, but I'm not inclined to take this discussion further. I'm not sure what to make of all of this, and I don't think there's anyone who credibly has enough insight into his mind to say. But certainly, the links you provided describe his words and actions, I don't dispute that, however cherry picked they may be.
  - jrflowers 2y ago
    Exactly. If we simply imagine that a person’s actions contain contradictions then we can properly imbue them with a complex unknowability that elevates them from human to mythological enigma. Where a simple mind might look at Musk and Russia and conclude “he supports Russia” based off his words and actions or similarly conclude that he has no interest in the environment or conservation based on the same process of observation, a wiser person makes the extra effort to reject coherence in order to become retroactively confused.
    - h0l0cube 2y ago
      Everything you said is right. Everything I said is wrong. Wisdom can't beat Very Smart, so go give yourself a pat on the back for 'winning the argument' with your deep and canny observations. Maybe one day, you, too, will outgrow your gifted child persona. Hope springs eternal.

jrflowers 2y ago

This makes sense. “Growth” can be skewed if you only look at a person’s words and actions. The side of the equation that we imagine in our minds has be weighed equally lest we take a combination of a person’s own words about their values and thoroughly documented and uncontested accounts from others as being somehow reflective of a person’s character.

h0l0cube 2y ago
> “Growth” can be skewed if you only look at a person’s words and actions I guess my point is that his words and actions haven't been one sided. e.g., He assists Ukraine, but he also supports Trump who has implied he will withdraw US support and force a 'peace', which likely will be at the expense of Ukrainian territory and embolden Russia to make future incursions in neighboring countries. He kickstarted the battery and electric mobility revolution, but he isn't really that concerned about the environment or conservation. I'm sure there's plenty more contradictions, but I'm not inclined to take this discussion further. I'm not sure what to make of all of this, and I don't think there's anyone who credibly has enough insight into his mind to say. But certainly, the links you provided describe his words and actions, I don't dispute that, however cherry picked they may be.
- jrflowers 2y ago
  Exactly. If we simply imagine that a person’s actions contain contradictions then we can properly imbue them with a complex unknowability that elevates them from human to mythological enigma. Where a simple mind might look at Musk and Russia and conclude “he supports Russia” based off his words and actions or similarly conclude that he has no interest in the environment or conservation based on the same process of observation, a wiser person makes the extra effort to reject coherence in order to become retroactively confused.
  - h0l0cube 2y ago
    Everything you said is right. Everything I said is wrong. Wisdom can't beat Very Smart, so go give yourself a pat on the back for 'winning the argument' with your deep and canny observations. Maybe one day, you, too, will outgrow your gifted child persona. Hope springs eternal.