In defense of @elonmusk (not that he needs it)
There’s meme out there that maybe Elon Musk is not totally stable, maybe even crazy. Making flamethrowers for consumers; sleeping on the…
There’s meme out there that maybe Elon Musk is not totally stable, maybe even crazy. Making flamethrowers for consumers; sleeping on the factory floor to solve production problems with the Model 3; making a submarine out of a rocket-fuel tank to rescue the Thai kids; offering to filter water for Flint MI homeowners; etc.
Some people know that I have a history of irritating Elon, to such a degree that he called me a #rudecustomer on Twitter, returned my deposit on the Model X I had ordered, and banned me from buying any Tesla car. That’s not the beginning; I’ve been irritating him for longer, partially because that’s what I’ve been doing for a long time, irritating important people by speaking my mind in public.
I want to defend Elon Musk. I don’t care if he unblocks me on Twitter, or unbans me at Tesla, or even reads this post. I want to defend Elon Musk because his very craziness or instability or whatever you want to call it has created so much value in our world that I consider him the second best living founder CEO (which will probably irritate the crap out of him) I’ve had the privilege of irritating. Better than everyone except Steve Jobs (which is why I used the “living” word up there to avoid calling Elon third best-ever) and Jeff Bezos, who is the best-ever CEO founder I’ve ever watched grow a company (not to mention two) in 40 years of watching CEOs build companies, as both a journalist and then as a venture capitalist. But that’s another topic.
Elon Musk has made some fundamental changes in our mental model for what is even possible and expanded our horizons to such a degree that he has transformed our world, to wit:
He created commercially successful electric cars that work and function and make their customers extremely happy. From the Roadster to the Model S to the Model X to the Model 3 and forward, he has created a line of cars that are the model and target now for ever other automobile manufacturer in the world.
He changed the fundamental model for how to sell cars that managed to change a hidebound deal system that had been written into law in most American states and by doing so showed the legacy automobile companies how to provide driving and service directly to consumers and make them way happier with the whole experience, despite the legal challenges. (They still haven’t totally figured that out, by the way.)
Along the way, he built an entire battery factory (and is working on more) and electric charging infrastructure to support the car and the distribution system. And the first three items are all about one effort: Tesla.
Separately, he created a space-launch company with the idea that the goal is to get to Mars. And made it successful by under-bidding the government’s monopoly prime contractors. And recently scored his first Air Force contract to put secret satellites in orbit, formerly the exclusive domain of those very contractors.
Then he started a tunneling company, based on his own theory for high-speed transport, to solve core transport problems in urban area — by going underground. (And threw the flamethrower in, for whatever reason.)
I won’t even mention the AI thing, where he’s putting up a fuss about being careful! Of all things.
So here is to Elon Musk in whatever state of mind he wants to be in! Please stay crazy, if that’s what you are! Please keep doing these crazy things! Don’t screw up the companies you have since you’ve made them so important to all of us. But make new ones too. And fix the power systems in Puerto Rico and Australia and water systems in Flint MI and try to rescue kids and keep making jokes about stupid Wall Street analysts and on and on. I love it and bless the fact that you joined us here in the U.S. and have done what you are doing!