Is Elon Musk the greatest visionary or the greatest snake oil salesman of our age?

[DotCommunist]

I thought about it last night, could only imagine some subtle snark about the necessity for unions in a system of want. These are the people who will smugly tell you currency implies poverty (well, when you're right you're right but Minds are still smug), But I don't remember anything of that sort regarding unions.

 

[Idris2002]

 

[Vintage Paw]

He's really going on a massive nob-head bender at the moment. I reckon it's because he was facing real criticism re his anti-union stuff amongst people who should by rights be his constituency. Gotta polarise the issue more and double down.

 

[Idris2002]

I thought about it last night, could only imagine some subtle snark about the necessity for unions in a system of want. These are the people who will smugly tell you currency implies poverty (well, when you're right you're right but Minds are still smug), But I don't remember anything of that sort regarding unions.

The line about a sign of poverty comes from the SC agent in State of the Art, IIRC.

 

[mojo pixy]

If you must know, I am an ancient red dragon of the kind best described by JRR Tolkein

(I got no twitter so here it goes)

 

[equationgirl]

I think he's at the snake oil salesman end of the scale - yet to deliver a single Tesla car...

 

[TheHoodedClaw]

I think he's at the snake oil salesman end of the scale - yet to deliver a single Tesla car...

They've delivered plenty of cars - it's the Model 3 that they're having some trouble with.

 

[elbows]

I'm starting to get the sense that if Tesla fails, he is going to blame an old guard conspiracy.

That narrative is well under way in the world of Musk.

Musk accuses Tesla worker of sabotage

Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has accused an employee of carrying out "extensive and damaging sabotage" at the electric carmaker.

In an email to staff, Mr Musk said an unnamed employee made unspecified coding changes to its manufacturing operating system and sent sensitive data to unnamed third parties.

The company did not comment and the allegations have not been verified.

The matter will be investigated, Mr Musk said.

"The full extent of his actions are not yet clear, but what he has admitted so far is pretty bad," he said in the email.

"His stated motivation is that he wanted a promotion that he did not receive.

"As you know there are a long list of organisations that want Tesla to die," he added, citing Wall Street short-sellers, oil and gas companies and rival car makers as being among them.

At this rate it wont be long till he is found raving naked in the street.

 

[not-bono-ever]

Wreckers - the scourge of industry

 

[tim]

Indeed, he so very obviously has no clue as to where Banks is coming from.

That was always challenging

 

[MickiQ]

The man is obviously very gifted, but such people aren't as used to failure as we lesser mortals, they don't seem to be able to handle setbacks very well.

 

[8ball]

The man is obviously very gifted, but such people aren't as used to failure as we lesser mortals, they don't seem to be able to handle setbacks very well.

They also fall into the trap of thinking that being brilliant at a thing or two means they can instantly understand other matters outside of their field(s).

 

[mather]

The man is obviously very gifted, but such people aren't as used to failure as we lesser mortals, they don't seem to be able to handle setbacks very well.

I'm sorry but it is not obvious, in what way is Musk gifted? To me he comes across as a complete idiot who can barely put his thoughts to words.

 

[elbows]

I hesitated to post my favourite one from that feed but now I cant help myself.

 

[weltweit]

I think he's at the snake oil salesman end of the scale - yet to deliver a single Tesla car...

I have seen three separate Tesla here in Goucestershire

They've delivered plenty of cars - it's the Model 3 that they're having some trouble with.

And here is a Model S seen last Sunday near Cheltenham

 

[equationgirl]

It was late when I posted, it was the Model 3 I was thinking of. Thanks to TheHoodedClaw and weltweit for the corrections.

 

[weltweit]

It was late when I posted, it was the Model 3 I was thinking of. Thanks to TheHoodedClaw and weltweit for the corrections.

Oh, actually I was also muddled nevermind.

 

[equationgirl]

Oh, actually I was also muddled nevermind.

 

[weltweit]

Musk has recently emailed all Tesla staff about a saboteur they found, asking them to be vigilant.

 

[MickiQ]

I'm sorry but it is not obvious, in what way is Musk gifted? To me he comes across as a complete idiot who can barely put his thoughts to words.

Then how has he got where he is starting from next to nothing? Read his bio on Wikipedia and I am sure you will find much to dislike about him but denying his ability is disgenous.
He is obviously highly intellgent, very driven and has a talent for attracting other intelligent and driven people to work for him, none of which means he can't be a complete twat.

I have seen three separate Tesla here in Goucestershire

They're slowly getting more common, I've seen at at least 2 model S's in the Midlands in recent months, still a long way before they're as common as Leafs and i3's though

 

[MrSpikey]

At this rate it wont be long till he is found raving naked in the street.

Well, at least he's timed it well:

Reclaim The Streets in London, Sat 23rd June?

 

[mather]

Then how has he got where he is starting from next to nothing? Read his bio on Wikipedia and I am sure you will find much to dislike about him but denying his ability is disgenous.
He is obviously highly intellgent, very driven and has a talent for attracting other intelligent and driven people to work for him, none of which means he can't be a complete twat.

Next to nothing? give me a break! He was born into a well off middle class family in apartheid South Africa and had the social connections and capital to to meet people who would invest in his projects. Getting other talented people to work for you is no achievement or skill either, wave enough money around and you can have anyone you want working on anything you want.

I stand by my view that he is both a twat and exceedingly stupid.

 

[elbows]

I'm not sure he is stupid, but obviously agree with the other stuff. I'd probably favour calling him extremely narrow and ignorant in a manner that suits his bias.

 

[8ball]

I stand by my view that he is both a twat and exceedingly stupid.

Yeah, Stanford University chucks out PhD's in energy physics to any numbnut these days.

edit: Oops - he didn't finish that
Guess the other two degrees were enough, then.

 

[mather]

I'm not sure he is stupid, but obviously agree with the other stuff. I'd probably favour calling him extremely narrow and ignorant in a manner that suits his bias.

No, he is genuinely stupid on things like politics. I don't know if you have seen his recent tweets but the man is as stupid as they come.

 

[mather]

Yeah, Stanford University chucks out PhD's in energy physics to any numbnut these days.

edit: Oops - he didn't finish that
Guess the other two degrees were enough, then.

Which is why I never assume that someone is smart just because they went to university.

 

[8ball]

Which is why I never assume that someone is smart just because they went to university.

Seems more like you're just not keen on evidence generally.
People can be incredibly clever but be political fuckwits.

 

[DotCommunist]

Thintelligence. Speer was smart, but politically mad and evil

 

[elbows]

No, he is genuinely stupid on things like politics. I don't know if you have seen his recent tweets but the man is as stupid as they come.

Again, I'd tend to describe that as ignorance, narrowmindedness and self-serving bias rather than raw stupidity.

 

[mather]

Seems more like you're just not keen on evidence generally.

What evidence? That he went to university, so do a lot of people. Are you going to claim that David Cameron is some type of genius because he has a degree?

People can be incredibly clever but be political fuckwits.

He is not just a fuckwit, politically speaking, but and idiot on the issue of politics. If you don't believe me then go and read his Tweets. He may know a lot about computers or whatever but next to nothing on any other topic.