Time magazine’s Person of the Year, Elon Musk for 2019, is not everybody’s cup.
He is brash and arrogant.
However, I might also be talking to myself.
We differ in that Musk, who is without doubt the greatest entrepreneurial genius currently on Planet Earth, is also a maverick entrepreneur who has made himself the richest human being by his visionary, innovative, and risk-taking drive.
This is not because he’s Mr. Nice Guy.
Musk is an Asperger’s Syndrome sufferer. Co-workers describe him as flawed and have described his managerial style as having a ‘high level of degenerate behavior’.
Tesla workers were told to not walk by Musk’s desk due to his “wild firing rampages”. Hard-nosed engineers are said to have been rendered to tears in Musk’s fiery confrontational meetings. He is a demanding and impatient workaholic.
Asperger’s Syndrome patient Elon Musk has been described as a “highly degenerate” manager. He is also known for his ‘total and total pathological sociopathy.
Justine, one of Justine’s ex-wives posted an enlightening account of their marriage.
True transformative individuals, however, aren’t always cuddly and warm.
Time describes him as an “edgelord, genius, visionary”, showman, clown and genius.” Time also praises him for being a “man god” who “dreams of Mars while he rules Earth, square-jawed, indomitable”.
According to the magazine’s editors, Musk is often portrayed as an arrogant supervillain. He is also lumped with tech brothers and space playboys who see money only as scorekeeping, and rockets as the ultimate toy. He is actually ‘different’: He’s a manufacturing magnate—moving metal, not bytes. America’s space goals were reenergized by his rockets, and he is now launching satellites to increase Internet access worldwide. This man is the futurist where all things are possible. He’s a throwback back to America’s glorious industrial past before it stopped making anything other than rules, limitations, barriers, and Facebook.
Time made it clear that their annual recognition was not an honor but a recognition of the individual who had the biggest influence over the year’s events for good and for bad.
Inadvertently, I assumed Musk’s recognition was parked in the ‘good category.
After all, this guy has spent over 25 years trying save the planet via sustainable cars, solar power and alarm bells regarding climate change and Artificial Intelligence. And he’s virtually restored the dream space exploration and the incredible idea of colonizing Mars as a way to alleviate the massive overpopulation.
Musk is unpredictable and can sometimes be intemperate.
Yes, his tweeting can be indefensibly irresponsible – whether it’s ramping up (or down) crypto-currencies, constantly downplaying the threat from Covid-19 and spreading disinformation about the virus, shamefully calling people who criticize him ‘pedos’, or live-tweeting as he is emptying his bowels.
Inadvertently, I assumed Musk’s recognition was parked in the ‘good category. His vision of space exploration and the brilliant idea to colonize Mars helped Earth overcome its massive overpopulation crisis. (Above, the Inspiration4 all-civilian Crew Dragon crew. SpaceX has launched many historic flights, including an all-civil crew to the space station.
Yes, he should be paying more tax.
It’s outrageous that in 2018, he paid zero individual federal taxes, and paid an average rate of just 3.7% between 2014-18 – even though it was perfectly legal given that he takes no salaries, and his fortune is mostly held in assets and stock. In self-defense, he also pointed out that the income he receives from the 110,000 workers he hires is huge.
Although I do prefer looking at public figures in their entirety, even though they may all be flawed, the sum of Elon Musk’s achievements is undoubtedly greater than the negative.
Apparently, not.
According to liberal outrage over his Time POTY announcement the woke brigade thinks he is less worthy of the title than Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin and others.
Kurt Eichenwald, liberal writer, lamented that Musk’s selection was “the worst” ever.
Senator Elizabeth Warren raged, “Let’s reform the rigged fiscal code so that The Person of Year actually pays taxes and stops freeloading on everyone else,” she said.
“The guy could use an ego lift, you know?” scoffed late night host Trevor Noah. You can’t dispute this. I’m talking about the richest man in all of humanity, who controls both space and crypto. Is there anyone who would be in second? Pete Davidson perhaps?
Jimmy Kimmel mocked, stating that ‘It is important to remember this isn’t necessarily a compliment. Donald Trump and Adolf Hitler were named Person of the Year.
Majid Padellan, a left-wing blogger for ‘Brooklyn Dad Defiant’ said that Elon Musk would be a “literally nearly anyone” better Person of Year.
Aaron Parnas, self-described Democratic strategist suggested Dolly Parton should be the winner.
Musk’s money, brains and time have been invested in several businesses which collectively make him more effective at saving us all than any other Earth-mates. (Left to right) In September 2021, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches and Dragon, which carries non-professional astronauts. (Right) Tesla, which makes sustainable electric cars, is heading towards being the world’s biggest company
Really?
Dolly deserves my respect, but I would place saving the planet slightly above crooning Jolene.
And, frankly speaking, what’s the point of all this hatred for Musk?
He is surely the American dream’s living embodiment.
At the age of 10, he read two books per day, and became obsessed about computer and video gaming. A computer was purchased by him at 12 and he sold to tech magazines for $500 the code of Blastar, a game that he had created.
Because of his Asperger’s, he was an introvert as a child and bullied verbally and physically throughout his childhood. He was even admitted to hospital for one week following a particularly brutal beating.
He has also implied that he was subject to some unspecified form of abuse by his father.
Musk fled South Africa, leaving behind nothing. He arrived in America via Canada. A very bright student, he dropped out of Stanford after two days to launch – with his brother – an internet start-up ‘Zip2’ which developed and marketed an Internet city guide for the newspaper publishing industry including the New York Times and was sold for $307 million.
Musk: Why the hatred? Musk is undoubtedly the American dream’s living embodiment. (Pictured: Musk, age 24, at his computer in 1995)
He then founded the online banking giant X.com, which was hugely popular. Later it merged with PayPal to make him an additional $150 million.
Musk, who has invested his brain and money into a number of companies that have collectively done more for us than all his Earth-mates.
It hasn’t been an easy feat, and his private life was just as difficult as his professional.
Musk’s divorces and separation from his father were not the only things that caused him to die. Musk also nearly lost his infant child Nevada Alexander at just 10 weeks of age due to sudden infant death syndrome.
He’s a complex individual who’s experienced a lot of life experiences that may explain his less than inspiring behavior.
He has his heart right where it should be, however.
Musk hopes for the survival of our planet and its 7.9 million inhabitants.
He does not want to see us destroyed by climate change or asteroids or artificial intelligence robots.
Time stated that this man is one who strives to save our planet, and to get us a new home.
Musk responded by saying: “The ultimate goal was to make human life multi-planetary, and to enable mankind to be a spacefaring civilisation.”
It is hard to think of any more important goal, and no man, despite his flaws, could be more qualified to attempt it.
It’s no surprise that Time named Elon Musk their Person-of-the Year.
There are more people who can be like him than we have today, so there is less need for whiny woke-rats to throw their toys from their strollers. Their bogeyman finally gets the attention he deserves.