I am ashamed that I used to be a somewhat vocal advocate of Musk and Tesla.
I remember saying how great it was that Tesla released a bunch of patents to further humanity. I remember telling people I thought his nervous rambling presentation style showed he was a down to earth guy forced into the limelight who just wanted to bring his progressive vision to the world. I remember praising the aesthetics of the model s and really wanting one. I remember cheering on Tesla as the underdog taking on the established automotive giants through direct sales and installing their own charging networks etc. I remember retelling the story of a model-s breaking the safety test equipment with glee and wanting what I thought was the safest car on the road which just happened to be the cheapest to run, the most environmentally friendly and with “ludicrous” performance. I remember reading about full self driving and the car parking itself so you can drive to the door of whatever shop or restaurant you were going to and leave the car to figure out the rest.
Then the paedo guy thing happened. This is the moment I can point back to where I first reminded myself to think critically about something I was a fan of. I still excused it, "ok maybe Musk might be a bit of a dick, but at least he has a noble mission at heart " Then the floods gates opened. Autopilot deaths. Union busting. Full self driving that is perpetually less than a year away. The cyber truck that reminds me of that Simpsons episode when Homer designs a “car”. Nazi salutes…
How could I get it so wrong?
I am thankful that Elon Musk has reminded me that I like anyone else believe what I want to believe and fall for marketing more easily than I thought I would.
BUT I am ashamed that I am so stupid. Even more I’m ashamed that through my falling for it, I may have helped others fall for it.
We all live in our own little comfort zone. It takes effort to challenge your opinions. Truly challenge them. I fail at it more than I succeed apparently, but at least knowing that might help me be a little less gullible next time.
TL;DR Musk is a wanker.
Edit: some typos
I’m glad Europe is backing him.
It was hugely ironic that Trump and Vance sat and told Zelensky how things are based on what they’ve watched on TV, cutting off his attempts to correct them and then called him disrespectful.
It had the feeling of a pupil reporting to the headmasters office for punishment for fighting back against a bully. The headmaster didn’t need to hear his side of the story because violence is not the answer.
I’m conscious that an analogy like this can appear insensitive and diminish the whole thing. Especially as Zelensky tried to say several times. “I’m not playing cards” when Trump made analogies about “you don’t have the cards right now.”