Seriously wrong person to being up as a comparison Nate. You Come across as a genuine person, Elon Musk seems like the sort of person you wouldn’t pee on of he was on fire.
I’m surprised to see such strong negative comments about Musk. I don’t follow him that closely, but didn’t realize he’s such a polarizing guy. Whether you like his personal style or not, it’s hard not to be impressed with some of the innovation his companies are driving. I’ve talked to a couple high level folks who worked closely with him at Tesla and both of them said he can be a huge pain in the ass to work for, but that’s par for the course. I generally like his style compared to the typical CEO, but I have a strong appreciation folks who speak their mind rather than using the old corporate playbook (where it’s typically just empty words).
It was clear when he accused that diver of being a sex offender because he managed to save that kid from the cave because he took the limelight from Musk that he was a severely toxic person.
Didn’t his family make all their money off the back of modern day slavery with an emerald mine?
Oh, please.
Elon Musk has said some great stuff, said some terrible stuff. He’s not perfect, has some real personality issues – as do many people who achieve to such levels – and in some cases has been very toxic.
That being said, the man made essentially all of his money on Zip2, PayPal, Tesla, SpaceX. He’s been a visionary like few others in the 21st century. To name just TWO things that no other human can claim:
He’s been the single greatest force on Earth in electrifying transportation.
He achieved reusability in space components, and is still bringing about transformational change. Rockets that land themselves and a realistic path toward colonizing Mars? Would have taken decades longer without him.
Let’s not confuse “the guy is an ass sometimes” with demonizing the dude into a caricature of a monster.
Musk is an asshole, but I would pee on him if he were on fire because I am not. At least not that much of one.
he tweeted in 2020 that Tesla almost went bankrupt. What he didn’t say is that it was tax payer funded government credits that saved them. The company itself was built up on tax incentives that propped the company up long enough to finally make a profit. Despite those govt handouts, he is still famously thin skinned any time it is suggested that the tax system be reformed so that billionaires pay taxes too.
Sure, it might seem natural to balk at giving up some of your advantages but Gates and Buffet are both keen for fairer tax laws. And those 2 built their companies without govt handouts.
If the common thread btwn Nate and Musk is that they both speak their minds, the difference is that Nate is not a prick.
Shoot. Forgot one. I’ve hated him since he sued Top Gear for their review of his horrible first car which started as an Elise (great track car) but fell apart under hard use. A decent person would have just improved his product
Yes, the man is thin-skinned. And he can be toxic. I’m not defending his character, I just want the conversation to be based on true facts. And for fact-checking purposes: everything you said about him is incorrect.
People who bought Tesla cars got tax credits, just like buyers of any other electric car. Tesla received no money from that.
What got Tesla through and saved them from going bankrupt was telling a great story and getting the investor markets very excited – therefore very tolerant of losses – because Tesla burned through metric tons of investor cash to cover those losses. No government money there.
In 2008 when the whole US market went to pot and the Bush administration set up a bailout (which the Obama administration continued), Tesla received a LOAN from the government, very much like other carmakers, banks, and insurance companies. Tesla then fully repaid that loan, with interest and ahead of schedule. Your criticism would be more validly directed against GM than Tesla.
The “Tesla’s growth was funded by taxpayers” line is often repeated, but is ENTIRELY rubbish. Go see how much money Tesla raised by issuing shares on the stock market, and you’ll see exactly where the money to keep Tesla afloat came from.
And in the example you alluded to, he didn’t argue for or against any laws. Senator Warren obliquely stated that he pays no income tax and freeloads off everyone else, to which he replied that he’d pay more income tax that year than anyone had ever paid before. He’s responding sharply and confrontationally to a Senator who herself is confrontational and takes sharp positions. And all he said was that her claims of his freeloading were false. He can certainly be a prick… but that particular exchange is not an example of it.
Again, incorrect information. The Top Gear show was manipulated and showed a biased take with inaccurate data/conclusions. Thin-skinned in suing them, maybe… but as a small company and the FIRST startup automaker to survive in nearly 90 years, I’d argue you have to fight EVERY fight that relates to the company’s credibility.
I owned and drove Teslas from 2008 to 2021: a a Roadster, then a Model S, then a Model X, and then another Model S, while my daughter drove a Model 3). I can tell you that the Roadster was a great little car. And if I could only say ONE thing about Tesla throughout the 13-year history I had with them, it’s that they constantly and obsessively improved their cars.
From 'Welcome to the TrainerRoad Forum! ’
This is a place to talk about all things bike or triathlon related (including nutrition and weight training).
Sorry, ya’all. Love you guys, but the TrainerRoad Forum isn’t the home for this (especially becuase its already not matching the vibe and climate we work to uphold here), probably more of a Reddit thing. 