Elon Musk on How to Build the Future • Hacker News Board

Re: Elon Musk on How to Build the Future

#181

Post by hueving » Thu, Sep 15, 2016, 8:21 PM UTC

TeMPOraL wrote: post #140

guelo wrote: post #123

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Au contraire, people that know the technology and industry can see through the PR much more clearly.

Bullshit. Two of the three items on the GP's list have already been done and complainers seem to be in denial about that. Startup industry is a great place to find tons of PR bullshit though, so I wonder if this isn't people projecting their own guilt...

Only one has been done, building rockets. It's not safe to say he paved the way for the electric car revolution since there hasn't been one.

Re: Elon Musk on How to Build the Future

#182

Post by dwaltrip » Thu, Sep 15, 2016, 8:23 PM UTC

soufron wrote: post #93

TeMPOraL wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Since when did entrepreneurs decided to speak in scifi-bullshit? "We have a digital tertiary self in the form of out email capabilities, our computers, phones, applications." It's not sci-fi, it's a legitimate view. It's basically the opposite of the common "omg children today are spending too much time with computers, this is unnatural, they should communicate more face to face instead of texting so much" bullshit…

The way you say it is a legitimate view. The way he says it is just pontifying. As for the idea that our tools and thoughts are a part of us, it goes way back. As for the PhD thing, I just wanted to mention how arrogant he is. He could at least have some respect for these poor losers.

It's an interview that covers many topics. He doesn't have time to fully qualify every statement. Frankly, doing so just to satisfy the critics would be a waste of time that he could spend building his companies.

A good rule of thumb is to try to be charitable when evaluating a piece content, unless you have a good reason not to be.

Re: Elon Musk on How to Build the Future

#183

Post by dorgo » Thu, Sep 15, 2016, 8:25 PM UTC

TeMPOraL wrote: post #156

untilHellbanned wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly. He sucks up airtime for quieter, likely superior approaches in other or the same areas. It's anger not envy. What's the point of Wired interviewing Elon Musk for the 10,000th time? There are so many people doing so much good stuff out there. Finding them isn't hard. They are on the internet too.

> What's the point of Wired interviewing Elon Musk for the 10,000th time? Ad money, like with all publishing. If they actually cared about providing useful content to people, they'd seek out those quieter ones and interview them too. Don't blame Elon for the market actors that want to earn money off his fanbase. Blame those market actors instead.

blame the fanbase

Re: Elon Musk on How to Build the Future

#184

Post by LordHumungous » Thu, Sep 15, 2016, 8:28 PM UTC

muninn_ wrote: post #42

LordHumungous wrote: post #28

>I think a lot of people think I must spend a lot of time with media or on businessy things. But actually almost all my time, like 80% of it, is spent on engineering and design. Uh... that's not really a CEO's job though.

Seems like it's working though? Why not redefine what a CEO's role is? Just a though here no arguing intended. :)

Seems like it's not working, since his companies are hemorrhaging money.

Re: Elon Musk on How to Build the Future

#185

Post by mrfusion » Thu, Sep 15, 2016, 8:28 PM UTC

Umm so there's no way to read the full transcript?

Re: Elon Musk on How to Build the Future

#186

Post by jomamaxx » Thu, Sep 15, 2016, 8:28 PM UTC

clydethefrog wrote: post #126

chorkpop wrote: post #120

He also exploits people because he's "building the future." He is an evil capitalist with a cult of personality and doesn't deserve the worship he gets.

The problem with Musk is that he's managed to garner a cult of personality for being a perfect representation of an issue that has been plaguing the high tech industry for years. For decades the public has been contributing (through taxes) to the creation of the entire research and development/high tech industry, an industry that wouldn't have been created otherwise since it creates long-term profit at the expense of…

"yet what do the people get for all this"

Nothing?

They get massive consumer surpluses.

They get cars, fridges, air travel, tv, entertainment, healthcare - better, faster, cheaper (except the later).

Anyone who is able to hold a job and have an income in the Western World sees their material lives improve radically.

It is a lie to say 'the capitalists win'. Consumers get far more of the surpluses than any other group.

Re: Elon Musk on How to Build the Future

#187

Post by LordHumungous » Thu, Sep 15, 2016, 8:29 PM UTC

rantanplan wrote: post #48

LordHumungous wrote: post #28

>I think a lot of people think I must spend a lot of time with media or on businessy things. But actually almost all my time, like 80% of it, is spent on engineering and design. Uh... that's not really a CEO's job though.

We're just used to CEOs having only a decorative role, who can be replaced in an instant. So much so that when we see a CEO actually working/engaging with the actual product/service, they seem like a peculiar and rare specimen.

No... sorry but it sounds like you have no idea what a CEO's actual role is.

Re: Elon Musk on How to Build the Future

#188

Post by lostlogin » Thu, Sep 15, 2016, 8:29 PM UTC

crikli wrote: post #166

trentnix wrote: post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I read something a couple of decades ago that's helped me avoid, occasionally, the mindset that causes me to be a curmudgeon: someone else's success is not my problem. Thats not to say that any particular criticism is unjustified. Just that tearing down someone for its own sake is not good for anyone - rock throwers included.

If only society in general would adopt that perspective. Unfortunately there seems to be a growing sentiment that someone else's success was somehow at their expense and therefore they are owed something by the successful.

I'd argue that a lot of this a reaction to the standard media celebrity. Everywhere there are puff pieces trumpeting minor successes and pathetic daily trivialities of b-grade celebrities. And when it isn't this, younlater learn how success was achieved in a negative way or of terrible behaviour by the previously championed individual. Having a high level of cynicism helps keep one sane and avoid the hype. You are rarely disappointed.

Re: Elon Musk on How to Build the Future

#189

Post by dwaltrip » Thu, Sep 15, 2016, 8:30 PM UTC

LordHumungous wrote: post #28

>I think a lot of people think I must spend a lot of time with media or on businessy things. But actually almost all my time, like 80% of it, is spent on engineering and design. Uh... that's not really a CEO's job though.

He's a product/visionary CEO. They can be fairly hands on because they are very passionate about the specifics of what the company is building. The best of these have incredible intuition and domain knowledge, and are highly successful.

Re: Elon Musk on How to Build the Future

#190

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Sep 15, 2016, 8:32 PM UTC

LordHumungous wrote: post #187

rantanplan wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We're just used to CEOs having only a decorative role, who can be replaced in an instant. So much so that when we see a CEO actually working/engaging with the actual product/service, they seem like a peculiar and rare specimen.

No... sorry but it sounds like you have no idea what a CEO's actual role is.

[deleted]