I’ve acquired points with a number of the stuff Elon Musk’s been doing at Twitter, and a number of the non-Twitter tweets he’s despatched, together with ones pushing wild and dangerous conspiracy theories. However for all the doubtless legitimate critiques and criticisms, I additionally see many blended in which can be fully incorrect and misguided — and people can solely damage the extra legit complaints and issues individuals are elevating.
One frequent one is that Elon Musk isn’t an engineer. Equally, it’s frequent to say that he simply purchased his manner into Tesla and isn’t a real founder (a choose decided he was certainly certainly one of 5 core founders, and a fundamental historic account of how Tesla acquired off the bottom signifies as a lot). The implication with each claims is that Elon was under no circumstances liable for the success of Tesla (or SpaceX, or PayPal). Individuals who have adopted the Tesla story intently know that is all nonsense, and when somebody throws certainly one of these javelins at Elon’s identification, popularity, and historical past, they instantly appear like fools. Elon and Tesla followers shortly write off such folks, as a result of they know these critiques are absurd. It’s the easiest way to ensure any legit complaints or issues these folks have are scoffed at and ignored.
A handful of tweets triggered this text, however the subject has irritated and disillusioned me for a very long time. High, high, high engineers within the automotive trade, within the area trade, and within the pc trade have given Elon the very best respects when it comes to his engineering know-how and talents. I spent a little bit of time buying and selling DMs with Elon on Twitter over the course of a number of years. One of many core takeaways I acquired from him about himself was that he was an engineer greater than anything (profession smart), and I agree with that. In all probability the #1 message he supplied in recent times was that Tesla would lead on manufacturing, due to its engineering prowess. Listed here are a number of tweets from individuals who know:
“rebranded himself as an engineer”
🤔
Let’s have a look at what engineers should say about thathttps://t.co/Vej3JR2zyR— SraM 🔋 (@SraMYaguchi) November 10, 2022
Lol, completely inane assertion. https://t.co/cGXH5xw58z
— Techgnostik 🫶 (@Techgnostik) November 10, 2022
There are lots extra from properly established main chip engineers, rocket engineers, and automotive executives.
Right here’s a superb one from somebody who has simply adopted the story properly:
No he is an precise engineer. Coded Zip2 by himself. PayPal too. And is lead engineer on starship.
He is simply not the perfect folks particular person to place it mildly and must be cease being surrounded by sure folks
— C🔋ri⚡(Chris) (@Falcon__3) November 10, 2022
That’s a fundamental tweet, but it surely’s a uncommon one, as a result of it acknowledges that Elon has had great success on account of his skills as an engineer, however then additionally gives two key critiques. Today, most individuals chiming in on these subjects appear to be 100% all-in on supporting Elon and the whole lot he says or does or 100% all-in on trashing him. The latter make massive errors by not realizing that Elon’s success isn’t on account of entitlement, luck, or screwing folks over. It’s certainly on account of onerous, sensible work — and galvanizing tens of hundreds of individuals to additionally engaged in onerous, sensible work.
By and huge, I see what’s occurring at Twitter as a catastrophe. I see the entire Twitter buy as a financially silly and misguided shitshow. I see that Elon has been surrounded an increasing number of by “sure males” (for causes I might write a e book about) and that most of the folks he listens to are giving him actually dangerous misinformation on a wide range of subjects. Twitter was an issue for Elon as a result of he’d put his foot in his mouth there, and earlier this yr even, he laughed about that and appeared to point that he was making an attempt to do higher. Going and shopping for the platform, at a ridiculously excessive value, has been him going 10,000 instances additional within the unsuitable course. It’s too dangerous he’s surrounded far an excessive amount of now by individuals who egg on his most counterproductive and unkind instincts. It’s too dangerous so many individuals round him are utilizing him for their very own misguided and egocentric motives. On the finish of the day, in fact, he’s a completely grown man with ample potential to arrange the environment round himself that’s greatest for studying and progress. Certainly, as soon as being the wealthiest man on Earth, he might have pursued larger understanding with primarily limitless funding. As a substitute, it seems that he surrounds himself with individuals who agree with virtually each assumption he makes.
As an engineer, I’m certain he’s nonetheless high notch. That’s largely what made him the richest man/human on Earth. I’m undecided he has the appropriate background to know Twitter’s structure properly or to know find out how to lead Twitter, however I’ve far much less technical experience, so I can’t present a superb judgement on the technical facet of that. The entire different stuff, and a number of the technical stuff shared by Twitter folks, make this episode of the Elon story one thing like a practice wrecking right into a burning constructing falling off a cliff. So it’s onerous to look at and but troublesome to show away. I’ve seen sufficient from Elon about Covid-19, transportation planning, and varied political subjects to know that he usually steps into a subject with unsuitable assumptions and will be cussed about letting go of them. Nonetheless, that doesn’t imply he isn’t sensible in different methods and one of the educated folks on earth about a wide range of technical and engineering subjects. In reality, that’s partly the purpose. Individuals who suppose he doesn’t know engineering don’t know what they’re speaking about. He has spent so many hours for thus a few years studying about expertise and engineering associated constructing vehicles, constructing rockets, and constructing software program for them that he actually hasn’t had a lot time for different issues. A lot success mixed with so little time to grow to be extra properly rounded on different subjects is certain to guide an individual astray in these different realms, after which more and more being surrounded by individuals who suppose he’s both infallible or somebody to be manipulated for his or her trigger makes the matter that a lot worse.
I’m critiquing each Elon critics and Elon superfans right here, so I don’t count on to be pleasing many individuals or making many followers with this text, however for these of you who’re with me, a tip of the hat to you.
And the core message for anybody making an attempt to affect him or his supporters: don’t say silly stuff about his engineering expertise, his private background, or his function at Tesla and SpaceX in case you don’t wish to be shortly categorized as a idiot. Search for the reality and find out how to persuade, not a fair greater meals combat of misinformation.
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