“There needs to be a reason for a grade. I’d rather play video games, write software, and read books than try and get an A if there’s no point in getting an A.”
– Elon Musk
I recently read Elon Musk: How the Billionaire CEO of SpaceX and Tesla is Shaping our Future by Ashlee Vance. Young Musk was a loner throughout his school who suffered for years at the hands of bullies. A bookworm with a mastery of soaking up volumes of information made him a fact factory. Ashlee Vance’s book outlines the stunning journey of this committed personality with a geeky disposition into a confident, successful inventor and industrialist.
A physicist at heart, an engineer by demeanour, with grit against all odds, Musk is the brain behind Zip2, PayPal, Tesla, SpaceX, and SolarCity. The harmonious melding of software, electronics, advanced materials, and computing horsepower appears to be Musk’s special gift.
Musk’s mission remains to turn humans into an interplanetary species. Creating technology to establish a life on Mars is his momentous mission. Perhaps, this stems from a life richly influenced by sci-fi and technology. “I’m not an investor. I like to make technologies real that is important for the future and useful in some way,” says Musk. Hence he pursued projects in the internet, renewable energy, and space. Some of his feats have elevated him to the rarest heights amongst business titans. viz., SolarCity with its solar panels and roofs, Tesla Motors manufacturing ultra-safe aerodynamic electric cars that people lust after, and SpaceX manufacturing and launching advanced rockets and spacecraft. Will the human race inhabit Mars in Musk’s lifetime? The world waits with bated breath!
“My mentality is that of a Samurai. I would rather commit seppuku(a form of ritual suicide that originated with Japan’s ancient samurai warrior class) than fail,” proclaims Musk. He has hardly lucked into his successes. Perpetually optimistic, he has driven these with his blood, sweat, and tears to pursue his vision with total commitment. In his endeavour of economical in-house manufacturing, he was supported by a set of energetic geeks who set out to do the borderline impossible. He mastered the art of getting the most from his employees with blunt criticism and incessant work demands.
Elon’s worst trait, by far, is a complete lack of loyalty or human connection. Many who worked tirelessly for him were tossed to the curb like a piece of litter. A case in point is Mary Beth Brown, his Executive Assistant of 12 years, whom he let go unceremoniously.
Elon is a man of inconsistencies. For instance, his engineers were baffled by his refusal to spend small amounts to get critical equipment while simultaneously splurging on painting the factory floor to make it look nice. Vance comes through as a maestro who delivers information in a loveable lucid style. His portrayal of Musk and his adventures generously interspersed with anecdotal evidence is delightful. One of my favourites is the occasion when, on his birthday, Musk donned a blindfold and held balloons in each hand and another between his legs while the knife thrower went to work. The onlookers were stunned and frightened for his safety, but Musk believed in the ‘science of things’! Bizarre but bold, I felt.
You may glorify, mock, adore, or despise, but you cannot ignore him. His book is a must-read, whether you are a techie or not.
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