People who criticize Musk for making this-or-that strategic blunder, or this-or-that financial mistake are sort of missing the point.
At a certain level of wealth acquisition, one becomes removed from the practical considerations of "reality". What's $50 billion dollars to a guy who prints billions of dollars every year? Even if "X" is a complete failure, I'm sure that Musk won't lose too many tears weeping into his caviar.
Musk has long ago left the "reality" game, and entered the "megalomaniacal tycoon" game. His innate manic energy (which has always been part of his popularity) is not constrained by rationality, or market forces, or anything resembling normal reasoning. The brakes are fully off the bus, for better, and for worse.
Musk is at a point in life where he gets to purchase a compound, and start obsessing about "Rosebud". He's at a point in life where he can buy a chocolate factory and murder spoiled little children in it. He's at a point in life where he can build a laser to torture British spies who break into his secret volcano lair.
In some ways, this is actually a good thing. He's a guy who takes irrational risks, but some of those risks are likely to advance mankind. His contributions to battery technology, space exploration, global internet, and several other sectors are undeniable. But the same visionary energy underlies "X", which seems to be a shitshow right now.
But I don't think the fat lady has sung for "X". As a useful social network, it is done for. But I would not be surprised to look back 10-20 years from now, and see that "X" has turned into a very different kind of app, which transforms the way we use the internet. Or not. Only the passage of time will tell.
But all things considered, Musk the man is a complicated figure. He is not neurotypical. And we can't easily put him in a box. The way things are going, he is the one who will put us in a box.
People who criticize Musk for making this-or-that strategic blunder, or this-or-that financial mistake are sort of missing the point.
At a certain level of wealth acquisition, one becomes removed from the practical considerations of "reality". What's $50 billion dollars to a guy who prints billions of dollars every year? Even if "X" is a complete failure, I'm sure that Musk won't lose too many tears weeping into his caviar.
Musk has long ago left the "reality" game, and entered the "megalomaniacal tycoon" game. His innate manic energy (which has always been part of his popularity) is not constrained by rationality, or market forces, or anything resembling normal reasoning. The brakes are fully off the bus, for better, and for worse.
Musk is at a point in life where he gets to purchase a compound, and start obsessing about "Rosebud". He's at a point in life where he can buy a chocolate factory and murder spoiled little children in it. He's at a point in life where he can build a laser to torture British spies who break into his secret volcano lair.
In some ways, this is actually a good thing. He's a guy who takes irrational risks, but some of those risks are likely to advance mankind. His contributions to battery technology, space exploration, global internet, and several other sectors are undeniable. But the same visionary energy underlies "X", which seems to be a shitshow right now.
But I don't think the fat lady has sung for "X". As a useful social network, it is done for. But I would not be surprised to look back 10-20 years from now, and see that "X" has turned into a very different kind of app, which transforms the way we use the internet. Or not. Only the passage of time will tell.
But all things considered, Musk the man is a complicated figure. He is not neurotypical. And we can't easily put him in a box. The way things are going, he is the one who will put us in a box.