Walter Isaacson‘s latest biography on PayPal and Tesla founder Elon Musk has stirred controversy, particularly regarding an incident involving Starlink satellite internet service and a Ukrainian drone attack. However, the 688-page book delves deeper, revealing lesser-known facets of Musk’s life. Elon’s childhood in South Africa reads like the origin story for a superhero, or maybe a supervillain, the Washington Post comments.
What We Learned About Elon Musk:
- Emerald Mine Controversy: Contrary to the belief that Musk’s father owned a lucrative emerald mine in South Africa, Isaacson clarifies that Errol Musk traded a plane for emeralds from black-market mines in Zambia. These mines went bankrupt in the 1980s, and Elon received minimal financial support from this venture.
- Tesla’s Solar City Acquisition: Musk’s 2016 decision to acquire SolarCity raised eyebrows. Initially, enthusiastic about a “solar roof”, Musk’s interest waned after winning a lawsuit related to the acquisition.
- Musk’s Texas Abode: Musk’s rumored “glass house” in Texas is partially true. He purchased land near Tesla’s Giga Texas factory and considered a unique “shard of glass” design. However, the project remains on hold.
- Musk’s Offspring: Isaacson reveals that Musk and Grimes had a third child, Techno Mechanicus Musk. This addition brings Musk’s child count to 11, including twins with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis.
- Twitter Acquisition: Musk’s Twitter purchase is portrayed as impulsive. Isaacson suggests various motivations, from childhood bullying to seeking new challenges. Musk later expressed regret about the acquisition.
- Twitter’s Technical Woes: After Musk’s intervention in relocating Twitter’s servers, the platform faced stability issues. A notable crash disrupted an interview with presidential candidate Ron DeSantis.
- Bari Weiss and the “Twitter Files”: Journalists Bari Weiss and Matt Taibbi were hired by Musk to investigate Twitter’s alleged bias. However, a rift developed between Musk and Weiss over free speech issues and Musk’s actions related to his private jet’s tracking account.
Conclusion
Isaacson’s biography provides a comprehensive look into Musk’s complex persona, offering insights beyond the headlines. The new biography depicts a man who wields more power than almost anyone on the planet but seems estranged from humanity, The New Yorker concludes. He certainly has very different sides and even more visions. Elon Musk aspires to safeguard democracy, preserve civilization, and extend human consciousness to the cosmos with a spaceship named the Heart of Gold, inspired by “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”
