Elon Musk’s father was wealthy and owned an emerald mine in South Africa. His mother was from Canada, but was raised in South Africa. Elon Musk moved back to his mother’s homeland to avoid the military draft in South Africa. Shades of Donald Trump! (But a lot smarter and much more successful in multiplying his father’s fortune.)
Elon Musk was successful in developing software, and made a fortune developing X.com and PayPal, which he then parlayed into a role in a new company founded by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. Musk did NOT found Tesla; he joined a company that was already being developed, and eventually ousted the founders and took full control himself.
Musk had developed enormous wealth DUE TO GOVERNMENT SUPPORT and government contracts, subsidies and guarantees. And there are certainly many legitimate public policy interests in developing clean, green, renewable energy.
But, while Musk certainly has demonstrated his own brilliance, imagination, drive and success, he has always developed his wealth on the backs of others — government, the public, and workers who transform his visions into actual products.
As with the late Steve Jobs of Apple, I love their vision and their products, but find much to dislike in their business practices.
Elon Musk has gotten rich off others all his life.
Elon Musk’s father was wealthy and owned an emerald mine in South Africa. His mother was from Canada, but was raised in South Africa. Elon Musk moved back to his mother’s homeland to avoid the military draft in South Africa. Shades of Donald Trump! (But a lot smarter and much more successful in multiplying his father’s fortune.)
Elon Musk was successful in developing software, and made a fortune developing X.com and PayPal, which he then parlayed into a role in a new company founded by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning. Musk did NOT found Tesla; he joined a company that was already being developed, and eventually ousted the founders and took full control himself.
Musk had developed enormous wealth DUE TO GOVERNMENT SUPPORT and government contracts, subsidies and guarantees. And there are certainly many legitimate public policy interests in developing clean, green, renewable energy.
But, while Musk certainly has demonstrated his own brilliance, imagination, drive and success, he has always developed his wealth on the backs of others — government, the public, and workers who transform his visions into actual products.
As with the late Steve Jobs of Apple, I love their vision and their products, but find much to dislike in their business practices.
Elon Musk has gotten rich off others all his life.
He can afford to pay his fair share of taxes.