The Dark Side of the Moon: Time 2021 Person of the Year — Elon Musk in a Balanced Light
Most geniuses and leaders do not fit into our monochromatic bioscope of seeing life, but we fallaciously tend to see them in a single hue. That’s why we either love them so ardently or hate them vehemently; take Trump, for instance, is either loved or despised.
Elon founded SpaceX in 2002 and became the CEO of Tesla in 2008. With the success of Tesla, Paypal, Solar City, The Boring Company, SpaceX, OpenAI, ZIP2 and Neuralink he is rightly hailed as the tech oracle, and has been seen on the cover of countless magazines, and is compared with Tony Stark from the Marvel universe.
With the spotlight on Elon Musk, it’s time we see this genius in a more balanced light.
The Dark Side of the Moon
Since we have all come to idolize Elon, his achievements, and his celebrity status, let’s begin by adding a balance to the equation, let’s explore the other side of the moon.
A flurry of criticism came from many corners to the way of Time’s choice of Elon Musk as the person of the year 2021. The various grounds of criticism range from being pedantic to resentful towards Elon’s influence over technology, the stock market, the opinion of the masses, and his taxfree enormous wealth.
The Guardian wrote — Naming Elon Musk person of the year is Time’s ‘worst choice ever’, say critics. His views on tax, unions, Covid, more babies, and racist culture at Tesla have been criticized in general. NBC says — “Elon Musk is Time’s 2021 ‘Person of the Year.’ He doesn’t deserve it.”
A Fact Check
It is worth noting that the Salesforce CEO and SpaceX investor Marc Benioff purchased Time in 2018, and their influence can not be brushed aside. For long a narrative has been pushed by Silicon Valley that Tech will save the planet, romanticizing thus, their contribution. These are narratives that have long-term underpinnings. The media has also pushed Elon as our savior, fighting for pressing causes and the planet selflessly, and that makes us see him in a different light.
Racial Discrimination and Sexual Harassment at Tesla
There have been instances of racial inequality and Tesla had to pay $137 million to a worker. Also, sexual harassment is rampant, the new findings reveal. There are other accusations as well, from underpaying to burnout, levelled against Tesla. Most certainly, it is impossible to trust a man who wants to take humanity to Mars, because people will face the same social evils on mars, and that’s not encouraging. We would expect at least a culture of harmony and well-being from the companies of a man who wants the world to be a better place.
Downplaying COVID and Ignoring mRNA Vaccination Feats
Many argued that those involved in the development of vaccination, and those who risked their lives to save the lives of others must be given due consideration, but Time magazine thinks otherwise.
At a time when the entire world was in utter ambiguity about responding to COVID, Elon Musk’s opening of the California factory, opposing compulsory vaccination, and downplaying the risk certainly strike as irresponsible.
Grand visions of the future must rest on responsible shoulders.
Illegal Union-Busting
The National Labor Relations Board backed a 2019 ruling in March that said it was illegal for Tesla to fire a worker connected to union organizing, according to The New York Times.
The Tesla board asked Musk to delete his Tweet “why pay union dues & give up stock options for nothing?” It obtusely threatened workers from joining unions.
n words on an employee, who spoke to the Guardian “I’ve seen people pass out, hit the floor like a pancake, and smash their face open,” said Jonathan Galescu, a production technician at Tesla. “They just send us to work around him while he’s still lying on the floor.”
Incredible Wealth and Zero Taxes
Many such as senator Elizabeth Warren have taken to Twitter to launch scathing remarks about Elon Musk not paying taxes in 2018. Many have called for a law that changes that. The richest man on earth must pay taxes like common folks. He is also criticized because he opposes billionaire tax.
Senators like Bery Sanders with socialistic ideologies, who are all for taxing the rich more see Elon as a Hubristic Supervilian. Does tax collection make a country great? Is tax contribution a true measure of contribution to humanity? USSR failed, India has for decades suffered at the hands of socialistic ideologues, from Nehru to present Gandhians, that set India on the course of all-pervasive poverty. Certainly, the socialistic way of seeing thins seem compassionate, but in the end, everyone suffers.
Elon’s wealth comes from his Tesla shares, which is reflective of the faith investors have in the company. His wealth is not locked up in an FD, it’s out there in the open. One bad news and a lot of it goes away. Certainly, the conservative way of seeing and resenting wealth is not a prudent vantage point.
Are we flirting with mediocrity when we measure rare individuals with yardsticks of the common man?
Elon has been criticized for not taking his eyes off the stars while hoarding a vast fortune as the planet descends into darkness.
Multiplanetary species is what Elon wants humanity to be. His company SpaceX is the only private company to have taken astronauts as well as civilians to space, designed reusable rockets, and proved that space is not just for heavily funded government bodies; and that with innovation and determination, anything is possible. Elon’s SpaceX faced four failed launches and was out of money if the last test failed, the company would have one bust. But they did it, and now the company inspires thousands of space entrepreneurs. A salute to his perseverance and clear vision.
A Man who Disrupted the Mammoth Automotive Industry or One Who Surfed on Billions of $ of Public Funding?
Be prepared for a shock, according to a 2015 Los Angeles Times article calculated that Musk received $4.9 billion in government subsidies and that SpaceX had received $5.5 billion more in contracts from NASA and the Air Force. Both companies have enjoyed more funding since then.
He has been severely criticized for opposing the Build Back Better Act, and additional electric vehicle subsidies, in stark contrast to his company’s history.
On the other hand, no one ever imagined that industry as capital intensive as automotive and space can be disrupted by a startup. Imagine this, the value of Tesla touched over a trillion dollars while the total value of the other two Top companies is together around $200 billion.
Moreover, Tesla has forced others to take electric seriously, otherwise, it would have easily taken over a decade for them to make the switch.
He is influential, because he made possible, that which was inconceivable.
Redefining Space or Colonizing it?
Everyone has heard of Starlink, a massive number of satellites are being launched by the company that will revolutionize the internet by offering it anywhere, anytime, and at affordable prices, doing away with infrastructure needs and have caused jitters to existing providers.
Recently Starlink satellites came dangerously close with Chinese Space Station, and that was a close call. Chinese gov have taken up that issues with internation bodies. If unchecked Starlink could colonise space, and needs regulations to be palced for safety.
Everyone thought it was unviable until Elon proved otherwise.
Seeing both sides of the moon: Tech and Porcelain Throne
Elon Tweets while sitting in his lavatory, and thats from where most of his Tweets come from, hilarious right. To critique Elon for pedantic things would be to flirt and worship mediocrity. He has accomplished things that are just inconceivable, and we do need role models like him to help us dare to dream big.
On the other hand, his shortcomings must not be overlooked to such an extent that we pay dearly. We must romanticize, and rever people within the limits that allow us to point out the wrongs as well. Monochromatic view of our geniuses will only contribute to their final fall from grace, instead, we must call a spade a spade when we see it and while there is time.
Elon is one of our finest and he must be cherished for it. Maybe not this year, but he will be a perfect choice for many years in the near future.
