Elon Musk: Always A Douche

[Tamas]

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jun/30/musk-big-beautiful-bill-america-party

[Valmy]

So now Musk is complaining that trump treated Doge as a whipping boy. He's saying got outsmarted by trump of all people. Genius isn't what it used to to be

Lots of people get outsmarted by Trump.  He has a gift for convincing very successful people to destroy themselves in service to him, even though it's known by everyone that he would abandon them as soon as they would do so.  I wouldn't be surprised if Trump were the one who genetically engineered moth to fly into flames.

Musk was basically this meme

[crazy canuck]

I am not sure why people still think Musk is smart

[Josquius]

I am not sure why people still think Musk is smart

Multi bazillionaire who was in charge of the US for a little while.
Can't be a total idiot.
As much as he heavily indicates otherwise.

[Sheilbh]

Also does it matter? Smart doesn't mean good, moral, thoughtful, better at politics or anything else.

Smart or total idiot doesn't seem to really the cause (or not) of the problems with Musk as far as I can see them.

[frunk]

Also does it matter? Smart doesn't mean good, moral, thoughtful, better at politics or anything else.

Smart or total idiot doesn't seem to really the cause (or not) of the problems with Musk as far as I can see them.

Claiming to be smart is the only thing Musk has going for him.  Without that he has no redeeming features.

[Sheilbh]

He's very wealthy, remarkably fecund and psychologically damaged. He could be the world's least likeable Bronte love interest.

[Admiral Yi]

 

[The Brain]

Musk appears to be stupid. He says and does stupid things. My impression is that he genuinely doesn't understand the difference between increasing efficiency and reducing costs. If he does understand it, he is for some 8D-chess reasons giving the impression that he doesn't, but I think this is unlikely.

Musk is an incredibly successful businessman, but that's neither here nor there. Trump is the most successful politician of our era, and he is extremely stupid for a human and likely not fully conscious.

[Josquius]

He's probably pretty min-maxed in his stats.
In terms of battery tech  and selling/drumming up investment he clearly does know his stuff.
In other areas he's a total idiot with massive unwarranted self-belief.

[Bauer]

I think there are probably a lot of entrepreneurial type rich people who are simply good at making money and boosting valuations.  They don't have to be the smartest, they just have the "right" qualities to be that person.

He has a reputation for demanding obscene working hours at his companies too.  I think many in tech space are like that, companies stuck in perpetual start up work culture.  But employees are almost certainly being taken advantage of for executive bonus benefits.

[crazy canuck]

I think there are probably a lot of entrepreneurial type rich people who are simply good at making money and boosting valuations.  They don't have to be the smartest, they just have the "right" qualities to be that person.

He has a reputation for demanding obscene working hours at his companies too.  I think many in tech space are like that, companies stuck in perpetual start up work culture.  But employees are almost certainly being taken advantage of for executive bonus benefits.

Or just being lucky in having been part of the right start up at the right time.