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A review by amber_lea84
Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson
3.0
This book presents Musk as a difficult genius, basically as a bear who's really a bit of a teddy bear. A lot of his worst moments publicly either aren't mentioned (hyperloop, Haraldur Thorleifsson) or are glossed over super quickly without the worst aspects being addressed. As a result this feels like a really surface level account of Musk's affairs. I don't really feel like I learned a ton. I wish there was way more detail, even if it's the less spicy stuff. Like how on earth does Elon run six businesses at once? Tell me, I want to know. Can I see a schedule? I'm so curious.
This book keeps telling you Musk is a genius, but it doesn't do a lot to prove that's true. He just seems like a geek with fuck you money and a really intense drive to get things done at all costs. And sure, yes, he gets things done no one else ever has, but it seems like it's because he's one of the few people who can. Like I can see that bureaucracy is stupid too, but if I just ignored it because it's dumb I'd go to jail. I'd drown in fines. I'd fail to reach the person who could help me make the red tape disappear. It's not because I'm stupid, I'm just not a billionaire. Recognizing that something is stupid and using your considerable wealth and power to change it doesn't make you a genius. I think the author confuses results with brains. Maybe it would be more accurate to say he's fearless. I wouldn't really argue with that.
I also hate how Elon's ugliest side is framed, by both the author and people close to Elon, as Elon being in "demon mode" as if he's being possessed by someone else. It makes it seem like he's not responsible for his actions, like he's just as much a hostage as the rest of us. As if he's a werewolf and you just have to wait for the full moon to pass. I'm like dude, go to therapy. Do the entirety of humanity a favor and deal with your shit. There's literally no reason not to, you're the richest man on earth and you have ALL THE RESOURCES. Use them. Apply your break things fast mentality to your bullshit. Become the CEO of sanity. Go full Vulcan. Whatever. Just do it. The idea that shitty Elon is necessary to have the Elon who gets things done is pure stupidity. That's just not how it works. Elon wont stop being Elon just because he's less terrible. There's no reason it has to be like this. None.
I don't know. This just felt like a bit too much of a puff piece. Like this book doesn't ignore all the controversy and drama, but it definitely polishes it up quite a bit. (Edit: And it unquestioningly presents Musk as a man who's main drive is to help humanity.) Not that I would expect that anyone hard hitting would be able to get this close so I get why it's so generous, but it feel like a surface level rehashing of what we all already know.
But it was easy to read, and there was some new information in here.
This book keeps telling you Musk is a genius, but it doesn't do a lot to prove that's true. He just seems like a geek with fuck you money and a really intense drive to get things done at all costs. And sure, yes, he gets things done no one else ever has, but it seems like it's because he's one of the few people who can. Like I can see that bureaucracy is stupid too, but if I just ignored it because it's dumb I'd go to jail. I'd drown in fines. I'd fail to reach the person who could help me make the red tape disappear. It's not because I'm stupid, I'm just not a billionaire. Recognizing that something is stupid and using your considerable wealth and power to change it doesn't make you a genius. I think the author confuses results with brains. Maybe it would be more accurate to say he's fearless. I wouldn't really argue with that.
I also hate how Elon's ugliest side is framed, by both the author and people close to Elon, as Elon being in "demon mode" as if he's being possessed by someone else. It makes it seem like he's not responsible for his actions, like he's just as much a hostage as the rest of us. As if he's a werewolf and you just have to wait for the full moon to pass. I'm like dude, go to therapy. Do the entirety of humanity a favor and deal with your shit. There's literally no reason not to, you're the richest man on earth and you have ALL THE RESOURCES. Use them. Apply your break things fast mentality to your bullshit. Become the CEO of sanity. Go full Vulcan. Whatever. Just do it. The idea that shitty Elon is necessary to have the Elon who gets things done is pure stupidity. That's just not how it works. Elon wont stop being Elon just because he's less terrible. There's no reason it has to be like this. None.
I don't know. This just felt like a bit too much of a puff piece. Like this book doesn't ignore all the controversy and drama, but it definitely polishes it up quite a bit. (Edit: And it unquestioningly presents Musk as a man who's main drive is to help humanity.) Not that I would expect that anyone hard hitting would be able to get this close so I get why it's so generous, but it feel like a surface level rehashing of what we all already know.
But it was easy to read, and there was some new information in here.