Musk's Twitter Purchase

[Davkaus]

9 minutes ago, KentVillan said:

Isn’t this a myth? Elon doesn’t actually have any formal scientific / engineering background afaik

He deserves some credit for their broad high level goals "let's make reusable shuttles!", but not for any specific engineering accomplishments, these things are designed and built by people vastly more experienced and qualified than him.

The insider accounts I've read paint a picture of him seeking to play the role of someone able to make technical decisions in discussions that he's nowhere near informed enough to be able to contribute to, while layers of management seek to distract him and keep him away from the real work. We've probably all had an executive like that at some point in our career. He's a financier cosplaying as an inventor. 

Edited December 19, 2022 by Davkaus

[HKP90]

25 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

He deserves some credit for their broad high level goals "let's make reusable shuttles!", but not for any specific engineering accomplishments, these things are designed and built by people vastly more experienced and qualified than him.

The insider accounts I've read paint a picture of him seeking to play the role of someone able to make technical decisions in discussions that he's nowhere near informed enough to be able to contribute to, while layers of management seek to distract him and keep him away from the real work. We've probably all had an executive like that at some point in our career. He's a financier cosplaying as an inventor. 

Not surprising he has allied himself with Trump then, replace 'technical decisions' with 'any decisions', and 'management' with 'civil servant' and you have the Trump presidency. 

Edited December 19, 2022 by HKP90
typo

[MakemineVanilla]

14 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

 He's a financier cosplaying as an inventor. 

But that's the whole point - the stock price is based upon the perception that Musk is a Tony Stark figure who will bring into being the high-tech world of the comic books.

It is exactly the same as with Steve Jobs, who according to Chomsky, was handed technology developed at tax-payers' expense at MIT.

Image is everything, which was probably why Jobs was the face of the company and not Wozniak.

Even Buffet was aware that it was his public-speaking skills which made Berkshire-Hathaway a success.

I am sure image had a lot to do with the success of both Branson and Dyson.

[Davkaus]

2 minutes ago, MakemineVanilla said:

But that's the whole point - the stock price is based upon the perception that Musk is a Tony Stark figure who will bring into being the high-tech world of the comic books.

I agree entirely but I was specifically replying to a point about credit he deserves from an engineering perspective.

I don't disagree that that the valuation of his companies is based upon the historic charm offensive from Musk; but if you live by the Twitter PR sword, you can die to it too. This might end up as a case study for just shutting up and not doing anything stupid while you're ahead, instead of shooting your foot off in the public eye.

[KentVillan]

8 minutes ago, MakemineVanilla said:

But that's the whole point - the stock price is based upon the perception that Musk is a Tony Stark figure who will bring into being the high-tech world of the comic books.

It is exactly the same as with Steve Jobs, who according to Chomsky, was handed technology developed at tax-payers' expense at MIT.

Image is everything, which was probably why Jobs was the face of the company and not Wozniak.

Even Buffet was aware that it was his public-speaking skills which made Berkshire-Hathaway a success.

I am sure image had a lot to do with the success of both Branson and Dyson.

Yes, and there's nothing wrong with these kinds of people being the public face of their companies. But whereas Branson (who is deeply flawed in many other ways) unapologetically presents himself as an entrepreneur, Elon Musk seems to want everyone to believe that he's a genius inventor, engineer, physicist, etc. and it's just a complete fantasy.

[magnkarl]

1 hour ago, KentVillan said:

Isn’t this a myth? Elon doesn’t actually have any formal scientific / engineering background afaik

It is a myth, however he's managed to fall onto a group of scientists who have developed some great inventions, to put it like that.

His contribution to it all I don't know much about, other than putting his mug in front of every camera he can.

[LondonLax]

55 minutes ago, KentVillan said:

Yes, and there's nothing wrong with these kinds of people being the public face of their companies. But whereas Branson (who is deeply flawed in many other ways) unapologetically presents himself as an entrepreneur, Elon Musk seems to want everyone to believe that he's a genius inventor, engineer, physicist, etc. and it's just a complete fantasy.

Not only is there nothing wrong with it, I’d go so far as to say those types of people are necessary. Plenty of great inventions never got off the ground because their inventors didn’t know how to engage the publicity machine. 

Musk (and Trump ) have certain skills, quite valuable skills, but they can be used for all sorts of purposes, good and bad. 

[KentVillan]

1 hour ago, LondonLax said:

Not only is there nothing wrong with it, I’d go so far as to say those types of people are necessary. Plenty of great inventions never got off the ground because their inventors didn’t know how to engage the publicity machine. 

Musk (and Trump ) have certain skills, quite valuable skills, but they can be used for all sorts of purposes, good and bad. 

Hype, marketing, entrepreneurialism, whatever you want to call it, is good when there's something concrete underpinning it. When it strays too far into lies and self-mythologising, it just becomes grifting, which doesn't help anyone.

[StefanAVFC]

Seems to be implying the poll is rigged by deep state bots. Wonder who could have seen that coming.

[bickster]

2 hours ago, StefanAVFC said:

Seems to be implying the poll is rigged by deep state bots. Wonder who could have seen that coming.

Not only that, he's saying next time he does a poll, only people who've paid for a blue tick will be able to vote   

Because that won't be rigged in his favour at all 

Free speech, that you have to pay for  

EDIT: Also, hold on what bots? He supposedly got rid of them all (which we all knew was bollocks but you know....)

[sne]

So he's saying the election was rigged? Sounds familiar  

[choffer]

 

Freedom of speech for all. If they've paid.

[Genie]

Next he’ll be offering one month free blue tick for everyone who votes in the way he wants.

[Davkaus]

55 minutes ago, choffer said:

 

Freedom of speech for all. If they've paid.

I guarantee this is the first his engineers or product managers heard of it.

[Davkaus]

As an aside "skin in the game" from that Musk fanboy. 

You're paying $8 to subscribe to a social media service. You're not an investor putting your money and house on the line, you're chucking away a few dollars a month to show your subservience to a sociopath.

[limpid]

15 hours ago, Davkaus said:

As an aside "skin in the game" from that Musk fanboy. 

You're paying $8 to subscribe to a social media service. You're not an investor putting your money and house on the line, you're chucking away a few dollars a month to show your subservience to a sociopath.

You really won't like it when I get bored of dealing with the advertisers for VillaTalk

[HKP90]

On 20/12/2022 at 09:17, bickster said:

Not only that, he's saying next time he does a poll, only people who've paid for a blue tick will be able to vote   

Because that won't be rigged in his favour at all 

Free speech, that you have to pay for  

EDIT: Also, hold on what bots? He supposedly got rid of them all (which we all knew was bollocks but you know....)

Don't you know? Freedom costs $1.05.

Edit- not sure if anyone is going to get that reference.

Edited December 21, 2022 by HKP90

[villa89]

I see Tesla stock is down 70% this year. Probably still has another bit to fall to reflect the true value of the company. 

[Genie]

1 hour ago, villa89 said:

I see Tesla stock is down 70% this year. Probably still has another bit to fall to reflect the true value of the company. 

I’d say Tesla still has an ENORMOUS way to drop to reach its realistic valuation.

It’s still insanely overpriced.

[sidcow]

That is mental when you look at it.