Everybody seems to be talking more about Elon Musk this week, and for good reason. It isn’t every day that the world’s richest man makes a lowball bid to buy a public company worth tens of billions – petty cash for Musk, whose shares in Tesla alone are worth around $170bn. Musk is always in the news, but his stories are inconsistent. I can’t help but wonder whether he’s good or evil. Whenever I read a story about him, I feel like I’m reading the plot of a science fiction novel, and he’s the protagonist. His personal brand is all over the place.
Paypal. Mission to Mars. Bong smoker. SpaceX. Boyfriend. Tesla. Tweeter. Minimalist. Jetsetter. Starlink. Father. Flamethrower. Asperger's ambassador. Boring (not him – his company). Solar.
He’s a hard person to figure out. The only consistency in his brand is inconsistency. His biography is an entertaining read, but like most biography it barely covers the surface of telling his story. Clearly, he’s a genius but often acts like an idiot. I have to wonder whether his success is a product of his acting with reckless abandon, or because he takes the calculated strategic risk of a master manipulator. Probably a little of both.
We’ve all encountered a bully in our lifetimes. Some on the playground in elementary school are empowered by genetics, and others in the conference room are empowered by their line of credit. We’ve also witnessed great leaders. Some in the classroom who have mentored us and some in the conference room make us feel safe knowing that there is a vision to enhance the world in some way.
Looking at Musk and his success makes me wonder what the difference is between a bully and a great leader. On the surface, they can have a lot in common. Recently, Musk challenged Putin to a fistfight, and then a few weeks later announced his initiative to bring wifi to the poorest people on the planet. In both cases, he had the advantage of genetics and credit. I have no idea which category Musk fits into because he has shown characteristics of both. Through his wealth, he has the ability to continue to change the world. For better or worse.
The thought has crossed my mind to try convince him to buy a small studio apartment in Manhattan and become an NYC resident. We could elect him to be an honorary Citizen Mayor. Our last great Mayor was also one of the smartest and wealthiest men on the planet and led our city into the future. As a Citizen Mayor, Musk could achieve a lot for us if he wanted. Without bureaucracy and bullshit, he could get the job done. Fix crime. Fill empty retail stores. Rezone neighborhoods to accommodate for more housing. House the homeless. Hospitalize the sick. Open more jazz clubs.
So @Elon, if you’re reading Padkos, send me a tweet and we can start searching for the perfect studio apartment for you, Grimes, X, Y, and your six other children.
Let’s do this.
-Shaun