A Different Spin on Elon

The internet is abuzz over Elon's recent interview with Joe Rogan. It is an engaging two-and-a-half-hour interview where Joe and Elon discuss everything from their favorite muscle cars to colonization of outer space. They shared drinks and even took a puff from a joint during one of the more "far-out" portions of the conversation.

Weed jokes aside, Elon has been grabbing massive amounts of attention for quite some time. In fact, many people seem offended by the amount attention he receives and suggest that Elon is a narcissistic pervert, claiming that he is actively seeking attention to soothe some urges of the ego. 

I personally never had an opinion on the matter. After the watching the Joe Rogan interview, however, I came away with some much-needed perspective. 

What I gleaned from the interview is that Elon is 100% committed to his vision of protecting the human species from its own extinction. He's maniacal about it. When Joe repeatedly queried him about how he has time to do all the things he does, Elon gave the impression that there is just no other option for him. It is a problem that needs to be solved and - though I am still not exactly sure why - he has chosen to position himself as one of the main leaders responsible for achieving this vision. Clearly, he has benefited and will continue to benefit financially, but I don't believe this is his main goal. There seems to be something more to it.

Rather than being a narcissistic pervert, I believe Elon exhibits the personality of a savior dedicated to a cause. It is my belief that Elon's commitment to a singular vision, combined with success of his companies along the way, and the compounding effects of today's social media technologies, have all created an aura around him whereby people are naturally tending to give him attention. While my data set is slim, after watching this interview with Joe, it is not my opinion that he actively seeks attention for attention's sake. After watching this interview, I think that rather than exhibiting purely narcissistic behaviors, Elon truly believes that he can help to save humanity. 

Why is this important?

Separating narcissism from the savior complex is an important point when we consider the motivation behind Elon's actions. Rather than serving his ego, Elon is serving "the Cause". This distinction enables us to see a common theme behind each company Elon has founded. They are all formed around distinct, cultivated visions that funnel up to the same overall savior objective of saving humanity from disaster. Now, admittedly, he may be serving his ego in the process (and who doesn't like a little attention?) but it just seems to me to be a secondary factor.

Elon has had tremendous success rallying intelligent people to his cause and creating organizations that are solving technologically complex and demanding engineering and commercial problems. While the bets are still out on whether his recent ventures will go down in the history books as traditionally successful companies, he has made considerable progress in the privatization and monetization of key pieces of technology required to reach his overarching goal of saving humanity. These companies have been successful in part because of the strength of their respective visions, which tie in to the grand savior objective.

SpaceX's vision is to colonize Mars. Tesla's vision is to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and lower carbon dioxide emissions. Solar City's vision is to harness the power of the sun and store the world's energy in the form of batteries. The list goes on and my guess is there will only be more companies forming as Elon and his colleagues encounter evermore challenges that impede progress towards the overall savior goal.

I think we are at a turning point. While Elon has proven to have a knack for incorporating technology, design and engineering in integrated business models across multiple industries, many of the key processes have been set up (e.g. Tesla is now mass producing vehicles), many of the key technological hurdles have been achieved (e.g. battery density), and the ventures have been significantly de-risked (profitable quarter in the near future?). There is now light at the end of the tunnels for both Tesla and SpaceX guiding the way towards future success. 

At this point, with so many companies, Elon's technical leadership is bound to be diffuse. Aside from his ability to help existing companies recruit top talent with his star power, I believe Elon's most important contribution to the savior endeavor moving forward will be in the role of the evangelist and crusader. Engaging with investors, politicians and public. Reminding people of the savior vision and unlocking obstacles in the path towards the solution. 

Tesla won't fail because Elon took a puff. SpaceX won't implode, and Elon's other companies will be fine. Elon should codify the vision in each of his companies, place effective management in his stay once the business models are refined and move to focus on leading the torch in new industries. 

We are getting close - the future is near. 

Keep building, Elon.