There’s that old saying “if you can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.” It’s looking like Elon might actually want to start considering that in some capacity since the man is starting to literally burn too bright.
Alright, look. I’m not suggesting he gives up his multi-billion-dollar company and become the world’s richest and most influential hobo. He’s not the Merovingian. Few want to see that kind of fall from grace.
But Musk, at the very least, does need to take a good step back and reflect. Because it isn’t a coincidence that things are starting to burn up around him.
Musk isn’t an exception to this. Regardless of how powerful he is, he too fights struggles inside himself on the daily. It’s just that it’s even harder for him to deal with as he’s used to controlling everything that surrounds him.
But there’s only so much control even Elon Musk can sustain before the world around him begins to dissolve, exposing all his flaws for the world to bear witness.
This is where we are with one of history’s richest men. And it’s still being overlooked as a systemic issue rather than what it really is: an individual truth about a man who needs to deepen understanding － not only for himself but for us all.
Not quite following? Consider everything: the patterns, the behavior, basically the existential crisis connected to Musk currently playing out in front of our eyes. I know, there’s a lot to unpack there, so let’s just focus on the Tesla recall for the time being.
The Model 3 & Y are saddled with software malfunctions. Cars are actually, genuinely bursting into flames. The autopilot feature is causing dangerous crashes.
On top of all this, the Tesla is still a major detriment to the environment and Elon is refusing to let his workers form unions because it threatens his tightly gripped control.
All of this is, of course, super problematic. Yet, it’s only the tip of the iceberg. Somehow, there’s more where that came from － more large-scale issues, more controversies, and more evidence that Musk is losing his image of control and success.
We can only draw assumptions based on what’s visible to us. But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that all the above is both the result and the cause of his turmoil and erratic behavior. It’s obvious.
People see that and, in turn, Musk is viewed as a victim of circumstance.
You know that old song and dance － the plight of the misunderstood visionary. Like the original Tesla, Nietzsche, Hemingway, and all the others who came before him, people argue that Musk’s issues are linked to his genius.
Whether this is a sound viewpoint is up for debate. Regardless of its truth, however, this particular billionaire doesn’t benefit from it.
Why? Because he doesn’t notice it, to begin with.
He’s ultimately unaware of how his actions are playing a hand in his situation. He has little to no idea that closing competition, the crumbling China market, and his irrational anger at Biden are signs that the control he desperately clings to is slipping through his fingers.
This leaves us with questions. Many of them.
Why is he so unaware? Why isn’t he doing something about it all? And why is someone of his stature so easily swayed, anxious, and collapsing under this type of pressure? Where is his innovation, his creativity, his genius in the face of such “heinous foes” like crumbling markets or depreciating wealth?
In the end, public perception of Elon Musk’s instability is a massive indicator of a personal skill he has yet to master. It behooves him to truly embrace a new perspective that will inevitably douse these fires and get him back on top.
Whether or not he will － well － only time will tell.
