I’ve recently finished book #1 of 2018, Ashlee Vance’s portrait of Silicon Valley icon Elon Musk. One of the most complex figures of recent times, Musk has been painted as everything from the tech version of a utopian dreamer turned savior to an opportunistic huckster. He is often cast in the looming shadow of the giants who came before – perhaps most commonly Steve Jobs. Rarely has he been given the benefit of a three-dimensional story of his own. It is in this that I feel Vance was most successful. He approaches Musk as the one-of-a-kind story that he is, allowing at least a glimpse at a man who is uniquely driven and uniquely successful in what are arguably some of the most ambitious entrepreneurial endeavors in the world.
Vance seems earnest in his effort to provide an unbiased account and duly relates experiences and impressions from both sides of the fence, those who worship the man and those who abhor him. In the end however, the author cannot hide how deeply impressed he is by his subject, a man driven by visions of a scope that is inconceivable to many and endowed with a fortitude and steadfastness that seem impossible for most. Those feelings may be the most genuine measure of the experience of the man as they reflect the same kind of awe that those closest to Musk (both friend and foe) seem to share. In the end, Vance’s work avoids the all too common temptation to cast our icons in shades of black and white, hero or villain, saintly or wicked. Instead, he reveals a character that is eminently human with all the highs and lows that entails yet undeniably extraordinary.
Reflecting on Musk’s story, there were a few big thought takeaways for me:
1. I’ve always been fascinated by people who come into life with this strong, innate sense of purpose and identity. I mean people who seem to know who they are and what they are to do from an early age. Now consider that Musk’s stated life purpose is to pave the way for humans to colonize space and become an interplanetary species. That is an audacious statement for a single human to make. And yet, Musk has maintained this as a singular focus weaving every endeavor into the fabric of this goal. How does someone come to such a surefooted realization of something like that, especially something so much larger than life? That innate sense of self and purpose is not a gift I can claim to have enjoyed. So what does that mean? And how do you find it? Or do you?
2. From creative geniuses to mad scientists, it’s common to see the world’s extraordinary figures “revealed” as, frankly, just not so nice. Frequently, I see people comment on these iconic figures or biographies in the same way. It goes something like, “Wow, I used to be really impressed by XYZ but I had no idea they were such an a**hole. No thanks.” I always have to wonder, isn’t that oversimplifying a bit? That’s not to say we should condone these dark side behaviors. But ultimately, we as human beings are all a mixed bag of good and bad. So, how should we reconcile the shortcomings of our heroes and great achievers? Are we even capable of doing so or do we flatten them to one-dimensional caricatures just to make them easier to accept or reject? What is the defining line in measuring character, and are any of us qualified to do that from a distance anyway?
It’s certainly true that these shades of light and dark often seem to run to further extremes in extraordinary people, which probably shouldn’t be a surprise. And any work that pushes the limits of what we know how to do also pushes the limits of the people involved. Just so, this book portrays a man that is sometimes altruistic, generous, emotional, vulnerable. And sometimes maniacally driven, self-absorbed, hard, cold. Does being flawed in a way that is eminently human diminish the weight of great accomplishment? Or make it all the more remarkable?
3. Brave, brave, brave. This book recounts case after case in which Musk appears to be fearless, seemingly in defiance of all logic. Whether literally without fear or not, the man has undeniably taken big risks, making big bets with high stakes. In terms of risk taking, having billions of dollars at your back changes the math of course – although he’s shown great willingness to risk it all. But the real thread is this bravery and boldness and determination to bet on himself that proves to be so powerful. If you won’t bet on yourself, why would anyone else?
