Genius, Grifter, or Both?
Who tells our story matters
Some have called him a genius, and some have called him a grifter.
A genius is someone with a “strongly marked capacity or aptitude”, “a person endowed with extraordinary mental superiority”, a person with a “peculiar, distinctive, or identifying character or spirit”.
A grifter takes money by tricking, seducing, or convincing people of questionable truths.
Elon Musk's wealth comes from convincing people to invest in companies, not from direct profits from the production or sale of the company’s products. The majority of Musk’s wealth comes from his ownership of stock in two companies. Tesla and SpaceX stocks significantly contribute to Musk’s net worth.
His brilliance comes from his ability to take the ideas and work of others, portray them as his own, and convince people to invest in those ideas. Investor funds and taxpayer dollars have fueled the grandeur of Elon Musk.
Musk’s ability to convince people of his genius is remarkable. According to Philip Low, Elon Musk's former business partner, his recent political involvement has provided more access to taxpayer dollars and control of governmental agencies. Musk’s over $300 million contribution to Donald Trump has provided rewards. No report indicating Elon Musk’s care, concern, or love of democracy has made headlines, but his association with authoritarian groups has been widely reported.
Philip Low terminated Elon Musk with cause as an advisor to NeuroVigil on December 17th, 2021. “Everything Elon does is about acquiring and consolidating power. That is why he likes far right parties, because they are easier to control. That is also why he gave himself $56 Billion which could have gone to the people actually doing the work and innovations he is taking credit for at Tesla (the reason he does not do patents is because he would not be listed as an inventor as putting a fake inventor on a patent would kill it and moreover it would reveal the superstars behind the work).”
Philip Low, a scientist and founder of NeuroVigil (a company that developed a portable brain activity monitor), states that DOGE is defunding government agencies that regulate Musk’s companies while weakening agencies that protect American taxpayers. Musk cares nothing about the Constitution of the United States. Elon Musk "believes he is above everyone else." Philip Low
Elon Musk's legacy is historical. The admiration he has sought is evident. Delusions of grandeur abound. What history will remember remains to be decided.