Elon Musk
According to Merriam-Webster an influencer is “a person who inspires or guides the actions of others.” Elon Musk fits that definition, and his influence is vast. From business to politics to Twitter beef with Russian President Vladimir Putin there is no arena Musk shies away from. In a time in history where just about all publicity is good publicity the Tesla and Space-X CEOs only competition might be the Kardashians. Musk has mades electric vehicles cool, scored major government contracts, and is aiming to be your internet provider. He interacts with movie stars and moves electric cars while trying to appear as just another regular dude. But with his bank account on a historic pace he is far from typical. The power and sway he has with the click of a button is undeniable. He has the ability to move stock prices which has gotten him into trouble on more than one occasion. But that has not stopped him from making money and has arguably added to the total. It seems there is nothing he is not willing to try or say or tweet. He can be charismatic and arrogant all at the same time. Like him or not it is hard to escape the name Elon Musk or not see one of his Teslas zipping down the road.
Publicity isn’t the only thing Musk garners running multiple companies. His current net worth is around $260 billion with a B and according to Business Standard that could pass 1 trillion WITH A T by the end of 2024. In a 2018 piece in The Verge Elizabeth Lopatto (@mslopatto on Twitter) surmised “maybe the spectacle is the point.” Elizabeth went on to say Musk was more interesting than major CEOs Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Mark Zuckerberg, and others combined and that maybe it was because of Musk’s availability on Twitter and elsewhere. Another point made by Elizabeth stuck out. “Musk has an idea; people engage. The exchanging of information hones the ideas, creates hype for selling them, and bypasses some of the gatekeeping systems that are familiar to most people in the STEM fields.” In the book Media Literacy In Action, Renee Hobbs explores Duncan Watts findings that many people choose something based on “what they think other people will like.” Given Musk has cornered cool and hip side of the CEO room it makes sense so many will follow his lead. Musk has a knack for pushing the limits and has been rewarded for doing so. While other CEOs have played it safe Musk has pushed the limits and his influence has grown. And he does not seem to be slowing down.
Elon Musk has been personally enriched by the public purchasing Tesla’s or stock in his companies but those are just pieces of a very large pie. He has been awarded multiple government contracts. In March of last year, The Pentagon gave him two contracts that combined total nearly $160 million. This was the third contract Musk received from them. Another was similar in total and the third was 40% of an unlisted allotment that was split with another company. Money buys power buys influence and Musk has a nose for where the money can be found. He has entered many sectors and been successful nearly everywhere he goes. He was even one of the first employees of PayPal along with a who’s who of tech icons. But like the others in that group Musk’s vision went far beyond PayPal’s walls. He seems to do so much it is difficult to think he does much more than work and sleep. But for Musk all work seems like play which may be what keeps him going and going and going.
While Tesla and Space-X get most of the attention Musk has other interest and projects he works on. Some for fun and others that are more purposeful. He created and sold a flamethrower with The Boring Company. Space-X has developed a low latency internet system called Starlink that Musk wants to use to provide internet access to people all over the globe. He has provided Ukraine with Starlink satellites and internet dishes. Love him or hate him or fall somewhere in between it is difficult to deny Musk is a champion of the people or a real life Bond villain but on the good side. Influence is hard to measure but easy to recognize and Musk has it in droves and it is because he at least appears to be trying to do good. Electric vehicles help combat climate change, providing internet services to those in need, and exploring life beyond this world are a few of the highlights. Exploring Elon’s influence can feel like a never-ending process. Specialization is rampant in academia and business but Musk defies the odds and pushes the barriers that once seemed impossible. Musk is a fascinating and polarizing character who has written a blueprint on how to gain influence. Elon understands how to move more than people and it will be interesting to see what he does and tweets next.
Sources
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Influencer definition & meaning. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/influencer
Ians. (2022, March 25). Elon Musk projected to become world’s first trillionaire in 2024: Report. Business Standard. Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/elon-musk-projected-to-become-world-s-first-trillionaire-in-2024-report-122032501041_1.html#:~:text=Musk%27s%20net%20worth%2C%20according%20to,in%20value%20substantially%20since%202020.
Hobbs, R. (2021). Media Literacy in Action: Questioning the Media. Rowman & Littlefield.
The complete list of Elon Musk companies. Thomasnet® — Product Sourcing and Supplier Discovery Platform — Find North American Manufacturers, Suppliers and Industrial Companies. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://www.thomasnet.com/insights/elon-musk-companies/
Flamethrower. The Boring Company. (n.d.). Retrieved March 27, 2022, from https://www.boringcompany.com/not-a-flamethrower
