Actually, I just wanted to use Mark Twain’s quote, “People with a new idea are considered crackpots until it catches on”, and thus build a bridge to Elon Musk. Now it has become something more…:-)
Both men were or are visionaries in their field: Mark Twain’s auto-biography was kept under lock and key for 100 years (!) after his death according to his wishes and was published in 2010. A wise and visionary decision, in my opinion. Publication after his death in 1910 would probably have provoked outrage among many powerful people. 100 years later, all his contemporaries are no longer and Twain’s view of the world is acceptable, even prophetic. The New York Times ran the headline: “This Twain is unabashedly modern.”
In Elon Musk’s biography (also recommended! I haven’t read such an entertaining book in a long time…) it becomes clear how often he was confronted with injuries, skepticism and resistance, but also his own weaknesses, before most of his visionary projects found recognition and success.
Link to the life of Elon Musk:
1. Visionary ideas:
Elon Musk is known for his revolutionary ideas, from his vision of a sustainable energy future with Tesla to SpaceX’s space missions and the development of Neuralink. Initially, these concepts were often ridiculed or dismissed as unrealistic.
2. Resistance and skepticism:
When Musk launched Tesla in 2003, electric car technology was widely regarded as not marketable. Many experts considered him a crank because they did not believe in the success of electric vehicles in a market dominated by combustion engines. Nevertheless, he revolutionized public awareness and acceptance of electric cars with his tenacity and innovative spirit (the necessary small change basically came from these character traits as well). Today, Tesla is one of the 10 most valuable companies in the world.
3. Assertion of ideas:
The success of Tesla and SpaceX has proven to Musk that his ideas are viable and have created a new paradigm in technology and mobility far beyond. Today, electric vehicles are no longer a niche product and private space travel is increasingly seen as possible and necessary.
Conclusion:
Musk is a prime example of how the boundaries of the possible can be constantly pushed if you are prepared to leave the beaten track. His biography is therefore very fitting, as it impressively demonstrates the extent to which visions must be pushed through with perseverance and often against the resistance of others. The opening quote from Twain illustrates the challenges that trailblazers like Musk have to overcome in order to ultimately realize their ideas.
