Walter Isaacson in Conversation with Michael Lewis: Elon Musk

The bestselling author of biographies of Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs, Benjamin Franklin, and Albert Einstein is joined by bestselling author Michael Lewis to discuss Elon Musk, Issacson’s latest, an astonishingly intimate story of the most fascinating and controversial innovator of our era-a rule-breaking visionary who helped to lead the world into the era of electric vehicles, private space exploration, and artificial intelligence. Oh, and took over Twitter.
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[@elainerempel1613]

Lord, Lord, Lord, how my heart expands to hear two very smart, very talented human beings engaging in discussion. Like rain in the desert!

[@elainerempel1613]

Isaacson: "we had these happy childhoods & DIDN'T AMOUNT TO MUCH" On whose scale? by whose values? I'm just in awe & so much gratitude for both of them!

[@DeltaFoxtrot5190]

Thanks!

[@rdnvo]

Originally aired on Sept 13, 2023

[@mythrapi73]

really? so before he became President Musk..interesting

[@Jack-2day]

@@mythrapi73 what's really interesting is who's the President right now, in fact for the last couple of years? lol

[@lucialamprey2690]

Thanks. I thought Isaacson was feeble minded when he thought musk is just a jerk. Wonder if his perspective is a bit nuanced now that we have mad musk and no one voted for him.

[@tonyduncan9852]

But it has aged well.

[@LoisSharbel]

OMG! My hero, Walter Isaacson is friends with a writer I don't know about! I HAVE to read Lewis now, because if he's even a fraction as good as Isaacson, I've hit another jackpot! Thanks for this interesting, informative conversation. What a gift!!!!

[@elainerempel1613]

👍I envy you having such treats in store! The Fifth Risk & the Undoing Project are happening right now (again). Read the Premonition (that was a given cuz I'm a nurse) Some movies are based on his explanations For Dummies, like The Big Short, Moneyball, The Blind Side. SO good!

[@andywinger4197]

Excellent discussion. I've read 2 of Michael Lewis's books. Now I need to read Walter Isaacson's book about Musk.

[@silverc4s146]

It would be good to revisit this duo since the 2024 Election and the founding of DOGE, to see what walter has to opine.

[@alexandranance]

The two of you are both brilliant! What an amazing conversation

[@mythrapi73]

two giant Egos who are Boring AF lmfao

[@alexandranance]

@@mythrapi73 You must be one of those crabby people. Have a beer

[@paulabibb1116]

Walter Isakson is so right about Steven Jobs. When Jobs is motivated to make eye contact he exudes a mysterious intense spiritual quality. Met him when he was 20 or so, and had a few brief but curiously memorable, and innocent interactions with him over a couple of decades. He was unknown during our first conversation but his unusual gaze kind of stuck with me. During a later encounter , probably eight years later , he cut in on my dance partner in a pub,. I did not realize who he was with a graying beard. I remembered that curious spiritual gaze though. My boy friend said the next day "How did you like dancing with Steven Jobs?" Suddenly I remembered a string of brief contacts running like a movie in my head. I was a Silicon Valley child. My dad was an aerospace engineer / rocket scientist with 68 patents and I was used to hanging out among brilliant movers and shakers . I was quite an ordinary looking girl but I share my dad's sky high IQ . I read Jobs' biography after he died and have since wondered if on some level , he was just attracted to a kindred spirit.

[@farzana6676]

I'll never let another man dance with my woman. That's crazy

[@sidabraham7131]

"Blast off on their spaceship Million miles from reality: No care for you, no care for me" - Bob Marley 1979 And here we're in the age of Elon Musk

[@elainerempel1613]

A prophet!" None are so blind as those who will not see" Matthew.

[@bamb1s0la]

This isn't recent is it? I wish you'd put the actual date

[@Thdlsicnekslfjeindk]

Makes sense - this is pre-President Musk lol

[@drewdp515]

The left is trash

[@kathygore2155]

If it doesn't have the date, I don't watch it. Usually, if the recording date isn't given, it's old which is why it isn't given. Dishonest.

[@beerman204]

KZbin refuses outright to require date of production stamps on videos. Not only is this deception but under critical weather or wartime reporting the deception could even be dangerous.​@@kathygore2155

[@larrybreyer4066]

Great close. It seems the American people know what has gone wrong with America. They have put our greatest risk takers in charge. He talks as though Steve Jobs is still alive. When was this originally recorded? I wish KZbin would require posters to include original recording date in the summary.

[@farzana6676]

Too bad, the American system is designed for gridlock. There's still too many Dems in the House and Senate for real change to be made.

[@farzana6676]

It was filmed in September '23.

[@larrybreyer4066]

@@farzana6676 Thank you!

[@NotJustNinjas]

Walter described that Elon risks profit, for principle. He's not Eval Knievel.

[@VickiMiller-s2v]

He is still alive every time you take put your apple phone.

[@loislindstrom3717]

This was a fabulous tv book discussion on a true visionary--Elon Musk. I learned a lot!

[@mythrapi73]

a true Oligarch who wants to rule America and willl only enrich himself? he inherited his fortune and made good investments but cetainly not a visionary

[@f.kieranfinney457]

What vision? He acquires other people’s work and sells absolute bullshit to investors. He needed massive government grants for both Tesla and SpaceX but wants govt to stop grants to competitors. he’s using existing tech developed with tax dollars to go to space. His cars are junk. vision? Hyperloop? Boring company? Electric trains?? Full self driving? Robo taxis?Cybertruck? Junk. Failures. He’s not an engineer, I don’t understand why anyone thinks he’s an inventor (he perpetuates that lie). And he’s a bad employer. He treats employees like dirt. He’s a conman. He has even conned the all-time conman and is now the unelected president of the country. We should be very worried.

[@elainerempel1613]

Now I'm going to have to read Walter Isaacson. Michael Lewis & Tracy Kidder share the ability to grip me with subjects I have no interest in - that's how good their writing is. Just imagine what a wonderful world we'd live in if people read books instead of watching the Kardashians or wrestling! I doubt that DJT has even read Project 2025 which he's now signing into effect with his Sharpies gripped in his tiny hands.

[@brucemclennan9715]

Wow. Very entertaining, informative, provocative and, maybe foreshadowing.

[@ericchild3363]

Old, but still worth watching as it contains additional insights not in the book. Excellent conversation, Should be required viewing for anyone who is about to make a public criticism of Musk and his motives.

[@joannewilson6577]

Musk wanted to shut down the government for a month! That say it all.

[@ChrisBrengel]

yaasss!

[@sportsbesthighlightschanne1052]

Obama bailed out Musk, loaned him 450 Million in 2010, Musk's companies had received 4.5 billion in government contracts up to 2015 according to LA Times, will receive lot more soon

[@elainerempel1613]

The last Space-X just exploded.

[@LorenzoP-f7r]

I'm glad you spoke on this bold topic. I saw your comment on abortion, would you expand on your view in another video? I agree with pro-choice, don't see many men agreeing with that stance.

[@mkmitty]

Just because there are explanations for someone's behavior toward others doesn't make that behavior acceptable. Also, saying he just doesn't care what people think and then describing that many of his actions have been driven by vindictiveness are contradictory positions.

[@barmz748]

Walter, you were a father he always wanted to have. Quiet and juste observer.

[@richardkule9384]

Ketamine Redbull Express, runway 33. cleared for takeoff. Enjoy your flight.

[@briancase6180]

Fabulous. Thanks.

[@barbhoefener]

These 2 are fabulous to listen to Now I must listen to all books from both. Also, halfway through- Interesting theory- "Detached observer" I can go along w some of that knowing a few folks

[@TSB996]

43:05 to 45:20 doesnt seem to age well (what would Walter change from this discussion)

[@karenkaren3189]

Here’s the problem with Musk. If he had stuck to tech stuff-cars and space ships and AI, then he would have a good chance of going down in history as a great man. However he’s now all over the place with cultural issues, politics, etc. ( not to mention 12 children but of course he probably has little to do with them on a daily basis) especially if he’s a drug user.

[@JosedeJezeus]

I think his ketamine use has EVERYTHING to do with his recent into true madness. He uses it for depression, but it’s having secondary psychological effects.

[@bobmah8053]

What would be Elon's fix to our U.S. gun violence tragedies since NRA et al are incapable of addressing.

[@thomasclark631]

Our second thoughts are often better.

[@kruthg]

Fellow Americans: Are you all ok with Elon Musk now having all our social security numbers, bank accounts, personal information, the government's databases? All good with Musk controlling the country's checkbook?

[@majorkuntz]

When he describes demon mode it reminded me of Ted Bundy

[@LLH7202]

I'd love to see a comparison of Elon Musk and Howard Hughes. Very similar, visionary risk takers driven by childhood demons.

[@mistahcoughdrop]

Wonder what kind of afterword Walter would scribble today about Elon's adventures.

[@mistahcoughdrop]

Think Walter might rethink the "mission" Elon has assigned himself re: Humanity.

[@ricellisfrost620]

This is just short of Musk fellatio.

[@InfoSopher]

46:00 I'm totally astonished by Walter Isaacson's take on Starlink. At least this time he corrected it a bit. It really shows his ineptitude on the topic. I spent some time on it and from everything that I can take, SpaceX never made any decision on its own. They merely had Starlink deactivated in Crimea, because it was sanctioned. By the government. It's not their right as a company to act in the interest of foreign powers, even if they are allies, even if one should agree with them, if the government has written regulation going against such a thing. This is how the system works. To the read that SpaceX decided US foreign policy for the US (as the person who raised the question about making US independent from Musk stated; and as many articles stated at the time) is mind-boggling, when in reality it's the opposite, And Isaacson's take in his book (which I've read) made some uneducated anti-Musk journalists interpret things 180° different from how they really were. The fact that the story that they did something against Ukraine is still out there is one of the most extreme symptoms of the incompetence of the media system that I can think of.

[@markhathaway9456]

Is it surprising that during the presidential campaign, there was a lot of "Harris is going to start WW III" talk? It comes right from Musk, according to this interview. If our foreign policy has been hobbled by Musk, so that the Russia v Ukraine war couldn't be ended earlier, then he ought to be put in jail. It's not right for private industry to tell government what to do (or not do). Who elected him? Now we've got him as "president-elect" and it's looking a lot like a car crash coming at us. This is all wrong.

[@narkelnaru2710]

34:47 At least this, is a valuable insight.

[@jamesrmore]

Issacson is one of the most brilliant biographer’s ever to have lived and a great writer. Elon made a wise decision letting him hang out with him. The best fly on the wall way to really get to know someone. Who knows but I have faith Elon will have a very positive effect on helping steer the ship that is America. Btw, he did Steve Job’s, daVinci, Benjamin Franklin, Einstein and Kissinger as well. Brilliant, and exciting times finally. Good bless people like him.

[@joannewilson6577]

Elon is only looking after Elon self interest and if you do not know that you are Uneducated and very Gullible.Elon is a Bully and a Far Right Conspiracy Theorist and he did show it with his taking side with the Far Right in Germany and in the UK and with Trump who is a Convicted Rapist and Criminal and Insurrectionist and Election Denier and Convicted of Fraud Three Time with SIX Bankruptcy!

[@noronahahaha]

Idk. I tried to read the code breaker and found it extremely dull. His handling of biological concepts was admirable for someone without the background for it but clumsy. And he held biases throughout the book, choosing to heavily favor doudna for whatever reason. I couldn’t finish it. Driest read ever.

[@katiewon]

Get Elon out of my government!!!

[@MrBasedBadass]

You elected Trump?

[@mythrapi73]

worthless gibberish and a year out of date. You didn't mention the ellepant in the room President Musk and his Queen Tdrump

[@rjpj474]

Crazy how many of the facts Isaacson gets wrong in this interview

[@anthonymunafo8653]

Amazing talk

[@mikex8683]

LEON.....a new star!!!

[@isz92]

I wish the interviewer didn't cut in so often. Otherwise great conversation

[@ilyaw.3081]

It’s one big club and you ain’t in it!

[@akeandersson2672]

They completely miss his entry in to politics.

[@tomschneider7555]

I think the biography and this interview would be very very different if done in December 2024.

[@richardkule9384]

It would be more relevant. Click bait to make it appear current.

[@paulwan3264]

I would never put these guys going to same school in NOLA at same time

[@carolkar5687]

You can tell this is an older interview….

[@christineuniversexy]

Good insight but one should take into account that it's an 9/23 interview. Read the book. Have the Jobs book but only read one chapter.

[@diegovazqueznanini]

This is really well piy together. Congratulations. Un Argentino desde Londres.

[@ChrisBrengel]

great video!

[@tonyduncan9852]

That was very fair. Musk's principles are the best - so if you don't wish Elon to own you, you had better own him. Good luck with that! We'll all end up winners . . . 😎

[@gatto.grosso]

It's interesting sometime on KZbin, it's not just trash. This is a good example. It is so many false news, fraudsters and garbage on KZbin right now that we should call that YourTrash.

[@jamescookfair9057]

And now he's aligned with try. Uggh

[@bamb1s0la]

I think Walter gets it wrong on/about his ability to succeed with twitter. You haven't fully appreciated the man's Genius if you bet against him on that too because you think it's a totally different industry and he doesn't have the "emotional intelligence". Similar objections are arising about DOGE, but people will be proven wrong there too, mark my words.

[@Boox.Expert]

It’s not genius. I can build a Twitter clone in 3 weeks. Twitter will be gone once cities realize they can create localized apps for social purposes which will dissolve the interest of bots.

[@pastramiking6874]

He already rolled it into his xAI, the fastest growing AI company in the world and worth $50B

[@bamb1s0la]

@ I’m precisely referencing his Genius in that he has proven it in multiple moonshot industries, and all his companies are leaders in each industry. Also, he is making X exponentially more than just a clone of Twitter. Btwn long form video, video streaming, grok, payments, etc. “the everything app” he is slowly turning it into, it’s quite obvious that the site is far more capable than it ever was. Unless you are claiming you could have and would have done all he has done in all his companies time, and time again, You have missed my point.

[@jeviosoorishas181]

Elon has some business failures under his belt, I mean, where do people think X came from? Saying Elon won't succeed with twitter, which has lost valuation, users and ad revenue. Yes xAI might succeed, but that's him doing what he did with Solar City, where he takes a business failure and tries to leverage it into one of his other businesses.

[@Naps56]

Most see life in the rearview mirror, while some focus on the road ahead. It takes EQ to sell anything - to voters or consumers - but it takes IQ to solve problems.

[@ReadMoreHistory-v9u]

I read Walter because he is such a wonderful writer and biographer but was very disappointed in the Musk book. Way too deferential. To me it was a little sycophantic and just not very honest. Access journalism at its most obvious, sadly. Very sadly.

[@lailar7906]

18:16, 19:30

[@DanielleA2023]

TrumpMusk ... Yeah NAH 👎🏻

[@augustolori]

It is wrong to say that: it is shocking this ended up in the hands of one person! In this case, it happened because he is capable, not because he is evil. What is shocking is that nobody else is capable of achieving the same, and America is fortunate to have someone like Musk among its citizens. Mr. Lweiss's exclamation makes me think he is a hardcore Democrat.

[@azndreamerboy]

31:00 red bull

[@elainerempel1613]

I don't believe Musk being able to shave 90 seconds off an assembly line translates into him being appropriate or having a chance at GOOD success with creating efficiencies in government or the civil service. I dunno who? Martha Stewart? NOT Trump & Musk

[@royterry8300]

Seriously,what? This seems like the inside baseball of inside baseball, nonfiction authors edition. I'll listen at the second half and hope for something of substance... OK I checked, still in the weeds. :(

[@thomasbyg4795]

BOTH OF YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW ITS A "SPEEDBALL"...

[@EuClid-v5e]

Euclides. 🙂👍👍👍💯🇺🇲🦅. Hello. You. 🙂👍💯

[@missmurrydesign7115]

Delicious...

[@EatSomeAcorns]

It was great meeting you at Tulane! You probably wouldn’t remember me, you were talking about Thomas Jefferson and whether or not he had children with one of his slaves.

[@DHiMaN_NaTH]

Michael lewis , the worst interviewer ever!

[@HarryJoiner]

41:21 - “Manage an organization as nature would: with neither malice nor pity. Abhor a vacuum.” -Richard Sloma

[@cjhodges14]

Stop interrupting him!!

[@MrAlRats]

If Elon Musk is not a good person, we have yet to see a good person in this world.

[@pardonme33]

Lewis is not very eloquent speaker.. sometimes in this interview I just wish he would be quiet instead of interrupting Isaacson.

[@richardburke402]

Bet against Musk at your own peril.

[@glenkirk3883]

Before anyone critisizes Elon, they should first remember that you are critisizing a person with a diagnosed with autism. That in itself is a reason to give him a hall pass.

[@sportsbesthighlightschanne1052]

Doge is hypocrisy, Obama bailed out Musk, loaned him 450 Million in 2010, Musk's companies had received 4.5 billion in government contracts up to 2015 according to LA Times, will receive lot more soon

[@hollywoodjaded]

Not clinically dx'd with ASD; self dx'd

[@keithdow8327]

Thanks!