Elon Musk Biographer on How the Tesla CEO Acts Behind Closed Doors | WSJ

[@treehugger3971]

Scary to think that this dude has so much power

[@mAny_oThERSs]

The interviewer was completly biased. In every question, he tried to make elon musk look as bad as possible and yet isaacson always tried to spin it in a positive way. This interview has also been edited, so i'd imagine the unedited version shines an even more positive light at elon musk. Nobody is perfect but the way wsj tries to display elon musk is driven by nothing but their agenda and the hatred for anything major that doesn't perfectly represent the values of the democrat party. I am not crazy by saying this, it's just that they are OBVIOUSLY biased and manipulative.

[@clemclemson9259]

lol let is "scare" you then no one cares

[@jancurtis9670]

And now he's part of the US government.

[@gcorriveau6864]

@@mAny_oThERSs If we want to understand why the world often seems so crazy (wars; instability; famines; disasters) maybe we should take a closer look at the people we Idolize and give power to. If most of the world's rich, famous and powerful people are 'mentally unwell" then what else should we expect would happen?

[@mAny_oThERSs]

@@gcorriveau6864 what has elon musk done that has a negative effect on the world? Genuinely, tell me. You call him mentally unwell and say he made the world a worse place. Prove it. Not all rich or powerful people are your enemies. Smart people don't call all rich people bad people, smart people call the rich people that are bad people bad people.

[@Dubitz]

This interviewer keeps asking negative questions of Musk, and yet Isaacson keeps answering as neutral as possible while also complimenting Musk (and Jobs too) and giving credit where credit is due to them. Makes me appreciate Isaacson much more now, I definitely support his positive judgement of Musk after spending so much time so close to him.

[@gonzalezm244]

The interviewer has to represent a sort of devil’s advocate to get a broader discussion going. A lot of people antagonize Elon so it’s important to address those people’s concerns. I thought the interviewer was great!

[@programmer1840]

Agree, very annoying that he keeps asking negative questions with a pre-set agenda. That is a problem with a lot of society, they try to point out the negative aspects without looking at the net effect.

[@channelthechannel]

Interviewer couldn't be more transparent or predictable - WSJ is a joke.

[@Noobs4020]

Was going to write this exact thing, so desperate to paint a dictator personality and Walter shoots it down. Was a much better interview than I expected and that is only because of Walter.

[@harmankardon478]

@@gonzalezm244 your naive, the reporter is sticking to the anti-musk corporate media agenda.

[@Jane-zv5pu]

Walter is an outstanding interviewer and biographer. He is intelligent, honest and empathetic. Well done, Walter!😊

[@madhououinkyoma]

Interviewee*

[@shanekennedy6549]

got the book straight away

[@eddyr1041]

Seems he have people that support him, and his demon mode is put to good use. Unlike his father I guess😅

[@DREAMSANDSOUL]

Not "demon" but deeply traumatized as a child. This is so sad. I've been working many years in the IT industry and I can tell you, I would never ever work for such people again

[@jannichi6431]

Dell is so different than Elon. Hopefully Elon can find love and stay off Pharmas. He seems so much more sober than a decade ago when he was in StarLink mode. Twitter X is hurting Politicians careers too. MTG, Cruz, just a couple of addicts.

[@MarcoPolo-fy4qr]

Indeed.

[@BlondeManNoName]

@@jannichi6431 People with NPD and BPD can't accept love. They never do.

[@estebanamador7601]

​@BlondeManNoName in summary: if BPD is Bipolar Disorder, well I'm Bipolar, and trust me, I can accept love and give love too. I have OCD too, and my comfort zone is when I'm a rational and logical thinker (I like too call it my cold mode), but I could be in emotional mode too, but honestly, I'm too sensitive to emotions, they are so strong (mainly all emotions derived from empathy during suffering from other people (anxiety and sadness), so I go to cold mode to try to figure out with the person how to solve their problem, Im not very expressive, but that doesn't means I don't care about their problems, I'm just thinking how can be solved and how I can help them, and, depending of the kind of situation, many times I'm worried about them, or just listening to them and if i have too cry, well, i cry too. Greetings

[@termsofusepolice]

@@estebanamador7601 BPD stands for borderline personality disorder. That's assuming the commenter is using the mental heath field acronym correctly.

[@sylviaowega3839]

I read Walter Isaacson’s biography on Einstein and Ben Franklin, and found him to be one of the greatest biographers.

[@nikki2kk]

Oh! I’ll have to pick up the one on Einstein.

[@divinegon4671]

And why do you think that?

[@westerling8436]

The list kinda dropped down with Musk

[@jeremyelliott9831]

Not sure how good of a biographer he is if after his research he thinks that Elon can design a battery and make the manufacturing process to build it😂

[@佐藤たか-r7y]

It may be best to give up on creating a viable market for Tesla in Japan. Japanese civil servants are desperately trying to crush or eliminate outstanding talent in Japan and stagnate Japan's growth. They are preventing Japan from changing. One example is the Winny incident, and the story of the "Love-train" test victims in Japan who are illegally being harassed and killed by the test organizers. Love-train "is a candidaite for the national examination organized by the Ministry of Justice in japan. He was illegally framed by the exam organizers,6 years ago. Ladies and gentlemen around the world, You can meet him at Starbucks Poppo Machida in Machida, Japan, in the evening. He is a great human being who believes in love and peace, without conflict in the world！ I have posted details of the incident in the comments section of the second-to-latest video on Starbucks Japan's official KZbin channel. In Japan, a country that is essentially a dictatorship because it is a backward country in terms of democracy, one genius continues to be held back.The masses are inferior in terms of democracy and thinking ability in Japan. Japan's prosecutors and the Ministry of Justice have an authoritarian nature that disregards human lights!

[@stene123]

I read most of previous Walter Isaacson books (Franklin, Jobs, DaVinci, Einstein and Innovators) and they are brilliant. Now 1/3 read from this one and so far excellent book again. This guy has a skill to make topics like the history of computer science a interesting story you just can't stop reading.

[@cindymaceda2999]

Walter likes geniuses.😂

[@mfax1000]

Brutality honest. Enjoyed this book review.

[@wesleytietz4506]

Nothing brutal here. Facts don't care about your feelings...

[@mariodemetriou1034]

Just watched this after watching the same interview on Lex Fridman’s podcast. There’s a stark difference in the interviewing styles. Some observations: 1. Lex gives it to us uncut. This seems as though there are segments that have been cut. 2. Lex’s approach seems non-judgmental and positive. WSJ’s seems negative/biased/agenda driven. 3. Lex makes it personal by giving anecdotes from his own life and asks deep and interesting questions about Walter’s life. WSJ strips the humanity out of the narrative by rapid firing through questions on Elon’s morality and sanity without asking questions about his achievements and the impact his companies have had/ will have on society. Hats off to Lex. I really appreciate his approach. Can highly recommend him to anyone who hasn’t heard of him!

[@black_squall]

Yeah I don't like excessive Elon nut hugging but the interviewer did focus on overly negative questions/discussions, which clearly shows a strong bias.

[@The_Judge300]

@@black_squall You are talking about mariodemetriou1034's nut hugging as an example I guess. This interview had nothing to do with being biased at all. The interviewer asked the right questions without nut hugging Elon as Lex did in his interview. Talking much about what he has achieved is totally pointless as that is something either people very well know about or can easily google. When you focus much on that as Lex did, is a typical example of nut hugging Elon. The only facts that are of interest, are how Elon behaves, treats people, his childhood and in general personal life. Talking about him making cars and space rockets is just nonsense in an interview like this. Talking about what impact Elon's cars, rockets and more have and will have on society is also of very little value in an interview about a biography of Elon. Or in an interview about Elon as a person in general.

[@tomcastle7625]

WSJ doesn't like Elon

[@EndoftheBlock7224]

Lex is definitely catering to people OTHER than his audience

[@misscogito9865]

I’ve noticed that too. The interview cut shown here, seems unbalanced and overly focused on his negative qualities.

[@ShaneShepherd]

Wow, what a fantastic interview. I was on the fence about buying this book prior to seeing this interview. Now, is a musk-buy!

[@jannichi6431]

Musk-buy, he's making us all Musk Buy. NeoLink is truly scary. Control freak for sure.

[@rollingthunderinho]

Walter Isaacson is an incredible author and speaker. Amazing interview I’m buying this book asap

[@LVCMS]

The key line, don't try to be like Elon Musk. Be yourself!! Their is a huge sacrifice people on this level make... We all make sacrifices you just need to own what you do and how you do it. Everyone thinks you are crazy until you are right. Mistakes are done by people doing stuff, make no mistakes, likely your are not doing anything. I love the algorithm method... First principals... Question requirements. Love it

[@famequesttv]

The greatest lesson that I was able to take away from his story is that your failures will be your greatest attribute and to NEVER give up. Elon’s story is truly inspiring.

[@bruno_dias]

If you're inspire by someone like Musk you're not inspiring to be a decent human being...

[@wisewolftony]

How is being born into a rich as family inspiring if it wasn't for that Elon would be a literal nobody.

[@programmer1840]

@@wisewolftony he said your failures will be your greatest attribute and to never give up are inspiring.

[@magicponyrides]

Elon Musk is a con artist who was born wealthy. Is that inspiring to you?

[@extremelyunfocusedman]

My inspiration is "don't lie" the very opposite of what Musk does

[@glovere2]

It’s quite something to cultivate a reputation that allows the author into his subject’s lives to write books about them. After listening to Isaacson talk it’s easy to see why. He is so incredibly good at what he does and is very careful in the way he talks about it. I read the Jobs book and I will definitely be reading this one.

[@valentaino]

Exactly.. his new book is a real page-turner

[@therainman7777]

The Musk bio is fantastic.. Feels like you’re right there in the room or on the factory floor with Elon and co.

[@DivaAnnFisher]

I can state honestly that I am banned from tweeting on X. Why?

[@ositoguy]

Is actually really good, easy to get into, keep you wondering what's next and looking forward to get back into

[@ositoguy]

@@DivaAnnFisherthe book explains why things like this did happen

[@onemilliondollar]

As a person with Aspbergers, being Bi-polar and having a personality disorder I can for sure tell you this is the case with Elon, we share so many traits after hearing this man talking about Elon. It was like he was talking about me at times.

[@Zulu333]

What personality disorder do you have? Do you think Elon Musk could have a cluster B personality disorder? Narcissistic personality disorder? Or would you guess its more of a Cluster C personality disorder? Obsessive- Compulsive Personality disorder? I can see the Asbergers and Bipolar 2 thats for sure.

[@onemilliondollar]

I have what you call excessive personality disorder, in my youth I had antisocial personality disorder, but I took responsibility for my life and got downgraded. This can absolutley be the case with Elon as he always is 200% in I dont think he is a narcissist, I think its the aspbergers making him look like it, I have myself thought about narcisissm, but I have concluded it is my Aspbergers putting me in the center of my own world. It is verry hard to diagnose someone from seing them in clips on youtube.@@Zulu333

[@cindymaceda2999]

Mozart, da Vinci, Bill Gates all apparently had/have Asperger’s. It’s not necessarily a disorder but rather a syndrome. If you harness this super-power for good, how is it a disorder? 😅

[@greghelton4668]

He’s never been diagnosed with Asperger’s.

[@onemilliondollar]

@@greghelton4668 He admitted hes on the spectrum in a TV show. Saturday night live, I belive.

[@susymay7831]

Its ok to be wrong, as long as you are not confident and wrong" - Elon Musk, giving one of his rules of thumb

[@telagraf]

Does anyone know what "not confident and wrong" means? I'm not fully understanding.

[@peter.g6]

@@telagrafIMO it means if you are confident that you are right, despite being wrong, there's a problem. In other words, the correct approach is to say "I think it's like this, but I might be wrong".

[@ct1762]

or just double-down and sue your opponent because your feelings are hurt- Elon Musk

[@ggrthemostgodless8713]

@@telagraf Think George W. Bush Jr.... that level of stupid and wrong, even when confronted with lots of evidence you continue to fight for that idea or way of doing things. I remember. It is also a level of ineptitude and thus incompetence that only a stupid person can achieve... in the movie Don't Look Up, with Leonardo DiCaprio, you see many examples of this, including the main character with the company that ends up being eaten by a dinosaur type in other planet.

[@jounigames5876]

It means it's okay to fail while genuinely trying. But if you boast about something, you better be correct@@telagraf

[@Truthseeker371]

It's interesting to note the biographer insinuates the childhood experience lasts as long as we live. I cannot agree enough with his comment. Whether genius, villan, or ordinary persons, we all have some negative childhood memories, the dark side. How we deal with it changes our life in the adulthood. In the same token, the importance of upbringing is undeniable and affects not only the individual but also the society.

[@geoattoronto]

My job as a therapist is to know the methods that create real depth change in people’s lives and to use them lovingly and well. And I do.

[@joeroganpodfantasy42]

Really appreciate WSJ including the dad's perspective in the end there.

[@fieryeagle9748]

Walter seems a very down to earth and humble guy, with no ulterior motives to write anything he doesn't want to. Being impartial at this level certainly makes the book very interesting and probably a must read for a lot of people who know very little about Elon and yet elevate him into a pedestal like a God.

[@clayskelton9557]

I’ve never heard of this man before, but that was the most noteworthy characteristic I observed listening to him here. Especially in todays divided political climate, it’s usually blatantly obvious that they’re pushing a narrative or have a bias, but I just got a genuine impartial feeling from him and it was honestly a breath of fresh air. I am going to order his book based off this interview and some of these comments. Glad to have come across this

[@perahauraki2985]

Mr Impartial that’s Walter Isaccson to a tee.

[@babybirdhome]

@@jonahamirYou haven’t provided anything objective either. So I’d suggest if you want your comments to be effective that you come down off your high horse and exhibit some of that objectivity you talk about.

[@davidtuer5825]

Which is more than you can say about the interviewer who was interested only in Elons !Dark! side. He spent most of the time saying things like, "but you were there in the room, how did the bloke (on the receiving end of Elons displeasure) react to being treated like that".

[@davidtuer5825]

@@babybirdhome My thoughts exactly!

[@nassitaheri]

wsj gets in demon mode whenever they hear the name elon musk

[@patriciazoerner]

You nailed it here!

[@Johnny_Savage]

NYT even more

[@georgepagotelis]

Elon is GOOD guy and WSJ are in fact the BAD JEALOUS guy. Chamath Palihapitiya IS the BAD guy with so many dodgy stock buys sells and misdirection, not surprised he's not locked up.

[@Daniela.777]

literally

[@djGREENmojon]

Why is that?

[@glorialush9598]

Walter Isaacson wrote a great book. I enjoyed it immensely!

[@bret9741]

I haven’t met a perfect person yet…. What I like and appreciate about Elon is he has made tens thousands of people millionaires AND he has made his employees some of the best paid and technically advanced in the world… When I was in the Navy, the best Captains and C XO’s used demon mode to get things done these men and women could whip everyone into a battle winning team and that’s what winning leaders do…. Every single “nice guy” I know gets torn apart by the elite media and Ivy League graduates

[@carpark1414]

I was having a hard time reconciling whether this "demon" mode is really a good or bad thing, but your example in the Navy shows that there is definitely a place where this sort of temperament shines and is, basically, the way to do things when the stakes are high and extreme focus and performance is required. Not for everyone. Perhaps not for most. I include myself in the "not for" camp, but now I can see how this sort of thing can outshine and outperform when used in the right situations. They key is, of course, using it only when it gets this spectacular output and shutting it down when it is overkill - but that is something that is most likely extremely difficult to do as it is ingrained into Musks personality at such a deep level, he would risk losing his edge perhaps if he tried to change? Fascinating stuff.

[@hymnodyhands]

Every leader, though, is not on a battlefield ... many quiet "nice guys" are out quietly working together and being win-win leaders. I am the daughter of an Air Force veteran who had to learn: you cannot lead in every circumstance in the same way. Demons GENERALLY get exorcised where people want PEACE...

[@s.7980]

I’m here for Walter. He’s an amazingly nuanced writer who can make anything/anyone interesting.

[@edward_lee]

Good interview! Well prepared with good questions

[@GregMoylan-pn6sr]

Isaacson thinks and speaks so clearly. A delight to listen to this man, either as a host or a guest.

[@waterwomaninFL]

I love this biographer but clarification, Steve Jobs did not invent the Macintosh, Steve Wozniak did. Steve Jobs was a brilliant man, salesman, inventor and motivator. Waz was the brilliant innovator..

[@davidtuer5825]

I don't much like what I've read of Steve Jobs, but his abilities are shown by the success and failure of Apple when he was there and when he wasn't. The question to ask of Steve Wozniak is, would he have made, in the first place, the Mac, and if he had, would he have sold it without Steve Jobs? Steve jobs came back to Apple as it teetered on brink of catastrophe, and out came the I phone.So who was the genius behind that?

[@terri6854]

@@davidtuer5825 The engineers who actually made it are the geniuses.

[@davidtuer5825]

@@terri6854 For goodness sake! Where were those geniuses when Apple was sinking, rapidly? Why did the I Phone only appear when Jobs returned? why did Apple sink when Jobs was sacked?

[@jannichi6431]

Always be kind. My computer tech friends and husband in pressure situations gave that advice early on, 1980s. High energy excitement.

[@brunosmith6925]

Your book is great Walter - mine got here yesterday and I read it cover to cover overnight...

[@gnanasabaapatirg7376]

wow

[@christophejeunot7155]

I am not sure Elon Musk cares about what people think of him. I sense his sincerity in all his projects.

[@bruno_dias]

Then that it is even more scary!

[@wengelder9256]

Or in his numerous personal attacks on people without any reason to do so ?

[@DocBree13]

you and I have very different views of him

[@christophejeunot7155]

@@DocBree13 It is possible that I am wrong.

[@jannichi6431]

He definitely cares. See NeoLink presentations to shed light on his power. Read first authorized bio. Can't say Austin doesn't "Love Elon".

[@david-fm3gv]

The WSJ would vilify Steve Jobs daily if he were alive and working and pushing Apple (uncomfortably, as always) to new heights still today. Their adoration for him here is ridiculous.

[@pwn1966]

After listening to only half of this video I can honestly say that this man is the perfect biographer. Kudos to the interviewer for the great questions as well.

[@ninobach7456]

Walter Isaacson is great. I can also recommend his biography on Steve Jobs to those who haven't read it yet. Reading it felt like living through the rise of apple and all the tough situations that came with it.

[@programmer1840]

Interviewer seemed negatively biased in my opinion, asking "what's the angriest you've seen Elon get" not "what's the most surprising thing you've learned from his meetings".

[@loctobert9421]

Great exchange on the Demon mode topic. Thanks to Walter, for being a good friend to Elon Musk and being honest. I had worked for two bosses who got into very intense mode a lot. I didn’t endure that kind of work relationship but some of my coworkers did just fine, and they still do. I’m still friend to both people and I often appreciate my experience with them, though I still don’t like to be pushed around😅, think that’s partly my problem.

[@Feefa99]

It means you dislike dictatorship of any kind and that's good thing

[@MrGunderfly]

it means that maybe you were not as invested in the goals as those who stuck it out.

[@ericchild3363]

@@Feefa99 No one enjoys being pushed around, but sometimes it is necessary, if we are unwilling to concede quickly enough that the other person is right

[@Feefa99]

@@ericchild3363 if rich person who tell you what to do is impulse insecure a$$hole, that's actually a good case for democracy at workplace

[@ericchild3363]

@@Feefa99 I have news for you, workplaces are not democracies. If they were, they would soon not be a workplace as they would go bust and everyone would be out of a job.

[@antetesija3033]

What a nice and wellspoken man sir Isaac is

[@FadingVitals]

Stay away from people who have a demon mode!

[@fatimamebarki4599]

My ex used to have this but he also did get physical. Im sure Elon also got physical with his woman but he is probably paying them a good amount of money to shut up about it

[@nickydee569]

Stay away from people who claim to have zero personality fault

[@henrikwakman7776]

I love the mature setup of this interview piece, no jazzy intros or irritating buzz, just 2 people talking sense.

[@Conrad-qv9fh]

Growing up in Pretoria in the 1980s was much more complex than people generally think. There was a war going on. There were sanctions. There were many bomb threats. Sometimes bombs did go off. There was a lot of bullying going on. Once a week high school boys had to wear military uniforms and take part in military drills. All young men had to join the army after finishing high school or university. Elon was therefore exposed to high levels of discipline in school, but luckily avoided being drafted into the army when he left for Canada after finishing high school. Army conscription then stopped around 1991 anyway. The school system on the other hand looked out for smart, Aspergers kids to help solve future problems. Kids with Aspergers were seen as gifted, not disabled and encouraged to attend extra and advanced classes. There were many bursaries available for smart, hard-working kids to attend universities. Errol Musk might have been negative as many higher level jobs and opportunities were reserved for members of the (Afrikaans speaking) Broederbond, a type of Illuminati. Hy possibly just didn’t want Elon to have unrealistic expectations. The South African economy at that time consisted mainly of a few very large companies and small companies had to have the right contacts to get business. Sanctions limited scope to create the type of companies that Elon wanted to create. Canada and the US opened up possibilities.

[@karatsurba4791]

Thank you for the insights

[@AG-ig8uf]

Oh pohr Elon, all that suffering he went tru while being white minority in apartheid SA.

[@radfordmunz9577]

@@AG-ig8ufyou said nothing. cry more

[@martinsmith2948]

what a wonderful and fantastic interview! thanks!

[@atun77]

best modern biographer

[@TheDavidlloydjones]

Yup. Isaacsn does good work.

[@noahno]

Yet he appears to barely even grasp Musk. This was the most basic information

[@AL-lh2ht]

@@noahnocope hadder

[@MrAlanfalk73]

Me niether

[@emr383]

Thank You. I also read the book. I do admire his writing skills and his humble spirit to share people's life and their lives in non- invasive ways. He has something of great value to people that he writes about..it is called unconditional respectful. He was very respectful of him; Elon Musk and his Families. Great work.♥️ proud of both! And it wasn't an easy thing. But. A Good Thing. Thank you to the interviews.

[@DogHollow]

I read the book and Mr. Isaacson did a phenomenal job writing it. The whole time I was reading it I wanted out of there, and I wanted to be done with the book because it was oppressive. For an author to capture that nuance there is some exceptional talent there.

[@xual235]

Based on those words I'm going to read it. Thank you sir

[@acc4465]

You like fiction, don’t you?

[@Amuguii]

So WHO is Elon Dating? Cause you read the book

[@madhououinkyoma]

@@acc4465lmao 🤡

[@abigailandino6251]

This is what it looks like when someone gives a back handed “compliment”.

[@apaniet]

Chronic drug use will also make one temperamental

[@TrangLe-yb5sy]

Excellent interview. Thank you!

[@charlesdinwyn7507]

Wow, one of the very best interviews I've ever heard. Well done!

[@skierpage]

It's an interesting perspective from someone who's got to know his subject, but good Elon Musk interviews are more interesting than this. Watch his interviews with Joe Rogan and Lex Fridman.

[@deborahsnow2420]

Excellent interview! I’m 1/3 through the book; absolutely love it.

[@BoudicasQuest]

i also struggle with cptsd. i overcame the worst of the effects by my mid-30's out of necessity. i still tend to "fawn" as my default. i still struggle with identity. all of this infuses my work, and each album i make reflects my...progress, for lack of a better term ~

[@williamal91]

fantastic interview, well done

[@Samson484]

Isaacson is a legend.

[@kevindication]

Interesting to watch this. Book arrives in my mail today. Looking forward to reading it.

[@larry6400]

I think the interviewer focused on the negative attributes of Elon too much, and the Author did a great job at trying to stop that being the focus of discussion. The whole thing felt like trying to make him look bad, without the balance of things that Elon does well, and has taught himself to do better. It was as if your enemy is trying to find out and share horrible things about you.

[@susymay7831]

Great interview!!

[@hersh_yt]

Isaacson might be the most unbiased writer

[@anthonym8345]

Just started reading the book 3 hours ago, can’t put it down

[@thandekamahlangu6027]

New too

[@joanmsmith5561]

I'm getting a sense of envy from folks discussing Elon Musk. I like this biographer, didn't think I would .

[@kryptotippytoes2088]

“Demon mode” = clinical psychotic episode

[@bukurie6861]

Thank you for beautiful interviw❤

[@L0615T1C]

unbiased interview, a pleasant change

[@fugitiveminded]

Def not unbiased. The interview focused the majority of the questions on how Elon makes ppl feel... lol. Like dude who cares!

[@Priddyboiicrls]

@@fugitivemindedclearly a lot of people care cuz it speaks to his personality and how he does things, even you wanted to just read his achievements go to his wikipedia🤷🏽‍♂️

[@epona9166]

I'm not particularly interested in Elon and like most people fined him kind of creepy,, but anyone Walter Isaacson deems worthy of his time, I'll bite. I'm not put off by the negative nature of the questions. The back and forth of this interview makes it a better than average interview.

[@AdamAuxier64]

"No one becomes insanely wealthy without some kind of personality defect"

[@masterq2.033]

So that's my aciliies heel , I'm just too sane !

[@skierpage]

"No one becomes insanely wealthy without starting from a family background that most people in the world would consider very privileged." Most of the billionaires in the world are the children of extremely rich people.

[@timbrooks7650]

We are a nation of entitlement ​@@skierpage

[@Godin12345]

One defect...his support of trump

[@LordMondegrene]

"Behind every great fortune lies a great crime."

[@xxxxLidiyaxxxx]

….. I am pretty sure a mental health professional would diagnose this person with a serious disorder that needs to be treated… from psychopathic attacks on his employees and even loved ones too later not remembering or Andrea standing the consequences of his actions. That’s not a mental disorder. I don’t know what is.😮

[@chriscollingwood3364]

The description of ‘demon mode’ is an example of a dissociated state.

[@VictimAdvocate]

BPD

[@julesvern-u4e]

I grew up seemingly with the exact same parents as Elon.. the father sounds exactly like mine and his mother reminds me EXACLY of mine, its like watching my own mother, its eerie. For this reason I dont for a second think that that neurotic woman didnt add to the strife in that home.

[@VisionClearly]

The homefront sounds extremely difficult to grow up as child.

[@lultimone]

I'm half way through the interview and I've heard only questions around the personality, demon mode and potential bad sides of someone that is making our history. I find this annoying and a waste of time

[@donbinghamiii5638]

Exactly. So much negativity. Really dislike this interviewer and the entire theme of this interview. Poorly done.

[@ProjectManagerSam]

Yeah, he’s so annoying. He’s so bought…

[@dudertino51]

The issue isn't that there aren't positives to what musk has done. The issue is that if he's successful with the good things then he gets to be extreeeeemly powerful. Now we look at his personality to go along with that power and it is extreeeeeemy troubling. It's justified to question his darkness.

[@KingMinosxxvi]

I find you a waste of time

[@termsofusepolice]

"Making our history." That is absurd. Unless by it you mean Musk, a multi-billionaire and malignant narcissist, seeks to obsessively insert himself into news stories and the public consciousness. If Musk died tomorrow the future prospects of human society would be entirely unaffected. Exactly as was the world following the death of Jobs.

[@AngelPrissy]

Claiming "nobody else can do it" is not gonna last long

[@GratitudeGuy]

Gratitude. Very insightful book.

[@callimachust1474]

A very enjoyable interview where the journalist has done his homework brilliantly and Isaacson was providing thoughtful responses in such a composed way. Can’t say that I become a fan of Musk, but I do have great admiration for Isaacson.

[@Mranderson666]

AMAZING INTERVIEW !!

[@GregMoylan-pn6sr]

Excellent interview. Well done.

[@DocBree13]

Now he has 11 children that will grow up with their own trauma due to having a mostly absent father.

[@clemclemson9259]

sure Doc... Sure.....

[@judyodonoghue7715]

And the vile way he treat his daughter

[@Kauffy901]

Mistaking confidence for competence is how you wind up with people like Musk.

[@johndoedoe88]

No Sh#$... I can see his narcissism 500 miles away.

[@luticia]

I totally see myself in his description of Elon. I‘ve got also autistic symptoms and I also experienced severe form of emotional neglect and abuse. I totally understand Elon‘s behavior.

[@shou635]

The media sure likes to focus on the negative.

[@ksc743]

Humanity loves bad news.

[@Aldo-Au]

Is the way the author is trying to capture the audience, very dishonest way try to discredit someone no telling the positive aspects

[@6ixConfessions]

I get childhood trauma & I empathize with anyone suffering from it. Having said that, as adults, if we recognize & acknowledge that trauma isn't it up to us to address it and deal with it rather than choosing to use it as an excuse for bad or abusive behavior? I think it is particularly important in regards to those in positions of power such as Musk and especially if that trauma drives you to become an abuser. If they choose to ignore it, my empathy for them ends.

[@vishalvanjani6022]

Loved the interview,but I really feel the reporter hates elon.

[@elyseparker5333]

Hurt people hurt people. It sounds like he enters a disassociated state of rage. That's not a good thing. We shouldn't praise this.

[@TR-pu9tp]

Musk is not an Engineer, he has 2 Bachelor’s degrees one in Physics and Economics. He also didn’t invent Tesla he bought a small company that developed Tesla. Musk isn’t the brain behind Space X he is the money man. Is Musk a great business man, maybe ,but don’t attribute others peoples vision to him.

[@GoofieNewfie]

It is amazing how many people don't realize this.

[@fatimamebarki4599]

@@GoofieNewfieyea 😂😂😂

[@kathleencole3355]

Reading the book . Very interesting. A great insight into Elons mind and what makes him what he is to this day . Hope there will be a follow up . ❤️❤️👌

[@kimberlywheat6278]

I really think at some point you just cant blame your childhood, once your 30+ years old you have the knowledge by then to forgive, move on and start and live your own life and change it to be the way you want it and quit letting childhood damage ruin you

[@Greg-l3j]

It is said that the first five years of a person's life sets the stage,the way your brain forms in the first five years is so dependent by external factors.i do agree with you that we all have choice but when pressure is put on a person we do tend to revert back to default programming we were instilled with

[@b0tterman]

I used to do interviews like this back in the day. So I can say , with some experience to back me up, great job! Great questions.

[@Apophis1010]

If he could handle bad news from people, he wouldn't be in the trouble spot he's in. He did a lot of damage to his reputation

[@acesfullmike5371]

Beyond fascinating, looking forward to the book.

[@lawrencefrost9063]

No mention of Boring Company or Neuralink? Great interview.

[@Alonso.A.M]

His books steve jobs and elon are splendid. 100% recommended

[@RAS0850]

I'm definitely gonna read the book.

[@Conny226]

Stop talking about Elon he is a hard worker don’t be jealous

[@egx161]

Did anyone stand up to Elon Musk and if so, did they get fired?

[@AL-lh2ht]

Yes. Elon fires a lot of people. This is pretty well know.

[@tk_TO_2024-d3e]

Walter Isaacson is to biography what Ken Burns is to documentaries. Both are brilliant and worth any time in reading and watching their works.

[@LisaAerts]

Mr. Isaacson is describing a mental health problem, not a demon mode, and I believe the most important thing about his personality, he's really creepy.

[@johnarbuthnott3445]

He was dealing with a genius never easy

[@duwomaiishgabrielle9498]

I love Elon, I can’t imagine being as intelligent, and aware of the millions of little cults of power he bumps up against, people in positions of power, governments, Intelligence Agencies, yo7 name it!

[@vickilawrence7207]

Traumatized kids will often be addicted to drama. Some have it so bad that they’re constantly looking for anything to blow up about and they can be hellish to be around

[@davidhancock91]

Good interview. I think Elon is a kook, he is obviously also brilliant in many ways. He fascinates me. I will buy the book

[@ingridguevara2549]

I think you have a few more chapters since Elon is now eyeing the world by being the mind of the US presidency.

[@vsanden]

I agree with Elon Musk's father that 'intense mode' is a more appropriate way to describe his behavior rather than 'demon mode.' It's important to choose words that accurately reflect someone's drive and determination without sensationalizing it. 'Intense mode' seems to capture the essence better! I understand that drama sells so it's a commercial choice to write that down but we should not be mistaken a humans that when drama sells this might be an overstatement and not an actual fact.

[@AdamDeRidder]

I think that the "commercial choice" was Walter's whitewashing Elon's abuse as "getting things done" in order to sell more books. People don't want to read a book about a biography of an abuser. In fact, many people will buy the book hoping that they can become more like him. But Elon is doing the exact same thing to his employees that his father did to him - pushing them beyond their limits until they burnout and quit, leaving scars. Sure, the one guy came back, preferring pain to boredom. How many others? Walter points out the profound scars that the abuse left on Elon, but not the wounds that inflicts on the people around him. No mention that nobody can live with him - even Grimes, who is the closest person he has to loving him, cannot live with him.

[@vsanden]

@@AdamDeRidder What I forgot to tell you is that I like your analysis and it does give me a new perspective.

[@godostoyke5345]

“Demon mode” is probably the more accurate term. If previous biographer Vance (and Elon Musk himself) are to be believed, some of the things Elon’s father did sound pretty evil.

[@tonamg53]

@@godostoyke5345 Demon cannot be an accurate term as people interpret the term “Demon” differently. What I call “demon” is most likely different to what you would call “Demon”

[@nancyg1214]

You can be intense without being abusive.

[@MondoLeStraka]

Sounds like what my father like. He used to say to me that the bullies were smarter than me.

[@benpierce2202]

Why is Elon's move to the right part of a move to the dark side?

[@L_3551]

That’s what I was wondering too. Seemed strange the way he talked about it.

[@FadingVitals]

Because it is the dark side

[@abigailandino6251]

He compartmentalizes. ❤

[@wolfsbane711]

The interviewer seems threatened by intelligence. Seems belittled by it. Comes with a lot of prejudice. The Author is very elegant in his responses as he is in his books.

[@Aran_chini]

Brilliant interview.

[@hapaboy8967]

Musk is 10x the man Jobs was.

[@jrey6186]

easily

[@josephgabriel2336]

Hilarious.

[@GoofieNewfie]

10 times the con artist yup.

[@israelquito3072]

THANKS FOR THE INFO!!👍👍👍👍