This is a man of not many faces but few, tethered to Tesla and to be forever known as its space-case frontman.
And that rock-star see-it-everywhere but not-just-where-staged face, might be ghoulish-looking as a Marilyn Manson or an Edgar Winter, and OK maybe a bit less pale, possibly in both cases. And these days, he’s maybe better known to all but the core audiences. Or be as geeky as in their western-Wisconsin-group comparison, the Dweebs, or if you look the wrong way when taking in the nationwide, Weezer. And while talking about themes like space travel, don’t forget all the geezers in those old metal bands. (But Musk does give much, a lot like Metallica, just not onstage, as those heavy metal all-stars are Major League when it comes to charity.)
Or in that Tesla territory’s philanthropy, which took center stage until he spread his axes onto those with whom his ilk has forged an angst on taxes among other things, further spawning unbelief in basically, democracy and due process and the rule of law.
— I just met an actual astronaut, in a space day at the local library, and we talked about, among other things Elon Musk. The space flight guy said that creative thinkers, who are a little out-there but have great but unconvential ideas, are the ones he’d put on his team. Such as maybe Musk, who he said is a bit odd though very smart, but because of the success of his main company is — how to say — a man to be reckoned with. Despite his political ambitions, which the autronaut described as simply “trolling.”
I mentioned to him that I’d just happened to stream the song Space Truckin’ by Deep Purple, which is about the Moonshot and race into space domination. He said that he liked the tune, but never got past playing the opening riff on the guitar, though he interjected, at least twice including when I was leaving the library, that he was curious about my interpretation of meaning and would listen again. —
Many of our leaders, and some of the masses, would be the ones awake to the establishment of a new Caesar, or a set of them going forward — that’s what one conservative think tank is calling for — and piously promoting their reign again on this end of the earth, this time. Trump, and also Musk, are closely watching this further unfold.
(At this juncture I must enter into, the point of, to those whom much is given, much will be expected, and should be received. We will get back around to that in a bit, with Musk’s charitable giving.)
First a further exploration of what got us to this point, as this is a new realm, bigger than those seen before in this century and maybe even the one before, and even entering into space, of unbridled aristocracy autonomous with audacious authoritarianism and autocracy.
— The nature of Musk’s charities, although they do include a big subdivisision built for his workers, does not exactly make him in the league of a Warren Buffett or Sam Walton, but hey, you still gotta give the guy credit. He’s giving back to at least some communities, something some of his ilk has been criticized for not doing. Because just like Nickelback, “We all just want to be big rock stars … driving 15 cars … and have a bathroom I can play baseball in …” —
But every Caesar needs a right-hand-man and this time that is the Musk mel-man, delivering You’re Fired notices even moreso than his boss. Not content with growing a business empire, and zapping the world with his electric cars and the wealth gained, he now counsels, and indeed controls and commands — for now until the full political liability hits — the leader of the former free world.
However, each Caesar with a confidante has his Brutus, a killer deed that maybe done easier since Roman bars were open practically all day and night. (And do you really want to be ruled by a behemoth like a Nero or Caligula, even if a bit benevolent, if he turns drunk?) It turns out that our wanna-be-Caesar might have an Achilles Heel in the political liability coming in the form of that brazen one, the one who might as well be bearing bitter battery clamps to the nipples, from his cars.
That will shake up also the opposing battalions, even if they’re not Amazons, though ruler Trump has shown only lust not love for women.
Some may be a bit drawn to No. 1, despite the bad rug, but not No. 2, the big regulator. Even though the latter could take away his geeky and not with archvillain hype, looks-like-a-jaundiced Christopher Walken, and give it some stage presence. And also forgo the anti-glam of, I am Darryl, and this is my brother Darryl and my other brother Darryl. Less daunting.
The dough …
OK, so back to what it is from this man that has been received — and not via his being super-model material — other than pink slips, even if not at his auto company.
What has the richest man in the world done for charity?
It turns out quite a bit. But with caveats.
He just a few years ago, in 2021, gave $5.7 billion — yes the B word — to charities, granted most of them being ones that would also aid his causes, as in his company — through his Musk Foundation. (Although years for and aft not nearly as much money, but still in the Bs.) Most of this did not come from writing out a check, something he and his accountants might have learned from Trump that it can be quite precarious to do — or maybe not so much so — since Donald at times had scant little money to back it. But Musk as easily the world’s wealthiest car manufacturer did, though still preferring to dish out the dole via the form of things like stock shares, from things like his Tesla car company, or what amounted to as much, through his Musk Foundation. That foundation, despite its huge-scale philanthropy, has been at times chided for, get this, reportedly not reach the giving threshold set by the IRS.
(The foundation, begun in 2001, although not avoiding criticism, supports various causes such as renewable energy, space exploration, education, and the development of safe AI, and has made significant donations, of tens of millions, to groups like the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the XPrize Foundation, supporting technological advancements including carbon renewal, as he has been a proponent of climate change as a long-term philanthrophy goal. It has also backed schools by supplying them with millions in equipment.)
There were other creative ways to go get the job done, and in some cases, even though he has been chided for simply being worldwide in the right place at the right time, with his electric car brand, these just showed him to be a good businessman. Like many voters regard HIS presidential boss to be — another reason to clump them together and term them Edonald — even though that opinion has been for years on the wane. The prime example that comes to mind with Elon Musk is building an entire large subdivision, and not cheap houses as this is far from HUD and The Projects, to be residences for large numbers of his Silicon Valley employees, such as in and around Brownsville, Texas, where SpaceX has a spaceport — although it’s not known if they were actual chip makers. There’s not many employers that can do that, a tribute to the success of Tesla, et al.
It is worthy of note that the year of $5 billion-plus giving came right at the time that Tesla really hit its stride with a financial foothold, both domestically and worldwide. In a few other years it was more like $2 billion. The nature of the charities does not exactly make him in the league of a Sam Walton, but hey, you still gotta give the guy credit. He’s giving back to at least some communities, something some of his ilk has been criticized for not doing. Because just like Nickelback, “We all just want to be big rock stars … driving 15 cars … and have a bathroom I can play baseball in …” Though Musk, as the nation’s and world’s leading geek, probably doesn’t have the needed coordination. But he has paid for lobster dinner, in lieu of, for many Wisconsin voters. Or at least that was the proposal.
(Buffett remains the most generous total donor, at a reported $62 billion all-time.)
However, there is the looming reminder of the sign outside the not nearly as lucrative St. Croix County Democratic Party headquarters, “Not paid for by Elon Musk. Not for sale.”