Elon Musk's Biographer: 'He's Addicted to Drama, He's Addicted to Risk' | WSJ
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- Опубликовано: 29 май 2024
- Elon Musk, leader of companies like Tesla, SpaceX and X, is one of the most influential and unpredictable CEOs in the world.
WSJ sits down in an interview with his biographer, Walter Isaacson, to learn about the billionaire’s childhood, leadership and ‘demon mode’ during his two years at Musk’s side.
0:00 Musk’s multiple personalities
0:45 Access to Musk
2:22 Musk’s childhood and father
4:06 Musk’s leadership and ‘demon mode’
9:26 What we can learn
#ElonMusk #Tesla #WSJ
Of course his father declined to talk about his own abusive behaviors and then spoke out to defend Elon for his… he wasn’t defending his Son, he was defending himself.
We all get our monsters from somewhere…
This guy is very good at articulating big things in a short burst.
'this guy' happens to be former VP Mike Pence's younger brother
He should be a writer. 😐
No, he’s not Greg Pence.
When you’re poor you have personality disorder, when you’re rich you have demon mode 🤦🏻♂️
We all have it though ... Those who make use of it get credit regardless of whether they are not millionaires ... Those who destroy things get credit for that too even if they are billionaires.
It's what you do with it that matters. You can use an intense OCD personality to blame others & waste your life or use it to be obsessed about creating a successful product/service. In Elon's situation he has endured much as a child, but with that has chosen to create value for the market place and gained status by it.
It's because there is no useful or productive outcome to your personality disorder when you are poor. However, when you are rich the outcome is Tesla, space X, paypal, etc. etc.
Awesome, someone who thinks. Have a nice day sir.
@@abrahammanzo2455 it's what you do, not what you ask others to do or even potentially steal ideas from others.
If the sir who accurately pointed this out hasn't been able to "push others to do" or to "steal others' ideas" could be what makes his point, besides your attitude towards one or another who could potentially have exactly the same personality, but you worship one and disregard the other.
Great questions by the interviewer, he clearly did his homework!
Echo this!
Great questions.
Great answers.
Good journalism all around. 👏
Agreed!
His biography of Steve Jobs was one of my favorite books as a kid, this one’s a must-read
*musk-read
These nothing to read about these people once you study psychology. Don't waste your time, study Psychopathy, sociopathy, Narcisisam etc.
@@goodtimesbadtimes5273Those books are extremely boring, without tangible real-life examples you can relate to. I would suggest read the biograpies first and if you are interested in going deeper, read those textbooks. Then it will click.
"A 😳 kid?"
Dude. I bought that book when it first came out; that was just yesterday.
(Am I...😨...THAT old?)
@@everObviousmy thoughts exactly
Musk's behavior during and immediately after his demon mode(s)' is an extremely valuable insight from Isaacson. Great interview.
He would have written it as 'intense mode' if Elon voted and sided with the Biden admin or Democrat Party !
Everything about Politics huh. He’s been extremely complimentary about Musk but one small negative and oh no he’s against my political party, it’s all because of that!!!!
A brilliant interview!!!
When you are middle class, you go to meet HR to get fired; when you are rich - you can plead demon mode.
4:24 He's addicted to drama
He's addicted to risk, and whenever things seem to be going smoothly he almost has a compulsion to stir things up
but allows him to become a disruptive figure
but also a difficult leader.
How does the boot taste
its called common sense , unless you dont have brain and blinded by the hate @@RajJhaveri
@@vladwochinki3020 Elon is not sleeping with you
Elon Musk, Energy is helping humanity ❤ .
X App, Boring company, Neuralink, Starlink and many more companys that Elon Musk is a Ceo of is helping the citzens not be left behide.
All the other companies doing similar things to the companys listed above have expensive prices because its only meant for the rich.
Elon Musks companies Always Include the Citzens in being part of the futuer!! Wake up to the slave system of Rich people and the masses being Poor.
This interview looks like Putin and one of his Kremlin’s Journalists.
Too many arranged questions… trying to pain a very good picture of what we all know how the picture looks like.
This video is informative, very insightful about the subject.
The interview was well done. Walter Isaacson got to know Elon Musk now. I am interested either in comparing people from his other books or maybe Mr Isaacson himself starts to compare a little. With nearly all this people - alive or already death - he has dealt with I am sure there is crazyness and genius.
Musk is much more universal active than all the others (even this US President had invented a lightning protector). It's good that he helps to understand Musk better. But we also have to admire the Mr Musk was open to him and gave him the freedom.
Hey there! I appreciate your engagement with my content and the financial info I give out, how are you doing today?
Man ive been waiting for this guy's biography for years and now I finally get to see something about it. Finally 🙏
@@jayandgemNobody said it would
Well, he got no money. When he needs money, he will smoke weeds publicly or do something stupid in order to nose dive his share values, primarily of Tesla. Guess, who buys them back? Himself. Public is fooled, but majority doesn't know.
This is the latest of multiple biographies on Musk, fyi.
@@genevaguerin I think with "this guy" he was referring to Isaacson
Being bullied at school is very traumatic for hyper sensitive individuals like Elon Musk; -and I know as someone whom got bullied relentlessly like myself. Hearing about him getting bullied and how difficult his life was certainly brings tears to my eyes; and like him it was so hard for me to talk about it.
Hilarious how WSJ and all the media outlets become exactly in sync with each other when they need to change your perspective on a specific person
very interesting, seriously.......i do wonder if there is someone specifically you have in mind other than mr. demon mode here? sound like you got someone in mind, who? i feel slightly uninformed after your comment
@@banditodwardo4028 Bernie Sanders comes to mind. But there are many others.
I would check the biographer's bank account, email, phone records over the past 5 years ! That would tell us who directs who!
elon has done that himself. everyone till 2019 believed he was the smartest person on earth. post 2020 everyone thinks he's an idiot
@@ravoid36 Maybe its just you
I truly admire the man. Sometimes it’s hard to understand the mind of a genius, as they are often on a completely different level when it comes to understanding complex processes. I am not an expert but am somewhat informed, and I would suggest that his behavior seems quite typical for someone with Asperger’s. I would also suggest that his “Jekyll and Hyde” displays stem from the way his father treated him as a child. Those scars stay with a person forever (my opinion).
Book just arrived today…looking forward to getting into it tonight.
Great interview, he also well explained first principles and “The algorithm” Elon runs with… ❤
Demon mode is called “dissociation” which is the state where people who experienced extreme trauma switch (from their regular self to almost a different personality) due to their brains thinking this is how they can protect themselves.
It’s more common than you’d think but dangerous if people in power switch and have the access to hurt others.
Extreme trauna? Nobody has a perfect childhood but his his in the better half of the world.
I know nothing about his childhood, I assumed there was trauma... @@taylorc2542
@taylorc2542 you know not of which you speak.
@@taylorc2542 South Africa better half😂
@@taylorc2542 Trauma has nothing to do with being born rich or poor
My boss is a douch bag too . . . . and I'm self employed.
Wife!? 😅
@@ExcurTion No. Me.
LOL
This guy became Elon's unofficial therapist 💜
Exactly my thought
Great interview and insightful questions!
His father is giving true Jos Verstappen / Joe Jackson vibes, a brutal father figure that simply abused his children by all measures, in expectation of "Making or Breaking" them. (In the case of Max's father, he straightaway told him, for years, he should just quit karting because he was bad and would never sit on a F1 car)
I did not see this analogy coming up. But now that I think about it, you just hit the nail!
@@Paul-qk3wr That is true, Max has even spoken about how he counters his father with his natural calm and non-confrontational competitiveness.
@@Paul-qk3wr you can still clearly see little signs of man's pain
Very good interviewer, well done WSJ
Hey there! I appreciate your engagement with my content and the financial info I give out, how are you doing today?
Indeed!! Right questions asked in the right way. I especially liked how they put the 'algorithm' question. The answers were very clear too!
When they showed a picture of the father at the end, the first person I thought of was Christopher Walken. And perhaps the resemblance in more ways than one.
This man did an incredible job interpreting Elon to write this book. Thankyou for this interview
Great Interview
This is not just Elon's biographer. This is a genius himself, in his accurate and engaging writing and journaling.
I'm currently in the middle of his biography on Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson. The book is Elon beneath the veil. Elon up close and personal... past, present and future. Great read btw
WSJ.. the freshest and juiciest cherry picked journalism in town
Awesome 👌
These are good questions
He blew up without a care because he’s a full blown psychopathic narcissist. I’ve worked for a guy just like that. They literally can’t comprehend how abhorrent their behavior is so they don’t mask it.
Okay Sigmund Freud, I’d you say so 👏
If by success Errol meant financial/entrepreneurial success…. He is a great father. Some people’s measure success by very different criteria. How about inner peace or not suffering all the time. I think Elon himself says in interviews he doesn’t see himself as a success, that it’s not pleasant/fun being him - not only because of responsibilities and power but because he is an emotional captive of trauma: restless, propelled to tirelessly accomplish in order to appease suffering… even enjoyment is a challenge.
Great !
Part of me really wants to go all in working at one of musks companies on something interesting. I just think it’s very difficult to deal with that level of stress for years on end and don’t know if it’s worth it
You will simply get laid off after all your hard work
You just gave Elon the idea to add a new mode to Tesla vehicles 😈
I'm so happy my life is totally changed. I've been earning $10,250 returns from my $2,500 Investment every 13 days😇
Oh god, his fanboys at it again....
Cringe
@@nntflow7058 And who are you? A nobody, just doing the hating instead of actually creating impact
@@charlech I'm a former tesla owner,
fanboy.
I am I the only one who doesn't obsess with his success projects???Elon Musk is still heavily wounded child... very wounded
Well, who isn't 'wounded'?
Reason why never judge anyone in extremes...❤
That “demon mode” Isaacson describes is narcissistic rage. It’s a very cold rage, narcissists instantly forget why they were mad when it’s over, and they’re usually very surprised or even upset if the target of their rage is still feeling hurt or wary afterwards.
It’s very sad that Elon recognizes how awful his dad’s hour-long rages were to him, but doesn’t have the insight to see that he does the same thing to other people himself.
Are you Elon’s therapist? This is not a valid diagnosis but speculation.
What? You have no idea what you're talking about.
People always stereotype billionaires and successful people as narcissists. It’s so boring to stereotype and hate. Real people are so much more interesting. Elon is, in some ways, the opposite of a narcissist in that he is so focused on his projects that everything else disappears, including the feelings of others (and his own feelings). If you MUST stereotype, stereotype him as on the autistic spectrum because that trait is central to those people. He does see himself as an essential figure in huge missions like saving humanity from extinction, which seems pretty egocentric, but since he is actually accomplishing those missions perhaps it’s accurate and not delusional.
I've been and seen many in demon mode; it's about moving a mountain under tremendous pressure, risk and uncertainty of success. Not about your fweel-fweels. Make sure you clock out before you leave,...
if you've ever worked on something extremely hard, you'd understand you need to sometimes channel a coldness to make tough, but necessary decisions
His work on the Steve Jobs biography was great
Wow great interview! There's a lot to learn about Elon Musk. I've actually recently posted a video about his love for cars 🖤 2:37
It's fascinating to delve into Elon Musk's diverse interests and contributions.
love that car collection vid you did!
Elon Musk is truly a role model for our times, his words, actions and accomplishments are so amazing, the video you posted is truly wonderful and worth watching.
elon he just a genius, i really admire him
I agree, that is amazing! He has a real passion for cars.
Ok, So I need to inform the world about "Demon Mode". Trust me, Im talking from experience from SA as I, and many other SA young boys had to deal with all these psychological issues growing up. It's actually a common problem here in SA. It starts will trauma as a child, having your family or farther choose your enemies side, feels like betrayal to a child. This in turn creates trauma when we older as we felt alone and no one had or back growing up. This also in turn creates anxiety to get out and make something of yourself when older. (the birth of Demon Mode) Forming closely to the theory, "Success is the best Revenge". I still deal with this issue on a daily but am fully aware that it gave me the opportunity to be in-charge of very educated people whilst I was 24 in the corporates. Demon mode gets stuff done, even if it's a result of trauma.
So we are suppose to feel sorry for Elon being beat up for being mean to a kid that had his father die!? Narcissist always try to play the victim to justify their own bad behavior and change the narrative.
I think there's a lot a pyschobabble going on trying to analyze a pretty mundane childhood.
@@gjd424and he is filthy rich. dont think he cares about your judgement of him or mine for that matter.
He’s experiencing narcissistic rage storms. He was always a sociopath.
@@alexanderphilip1809 he wouldn’t be on every podcast and interview if he didn’t care about public perception
Great book.
Great
Every self made rich person has a "demon mode". You don't become a self made billionaire by being nice to people.
I fear people will use this as inspiration and think they need to behave this way
@@midishhthey already do. Fake it till you make it is another one. Look at Elizabeth Holmes
We demons out here 🔫😈
I agree with Elon's father, saying Demon mode is inappropriate as it conveys evil. He is not engaging in evil. He is direct and sometimes mean, and aggressive. But then again, Tesla and SpaceX almost failed several times and he puts tremendous pressure on himself every day; and, he expects others to do the same. I would not want to work for him, but I do admire his success very much. Yes, he would have a better life if he were in therapy and could sort out what is necessary from what is hurting his happiness and personal growth. The obsession with work seems, at least in part, an avoidance of other aspects of his life, in an addictive way, perhaps driven by his childhood or Asperger's social pains.
Maybe the word Demon sales more books.
You cant work 100h a week without being intense about your goals.
Some people like the some pressure, others don't. Often great missions require intense pressure.
How can you claim you admire someone that you wouldn’t work for and that treats people horribly.
It's how other people see him, pretty sure he quoted grimes.
I don't think this is accurate about Elon Musk. He is not addicted to anything. There is no addiction. He is just Calculating, in a Positive Way, both Quantitatively and Qualitatively.
I guess… I saw his book while at work and it caught my eye. So far it is interesting.
For the first time in my life I am now planning to buy a BOOK.
sad to hear
@@polpol1005yes very sad and notice how they say “buy”, not read.
Im gonna listen to the audiobook 🤣
Your honor In my clients defense, he was in demon mode
audio is on the lower side
We all are.
Elon Musk is really committed to truth and making very important contributions, a trail blazer!
Whose truth is he committed to? I would even question whether he can see the real truth about himself and the world.
@@MaTara01 Do tell, what is the real truth about Elon and the world?
@@Hersenvrees He believes he can control everything, but he can't. The world is bigger than Musk, is pretty much uncontrollable and will outlive Musk & his AI avatar or cryogenic body etc. etc.
0:20: 🚀 Elon Musk has multiple personalities and can be both a hardcore engineer and a problematic figure, but he was surprisingly open and transparent during the author's two-year shadowing experience.
2:19: 😔 Elon Musk's childhood experiences and relationship with his father have had a significant impact on his personality and behavior.
4:28: 😳 Elon Musk's 'Demon Mode' is a trance-like state where he becomes cold and brutal, often not remembering his actions afterwards.
6:36: 🔥 Elon Musk's approach to problem-solving and decision-making through first principles and the algorithm.
8:49: 🚀 Elon Musk's control freak tendencies and focus on product may hinder him from giving up control over his companies, but most of his ventures have been successful.
Recap by Tammy AI
Thank you Tammy ❤️
Its interesting that he claimed on SNL to have Asbergers.
Listening to this it sounds more like borderline personaliry disorder
The audio on this video could be better - volume is pretty low
His explanation of demon mode almost sounds like an aura before an epileptic seizure.
Anyone that has a long tenure in business or in engineering will realize that not much is that profound in this interview. Having said that, it will be fun to read and learn about Elon.
Sounds like Elon’s «demon mode» is a replicate of how his father behaved, but maybe milder. Quite common
Feel the same way.
Good point there.
More like he learned to redirect the negative side of his personality to get out a positive outcome. If you can't change figure out ways to move forward instead of just blatantly hurting people without making any progress. However that doesn't excuse mistreatment of employees, so it comes to a decision of whether or not you are willing to work with someone that is not perfect but that is making a change.
This old man is not a "biographer" it's a "slanderer"
Let Elan Musk write his own biography.
working for Elon = money! 1st principle calculation....amazing...
The Elon Musk book I know is by Ashlee Vance. I'll check this guy out
AV and Bloomberg News are cheerleaders for the wealthy. Isaacson is a real journalist.
Not finished yet, but can already tell that it's a great read. The sad parts, the happy parts, the parts where you're thinking he can be a better person if he tries to be, the parts where you're just rooting for him, or angry for how people treated him - all in all this book demonstrates his human nature, and genuine concern for humanity. One of the few billionaires out there who I see as being closer to the ‘people,’ than the ‘elitist club.’ Honest review.
Nah, then he wouldn't sabotage public transport progression, by pushing his fake hyperloop. He wouldn't try to monopolise the auto and space industry. He wouldn't make his cars as big and heavy as he does. He's fooling you, and worse, governements. Sometimes you can see a glimpse of the real Musk. It's only worth saving humanity if _he_ does it, and not some unknown "pedoguy".
I agree
Completely agree 💯 he seems like he cares about humanity unlike other rich people. Commendable 🩷
Is there any science behind "demon mode"? Thanks.
Really interesting explains a lot
Wonder if “demon mode” can turn twitter into a super app. I doubt it, but it’ll be cool to see him try.
well the autobiographer did say twitter is a whole different ball game because it's more on Emotional Intelligence.
I'm so happy my life is totally changed. I've been earning $10,250 returns from my $2,500 Investment every 13 days😇
Why not? Surely is easier than rocket science
It's an engineering problem.@@MarkWTK
Never bet against Elon Musk
I witnessed a type of 'demon mode' in a person and their eyes glinted with that determined intensity of a hunting predator like a leopard. They calmly took charge of a very difficult emotionally charged situation and went to work. They handled the complexity and difficulty, with great efficiency and we all benefitted tremendously from it. I was completely floored and impressed by just how well things turned out because of the intervention of this person who came to the rescue. Then I saw an empty packet of pills left lying on the floor. ..Turns out that person was on Ritalin...
Lol
Walter Isaacson has done a commendable job. Trying to round up all of the facets of Elon, must have been like trying to herd cats.
I'd say... Mercurial.. is a good moniker...
BEAUTIFUL mi genio ❤
Si pues esta guapisimo
Yup.. And sometimes gamblers win, and then they're worshipped after the fact
People like Elon Musk are obsessed with profit. Who protects us against such companies?
I beg to differ
Protect yourself
Elon is a doer.
8:20 meaning cut corners no matter what
I ask myself if demon mode is what got his companies being successful or could they’ve been even more successful if he created a work environment of respect and human decency?
good point, but we'd never know. People just can guess and make hypothesis. However there's plenty of evidence from social scientists that good enviroment is better for employees performance rather than sorta rangers training mode.
There is no such thing as an always kind always sweet boss that is successful. A parent it never perfect but does always care. If you dont get a blow up every now and then you probably dont care about the end result all that much.
What do you mean by successful? He's never run a company that was profitable.
@@diegochavez8752 this instance seems different because the ones who cannot tolerate leave and the ones how stay are people who are really passonate about the thing they do. with tesla the thing is if u are qualified to work there you can easily find other jobs so it becomes sort of a choice to stay so he gets the top people who are willing to give their everything.
We also do not agree he is a control freak - we believe he feels responsible to achieving the missions he feels very important - and when necessary he will put in his two cents as part of his responsibility and calling.
I don’t see control freak although there’s some of it there. I always see a man trying to prove himself. Probably from childhood.
@@johnjohnson3709 I do think he cares a lot about making humanity better. He talks about that all the time. Might also be connected to childhood pain stuff. E.g. I've been scapegoated a lot as a kid and I think it makes me care more about weak people mistreated
Is it me or is the audio really quiet? I’m pretty sure I don’t have hearing loss.
Curious how honest he will be. If he ever refers to Musk as the founder of Tesla I'll know he missed the mark.
Demon Mode enabled
Really wish it was Goblin Mode
Maybe he’s just had too many sycophants telling him he’s a super genius for too long and now he believes it.
When you're the richest man in the world you do whatever you want 😭
I agree with the father!
Am I the only one feeling that the interviewer is dozing elsewhere when Walter answered the question?
Seems like his dark mode torturing the innocent ppl.😅
And yet Most of his direct reports want to stay and advance the mission? They probably agree and advance that hardcore culture further into the organization.... Creating change never seen before or at such speed/scale. No one is forced to work there and if you don't fit the culture get out of the way.
Good
Passionate people are passionate people.
And psychopaths are just poor people.
The title of the video original said drama instead of risk.
He's a bully; that's usually how it goes.
Elon's father saying he must have been a good parent while still denying the abusive claims by his son is so delusional.
We human has a tendency that when somebody become so successful in one area of their life, all the sudden this person automatically become some kind of “ god”, whatever he behaves and said about other areas of opinions all seems very valuable and as some golden wisdom. Elon has no doubt very very distinctive in his career, but his personality has huge problems, anyone likes drama and chaos means this person is not emotional grounded and mature, is not healthy and well. Because of his emotionally not well, now I actually having doubts on what he does, where he is going to really land for the humanity. He can’t love, he doesn’t really know what real love is, so how a person like this can bring humanity to a real better place?!
I didn't like the book power play by tim Higgins which was about tesla and elon😢
Why are people always obsessed with trying to define other people...
Ever heard about human psychology??
He has ICBMs
Elon must be the king that didn't know Joseph.
What the heck was going on in that wilderness camp? I'd never want to send my kids there
No no, he is addicted to drama
Who wouldn't? that's how Click baited works....and conspiracy still selling like hot cake
@@mukamuka0 yeah but he is seriously addicted to drama
He's human. I LOVE LOVE LOVE what he's done in the world (Tesla, SpaceX, Twitter, PayPal, all of it) but we need to remember these CEOs are just people. And, to be honest, you don't get to be THIS successful without some MAJOR personality quirks/dysfunctions.
That Demon Mode is kinda intresting thing ever about Elon Musk
From all the questions that could have been asked the best innovator currently on this planet, every question was wasted.
Why don't they talk about him being a typical INTJ?
I was looking for somebody mentioning this
The last question is a typical question of a narrow minded person IMO.
Instead of cheering on a person who’s doing great work for humanity (while battling his demons), they are looking for his downfall and disregarding his achievements.
How often do you mention in the same line that he is the wealthiest man on Earth, that he also paid the most taxes than anyone else on Earth. None of the other billionaires come close, while most use several schemes to avoid paying taxes.
I don’t mean you don’t have to be critical, but the eagerness to bring Elon Musk down is astonishing.
Nowadays Edison and Ford are remembered for their greatness, while their flaws are mentioned in a byline. Nikola Tesla still isn’t revered as he should be. I wonder when it becomes apparent that Elon Musk is Thomas Edison and Henry Ford combined.
Most people in the Musk companies eventually realise his vision, so it’s not all Elon Musk, but is the driving force.
Please don't eulogize Edison nor impose Edison on Musk. Edison was a scoundrel and a thief. Whatever you may think of Musk, he is not a thief and he pays for goods received. Unlike what Edison did to Nikola Tesla.
You no what they say "big Risks big Rewards.."
Definitely companies nowadays need more leaders like Elon. 👍
Nah he annoying
@@jamesmayy5803 still get the job done
E.M. Is a supervillain in disguise...