Three questions -- (1) Was Elon Musk born a Ruler, a Genius or a Peasant?, (2) Do you foresee techno fedualism by the year 2030, (3) Will the ranks of Peasants increase by the year 2030 or not?
Elon Musk was born a peasant. If you didn't know, his father nearly beat him to death. So he grew the hardness required to survive social failure. Every once in a while, in my upscale neighborhood I see people who walk with big dogs and sticks. I recognize that hardness because I had some of it. See Seven Fights. (https://mdcbowen.substack.com/p/seven-fights) Since I never lost, it didn't really twist me, but I grew up with that kind of situational awareness.
Elon's hardness, that kind of "Eastern Promises" hardness, helped him find his strengths in the hard sciences, and he grinded his way through it. He doesn't strike me as a bold theoretical thinker, but as a super efficient practical shark. The kind who is fearless because he survived the worst things.
In the end he's a Genius because he figured out everything necessary and I do mean everything to game the Rulers. Ultimately the greatest Geniuses make themselves indispensable to the Rulers to the point at which Rulers change the rules to keep the Geniuses happy and well-fed. If the Feds want a spy satellite put up, they don't have much choice do they?
Musk is not arbitrary, but he is optimistic about that which seems impossible. It's one of the reasons he's misinterpreted as someone who has no regard for rules, but you can be damned sure that he runs his businesses on very tight, non-arbitrary rules. This you must do in manufacturing of durable goods.
Technofeudalism is already with us. We put up with a large number of small despots. Sam Bankman-Fried, Adam Neumann and Sam Altman are cut from that same cloth. San Francisco / Silicon Valley is a feudal kingdom. There's nothing democratic about it.
Peasants will remain peasants. The ratio of peasants will not change significantly. There may be fewer Geniuses and that class may dip during oligarchical concentrations. But it's really too wild out there as of yet. For example, I think that online travel websites are at an equilibrium. There probably won't be any new entries into that space and the Geniuses who run them are who they are. But the number of AI startups is ridiculous. That won't shakeout for a while.
Again. I think looking to the automotive industry is instructive. Cars are still built for peasants. New companies like Slate will build small cheap trucks for poorer peasants, and out here in California kids on electric bikes and minibikes are taking over the streets. We may get to the point of Indian traffic rules. The peasant balance will remain because Geniuses and Rulers like nothing more than destroying their competition. That doesn't come from below.
Great reply and thanks! I wasn't expecting such a rich and detailed response. You gave me much to think about. I liked this essay since it prompted rapid fire questions from me.
Three questions -- (1) Was Elon Musk born a Ruler, a Genius or a Peasant?, (2) Do you foresee techno fedualism by the year 2030, (3) Will the ranks of Peasants increase by the year 2030 or not?
Elon Musk was born a peasant. If you didn't know, his father nearly beat him to death. So he grew the hardness required to survive social failure. Every once in a while, in my upscale neighborhood I see people who walk with big dogs and sticks. I recognize that hardness because I had some of it. See Seven Fights. (https://mdcbowen.substack.com/p/seven-fights) Since I never lost, it didn't really twist me, but I grew up with that kind of situational awareness.
Elon's hardness, that kind of "Eastern Promises" hardness, helped him find his strengths in the hard sciences, and he grinded his way through it. He doesn't strike me as a bold theoretical thinker, but as a super efficient practical shark. The kind who is fearless because he survived the worst things.
In the end he's a Genius because he figured out everything necessary and I do mean everything to game the Rulers. Ultimately the greatest Geniuses make themselves indispensable to the Rulers to the point at which Rulers change the rules to keep the Geniuses happy and well-fed. If the Feds want a spy satellite put up, they don't have much choice do they?
Musk is not arbitrary, but he is optimistic about that which seems impossible. It's one of the reasons he's misinterpreted as someone who has no regard for rules, but you can be damned sure that he runs his businesses on very tight, non-arbitrary rules. This you must do in manufacturing of durable goods.
Technofeudalism is already with us. We put up with a large number of small despots. Sam Bankman-Fried, Adam Neumann and Sam Altman are cut from that same cloth. San Francisco / Silicon Valley is a feudal kingdom. There's nothing democratic about it.
Peasants will remain peasants. The ratio of peasants will not change significantly. There may be fewer Geniuses and that class may dip during oligarchical concentrations. But it's really too wild out there as of yet. For example, I think that online travel websites are at an equilibrium. There probably won't be any new entries into that space and the Geniuses who run them are who they are. But the number of AI startups is ridiculous. That won't shakeout for a while.
Again. I think looking to the automotive industry is instructive. Cars are still built for peasants. New companies like Slate will build small cheap trucks for poorer peasants, and out here in California kids on electric bikes and minibikes are taking over the streets. We may get to the point of Indian traffic rules. The peasant balance will remain because Geniuses and Rulers like nothing more than destroying their competition. That doesn't come from below.
Great reply and thanks! I wasn't expecting such a rich and detailed response. You gave me much to think about. I liked this essay since it prompted rapid fire questions from me.