[consumer451]

I was just thinking about this phrase in regards to Musk about ten minutes ago.

“The ends” are the most laudable things I can imagine: electrifying the world and colonizing other celestial bodies.

While I love the goals, I am afraid of what a mission-driven person might rationalize and do to achieve them.

[toomuchtodo]

The ends justify giving people like Musk wide latitude but keeping them in check when the negative externalities tip the scale away from the benefits.

[consumer451]

I certainly give Musk wide latitude even when he makes it difficult.

I was thinking more along the lines of how one in his position could drift in their perspective and values as they get distorted by the blinders of hyper mission focus.

[lazide]

Another thought to add here - he also gets paid very well in a very concrete way to LOOK like he is doing those things, and if he never gets in a spaceship but still enjoys the billions? Hard life.

[xyzzyz]

Yes, heaven forbids he drills 10,000th gas well in the US on his way.

[consumer451]

I was not thinking about gas wells at all. I have no opinion there except I thought we were doing the Sabatier reaction process to prep for Mars and be carbon negative.